Why iconic American electric car brand is here to stay: Cadillac says long-term lease shows commitment to Australia as it targets Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz with Lyriq EV launch in October

Cadillac will open its first Australian location in Rosebery, an inner-city suburb of Sydney. 

The grand opening should roughly coincide with the release of its first new model in Australia, the all-electric Lyriq, which is due by the end of October. The Lyriq is all-but confirmed to be followed by the Optiq and Vistiq electric cars. 

Not unlike other new marques to launch, such as Genesis, Polestar and Tesla, Cadillac’s space is not a traditional franchise-style dealership but one designed to support direct-to-consumer sales. 

The space, still under construction, is designed to fit around four cars in the display area with additional parking outside. The servicing location is nearby and owners will be able to drop their cars off at the Rosebery site or have Cadillac come and pick up cars. 

Located in a newly-developed heritage building, the store is surrounded by other upmarket non-car brands, with GM Australia and New Zealand Managing Director Jess Bala describing the area as “intended to be a high-end luxury destination for our customers".

Bala would not be drawn on Cadillac’s sales aspirations in Australia, or what the ‘stay afloat’ point will be but did note there will not be huge volume; the American marque has Audi, BMW, Genesis, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz customers on its radar.

She did comment on how the Gensler Architecture-designed space signals a long term commitment for Cadillac, suggesting the brand has real intentions to stay in the market. 

Following the Sydney location’s opening — likely in late October — Cadillac will expand its presence first to Melbourne, then Auckland, followed by Brisbane.