Cadillac is aiming for a fully electric lineup by 2030, and alongside the EV transition, the luxury marque is looking to get established in the Australian and New Zealand markets as well. Just last November, GM confirmed that the Cadillac Lyriq would lead the charge in the two Oceanian countries. Now, GM Authority has learned that new, official information regarding the launch of the Cadillac Lyriq in Australia and New Zealand will be provided as early as April.
According to GM Authority sources, an event regarding the launch of the Cadillac Lyriq in Australia and New Zealand will be held on April 8th. So far, General Motors has officially confirmed that the 2025 Cadillac Lyriq will launch in Australia and New Zealand as a right-hand-drive (RHD) vehicle, spearheading the introduction of RHD Lyriq variants for various global markets.
According to the Managing Director of GM Australia and New Zealand, Jess Bala, the launch of the Lyriq in Australia and New Zealand “signals the introduction of our modern automotive luxury brand for our markets – one which features electric vehicles front and center with the promise of more models to come.”
GM filed trademarks for the Cadillac Optiq and Cadillac Escalade IQ in Australia last year.
The 2025 Cadillac Lyriq will be produced from the factory in RHD for sale in RHD markets. By contrast, GM vehicles like the Chevy Silverado 1500 and Chevy Camaro are shipped to Australia in left-hand-drive (LHD) configurations only to be converted to RHD by GM Specialty Vehicles (GMSV) and sold in Australia and New Zealand. GMSV launched following the discontinuation of the Holden brand and serves as an indirect replacement for the Walkinshaw-run Holden Speciality Vehicles.
Notably, the start of regular production (SORP) for the 2025 Cadillac Lyriq is expected to begin at the GM Spring Hill facility on September 9th, 2024. As such, this date may coincide with the SORP of RHD units of the Lyriq.
The Cadillac Lyriq will not be sold in Australia and New Zealand through a traditional dealer. Rather, the all-electric crossover will be available through “Experience Centers” located at places like luxury malls.
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Comments
This car looks good in Opulent Blue Metallic. Not so much the XT5. The XT5 looks better with more subtle colors like Dark Blue Moon Metallic. However another gorgeous color I seen on the Lyriq is Emerald Lake Metallic.
I’m hearing they are having nothing but problems with these cars . . .
Growing pains I guess. These Ultium cars are completely new from ground up so there are bound to be bugs. I get it. Toyota doesn’t have these issues. But Toyota also keeps reusing their platforms for generations and is why their cars seem archaic.
As pleased as I am to finally see the Cadillac brand return to Australia. I have a hard time seeing a small SUV type vehicle as a ‘luxury car’. Added to this, the Australian market is over flowing with similar style small and large SUVs.
Now an electric powered Cadillac CT6 would have held a great deal more appeal for me but I guess the market these days is all about SUVs. Try as I may, I can’t visualise a chauffer driven Cadillac Lyriq however and I can’t see Australian heads of state being driven in them.
This Cadillac Lyriq will I am certain command a price north of $150,000 in Australia, but its small SUV appearance makes it look like the second car that does the weekly shopping etc.
Hardly I idea of high end luxury