General Motors first showed us its electric Cadillac crossover during an event held before the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The automaker only showed a digital rendering of the vehicle, however, and also kept crucial details like its name and release date a secret.
GM Authority has now learned a little bit more about the mysterious electric Cadillac crossover, though. As first reported by our sister site, Cadillac Society, the vehicle will be called the Cadillac Lyriq and will go into production in 2022 as a 2023 model year vehicle.
A source familiar with the Lyriq vehicle program says the name is intended to more accurately represent the Cadillac EV’s key characteristics. The luxury brand intends to use more names like this on other EVs going forward, distancing itself from the alphanumeric nomenclature that was introduced with the Cadillac CT6 and XT5 in 2015.
As we reported in the past, the Cadillac Lyriq will be based on GM’s new BEV3 modular electric platform and will be available in two-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive variants. The two-wheel-drive version of the crossover will likely be rear-wheel-drive, just like other electric luxury crossovers such as the Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model X.
The Lyriq will also be about the size of the Cadillac XT5 crossover, which is 189.6 inches long, 74.9 inches wide, 66.1 inches tall and has a wheelbase of 112.5 inches.
Furthermore, the new Cadillac electric crossover will feature the brand’s next-generation design language, pulling heavy inspiration from the NAIAS 2019 concept pictured in this article. We also hear it will feature “inspiring” driving dynamics, so we wouldn’t be surprised if it’s available with a powerful electric drivetrain and features sporty handling characteristics.
A pre-production version of the Cadillac Lyriq will be shown during a presentation later today as part of GM’s EV Day press event. This will be a design concept, it is understood, but will be closely related to the production model that will arrive in 2022. Even more details on the vehicle are expected to be announced on April 2nd, 2020 as well.
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This report was written in collaboration with our sister publication, Cadillac Society.
Comments
Oh come on, really. This name sounds exactly like the sort of name that will be thrown out when the next person in charge comes in. Giving models no identity. Problem with execs in a lot of industries is they are worried about their own tenure on a quarter by quarter basis not the 10+ year plan. It’s funny, in effort to appease shareholders each quarter, they end up hurting brand potential long term.
Needs to be the Cadilliq Lyriq and the Cadilliq Celestiq.
Reminds me of Derelicte from Zoolander
Truly terrible name. It’s so feminine that I would never buy this vehicle, but I would buy an XT5 though.
They need to either go back to alphanumerics or do “real” names well. This is an example of a real name not done well.
Wow. Is your masculinity THAT fragile?
I actually like the name. I’m hoping that what is shown today is an evolution and not exactly the same as last year’s illustrations.
I really doubt this a PC move. Besides, do you really want Cadillac to use the El Dorado name on an electric midsize crossover??
Not at all, just think it’s a horrible name, could of definitely come up with something better imo. We have names in the gm family like Camaro, Escalade, Corvette, Firebird, Fleetwood, and now the Lyriq? And the Celestiq?? Just sounds like another progressive name trying too hard to not offend anyone to me. That’s just my opinion.. take it for what it’s worth
Gotcha. I’m fine with Lyriq, but I am a bit concerned they’ll make ALL their new models end with the letter Q….that wouldn’t be great.
nvm
Spoiler… Production Model will look like a Bolt
But seriously, who else is tired of GM showing us glamour of the future but giving us mediocre at the end of the assembly line?
Me. Very tired of being teased by Cadillac. They show us with concepts that they know how to reinterpret the classic Cadillac swagger for the 21st Century but steadfastly refuse to actually implement it.
I assume if we like it they will call it Fanstiq?
@C8.R
Haha. That was good. Knowing GM though I wouldn’t doubt it.
Or is it just another Gimmiqi
Sounds like the name of a rapper, are we trying to copy Chrysler’s marketing
Like I said a while ago and I am sure most will still not agree with me. Why did GM Spend so much money on getting the public to understand what CT and XT are if they will just throw it all away. CT4, CT5, CT6, XT4, XT5, and XT6 make sense.
These new Cadillac Names are God awful. OMG who approved them?
Lyriq and Celestiq…These have to be a complete joke correct? I mean we are far from April 1st what is going on.
Man the vehicles better be the absolute best EV’s ever because if you look at social Media these names are getting destroyed already. Please rethink these GM…Thanks
Having said my peace about the names, I cannot wait to see the upcoming Cadillac and GM EV’s. Hope they will be much better than the VW offerings.
I agree. Lyriq has a feminine vibe. There’s also a drug called Lyrica for diabetic nerve pain. Neither image is very appealing to me but Cadillac seems to be targeting woke females these days so I’m sure it’s all been focus group tested with the target demo. I think that means I’ll say with BMW.
The new sedan, the “Celestiq,” is a far better name then “Lyriq.” It connotates the heavenly bodies, the expansiveness of space and the night sky. perfect for a full-size electric luxury powerhouse that’s designed to take a portion of Cadillac back to the “Standard of the World” status.
Btw, early reports say the Celestiq is “huge,” very wide and long, is incredibly striking in appearance, actually was designed BEFORE the Lyriq, and “has to be seen to be believed.” Get hyped.
G8Burnout,
I agree with the celestial vibe thing except that Hyundai has already started the “q” on the end thing with the Ioniq instead of Ionic so Cadillac using Lyriq in place of Lyric and Celestiq seem to be more like a copy of a what the Koreans are doing instead of what America’s once storied Standard of the World should be doing.
Good point. Personally I was always a fan of the Elmiraj name, that would be perfect. These names aren’t finalized by the way, I think Cadillac is feeling out the response before they reach a conclusion. I think a Motor1 article said this.
I don’t mind the space theme…it signifies going beyond, and more passive-aggressively, going beyond Lincoln, which has an aviation theme lol. How do you exceed an Aviator? You go to space, that’s how.
I wouldn’t be opposed to something like “Cadillac Apollo,” or something else along those lines.
Nor would I. There was a Buick Apollo once. It was Buick’s version of the Nova.
Should have named it Aladin
Will it come in “Barbie Doll Pink” and with the “Barney the dinosaur” theme song? Or, will those be extra cost options? 🙂
JK. Both of the recently announced EV’s might turn out to be a redefining moment for Cadillac.
But, 4-5 years from talk to reality? What have they been doing since Tesla introduced the “S” model in 2012?
That was 8 years ago-plus 5 more years- equals lucky number…13 years behind.
I don’t understand. Someone please help. Time for a beer!
I forgot to mention, I really like the design of that concept. If they stayed true to that as close as possible, it might still look great in 4-5 years?
I’m convinced people will NEVER be happy with anything Cadillac/GM does.
Alpha-Numeric names? “Nope GET real names.”
Good, original, real, evocative names? “Nope, don’t like what they came up with.”
You people are mental. You really just take joy in bad mouthing GM – any chance you get.
Just tired of bait and switch and mixed messages. Reuss summed it up: “Asked after the presentation why Cadillac would produce a hand-built EV sedan, Reuss replied, “Do you think the Cadillac brand is in good shape? ” – should anyone applaud the current line up when the guy who could have made it insane over the last 10 years thinks its broken? Go back to your pbr dude….
The converse of that is also true. There are people here who will praise everything Cadillac does and never see anything as wrong. Yet, Cadillac has been on a 40 year sales slide so those numbers speak for themselves. As xjug says below, even Mark Ruess admits that Cadillac is not in good shape yet, again, there are people here who see zero wrong.
👍
I’m part of the GM Authority-reading sometimes-silent majority. I like the Camaro5/6, C4-C8 Corvette, Tahoe, Siverado. The late model Impalas and Malibus are/were cool. The Volt was brilliant and popular. The Cavalier/Cobalt/Cruze line was great. The Saturn SL2 was awesome. The S10 was a great little truck in all its forms. Just saw an old S10 Blazer in near-perfect condition last night, and it still looks great. Name-wise, these are all good. The weird cars/crossovers with oddball names seem to go away anyway.
Not a bad name at all. The last thing you want is a old name that has no relation to the vehicle.
Also you have to remember this first model and is more targeted at women. Naming it Helldorado would not do well.
Just be happy it is not numbers or letters.
Now the Hummer is more targeted at the male drivers and the name and styling is spot on for that.
This is a new future that has to live on their own merits at Cadillac. Totally new models require new names they will make these names iconic and if they fail they will not damage the heritage of the old names.
The bottom line still is no matter the name, number or letter if the product is not right then it it matters little what it is called.
Get it right and it will make the name.
When GM was asked what’s a Camaro. They responded “It’s a small desert animal that eats Mustangs.
When Cadillac is asked what’s a Celestiq and Lyriq. They may respond by saying “ a couple of girls we spent a weekend with in Greenwich Village during our time in New York”
Pretty funny. There’s probably a Moniq coming next.
That’s a really stupid name.
It sounds like something Kia would use.
Cadillac Lyrid, you’ve got to wonder who is making these insane decisions at Cadillac and why is General Motors CEO Mary Barra giving the green light or this type of insanity because every freaking mistake comes back to haunt the company with disappointing sales.
Oh god damn it. I was all excited they were going to come up with some actual good names. Shame on me.
“Lyriq”? “Celestiq”? What is this a joke? Are these like…new rappers with hit singles? I’ve never seen stupider names in my life.
They sound like prescription drug names. “Pristiq” is an actual antidepressant. Did they really think it would be a good idea to copy that naming scheme? Yea, lets go with THAT for our brand new era of electric vehicles. Great.
Do they seriously think these names are anywhere close to as good as “escalade”? For fracks sake GM. Sometimes I swear they are holding back the good names for Chevrolet and GMC.
Chevrolet gets Equinox, which evokes feelings of the outdoors, the cycle of the seasons, the earth going around the sun.
Cadillac gets “Lyriq” which evokes feelings of bad pop music and anti-depressants.
Nice try, start over.
“Lyriq” is finalized, but “Celestiq” is still up in the air. Sadly though, that’s the better of the two names by far.
I am not fond of Lyriq! It does open them up to build another truck, The Rustiq and a sexy coupe, The Mystiq. 🙂 The only historical name I am fond of is Eldorado. Anyone driving an XT5 is the exact demographic of the Eldorado driver from the 80’s, and it’s a good name. So why not expand on the aspirational concept car names including Elmiraj and Escala and use E’s for Electric. These new names sound like they came from a big pharma exec.
I agree, except for the ‘Rustiq’ name. Doubt they’ll use anything with the word ‘rust’ in it.
It’s true that these new names are being slammed on most automotive sites already . Jalopnik has a decent article about it that is funny but spot on .
Just what kind of market research went into coming up with such strange names for a Cadillac . And who approved them . Was not a fan of the alphanumeric names and didn’t expect to see some of the old model names but come on GM , Cadillac is suppose to be your luxury division , the best from your company and you are going to tag these new models with these stupid @ss names .
Why?