Iconic American brand puts target on BMW i4 M50, Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Tesla Model Y Performance: Hi-po 2026 Cadillac Lyriq V confirmed for Australian release

Cadillac has confirmed its high-performance V badge will be applied to an electric vehicle for the first time with confirmation today that a Cadillac Lyriq V will be coming to market globally in 2026.

Speaking at the opening of the Cadillac brand’s first Australian ‘Experience Centre’ at the historic Rosebery Engine Yards in Sydney’s inner-south, General Motors Australia and New Zealand Managing Director Jess Bala made the global announcement.

“I’m so excited we can finally talk about this. Yes, the Lyriq V will be coming globally so that means it will definitely be coming to Australia and New Zealand in a factory-built right hand-drive in 2026.

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“We will share more details as a brand globally on specs and exact timing early next year. But this is the first V-Series we’re doing for Cadillac as an EV.

“Obviously, V-Series has a long history with the brand already but to do it on the EV platform is really, really exciting because it marries together for us that combination of performance, luxury and innovation into (the Lyriq),” she said.

Also present for the centre opening and Lyriq V announcement was General Motors Executive Vice President and President, Global Markets Rory Harvey who added, “The V-Series designation has got a lot of credibility and a lot of performance behind it… and we do not give the designation lightly.”

The Cadillac V-Series division’s back catalogue includes an imposing range of sedan, wagon and coupe models powered variously by turbo and supercharged V6 and V8 engines with the Blackwing badge applied to the most muscular examples.

2025 Cadillac Lyriq

Internal-combustion Cadillac V models including the twin-turbo V6 CT4 V and CT5 V as well as the thundering 6.2-litre supercharged V8 Escalade V are currently offered in North America and selected export markets, but the brand’s Australian presence is EV-only.

Although detail on specification and pricing for the Lyriq V is yet to be confirmed it’s worth noting the two local Lyriq launch grades — Luxury ($117K before on-road costs) and Sport ($119K before on-roads) — are all-wheel drive with the standard twin motors already producing a robust 388kW (520hp).

The Lyriq V will need a bit more grunt, though, if it's to compete with the Tesla Model Y Performance (393kW), BMW i4 M50 (400kW) and Hyundai Ioniq 5 N (487kW) so let's see what GM can cook up.