Exactly one month after the first images of the upcoming Cadillac Optiq leaked in China, photos of the more-powerful AWD variant of Cadillac‘s smaller all-electric crossover have just leaked in that country.
On August 14th, the Asian country’s authorities published SAIC-GM’s official future product statement for the Cadillac Optiq AWD, revealing new exterior images of the vehicle and the first technical details of the range-topping version configured with an Ultium Drive two-motor setup. Last month, the Chinese government had leaked the Optiq crossover in its standard version with a single motor and two outputs.
The main novelty of this new Cadillac Optiq leak in China are the specifications of the more-powerful AWD configuration, adding a second motor to the powertrain. The GM joint venture’s data sheet shows that the Optiq AWD will come equipped with a 143 kW or 192-horsepower electric motor on the front axle, and a second 68 kW or 91-horsepower motor on the rear axle.
Together, the two motors in the upcoming Cadillac Optiq AWD produce a combined 211 kW or 283 horsepower – exactly the same output offered by the all-new Buick Electra E5 Avenir that comes standard with all-wheel drive. This confirms that both models, which share a variant of the GM BEV3 platform, use the same four-wheel drive system and motor units with a torque rating of 465 Nm or 343 pound-feet already officially announced.
Additionally, these new images of the Cadillac Optiq AWD reveal some details of the crossover’s Sport trim level for the first time, which is painted in blue. Among them, the new front grille panel that stands out with a diamond-cut triangular pattern and its own lighting signature, similar to that of the Cadillac Lyriq Sport, although with the chrome upper bar instead of black. There is also a new two-tone wheel design for the Sport trim.
Both standard and AWD variants of the upcoming Cadillac Optiq are expected to make their world debut during the second half of the year in China, where the crossover will launch before the end of the 2023 calendar year. The more midsize-than-compact crossover will also debut in the United States in the coming months, as the next addition to Cadillac’s North American EV lineup during the 2024 calendar year.
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Comments
It’s quite nice looking actually.
Isn’t it a RWD car as mentioned in previous articles?
That tiny faux grill looks terrible
I wonder if the Chinese recognize blatant badge engineering as easily as we do?
Blatant badge engineering would be something like what Toyota has done with the new Landcruiser/Lexus GX where they share the same body shell with just different front and rear designs. The Miata/Fiat 124 are also examples of true badge engineering. The Optiq has entirely unique sheetmetal and will undoubtedly have an entirely unique interior as well. This is more on the platform sharing side of things than true badge engineering and frankly, ALL companies with multiple brands do this these days. It’s just good business.
The Fiat 124 shared no exterior sheetmetal with the Miata. It also had a Fiat engine under the hood.
Most blatant current examples of badge engineering: The GM midsize trucks, T1 trucks and SUVs, Toyota GR86/Subaru BRZ, Toyota bZ4x/Subaru EV, Nissan Armada/Infiniti QX56,
They do, but they will just play dumb hoping we don’t suspect them.
didn’t you already make this article not to long ago?
It would be interesting if GM saves the subcompact and compact models for Chevy/GMC/Buick and this is the smallest crossover Cadillac gets.
Kind of funny they’re bringing out a second model, when they can’t even make the first one after trying for a year and a half. I canceled my reservation and got my deposit back last week. Maybe in another couple years they will learn how to build an EV?
The Miami International Auto Show will be here in two weeks (September 1) and hoping that they might have one of these there, up on a turntable to be sure if at all but would be cool to see it in person. Still unhappy that Cadillaic is not going to import the new mid-size SUV and only selling it in China. Then again, I am sure they sell tons more there than here, same as Buick does.