Cadillac Optiq revealed as luxurious Tesla Mannequin Y rival

Cadillac has formally revealed its Optiq, its entry-level electrical SUV, on the Guangzhou motor present.

Photographs and a few specs of the Tesla Mannequin Y and BMW iX3 rival appeared on-line earlier this yr in a submitting with the Chinese language Ministry of Trade and Info Expertise (MIIT).

The Optiq has now hit the present flooring in Guangzhou, although now we have but to see its inside.

Concurrently, Cadillac has introduced it received’t be unique to the Chinese language market as had beforehand been reported. It has been confirmed for the North American market, with pricing and specs to be introduced subsequent yr.

It’s a chance for Australia, too, as earlier this yr Common Motors trademarked the Optiq identify domestically.

Cadillac hasn’t revealed any additional info on the Optiq, nonetheless we all know from the sooner MIIT submitting it’ll include a single electrical motor with both 150kW of energy or 180kW of energy.

It’s anticipated to characteristic rear-wheel drive like most GM merchandise on the BEV3 platform, whereas a dual-motor all-wheel drive configuration appears doubtless for the North American market.

Based on Chinese language media reviews, the Optiq will use a battery from the SAIC-CATL three way partnership and never certainly one of GM’s Ultium batteries. It’s unclear if this can be completely different for examples offered exterior of China.

The Optiq measures 4822mm lengthy, 1912mm broad and 1642mm tall on a 2954mm wheelbase.

For reference, a Tesla Mannequin Y is 4750mm lengthy, 1978mm broad and 1624mm tall on a 2890mm wheelbase, whereas Cadillac’s personal Lyriq is 5005mm lengthy, 1976mm broad and 1623mm tall on a 3094mm wheelbase.

Whereas there’s a transparent familial resemblance between the Optiq and its fellow Cadillac electrical SUVs, together with tail lights just like these of the flagship Escalade iQ, it has its personal look with extra curvaceous styling.

Along with trademarking the Lyriq in Australia, GM additionally trademarked the Escalade iQ and Vistiq names, the latter for an as-yet unrevealed electrical Cadillac.

It’s unclear whether or not Vistiq is Cadillac’s mooted electrical three-row crossover, or an electrical sedan.

Notably, the Celestiq – an ultra-luxury flagship fastback for the model – hasn’t been trademarked in Australia. It’s understood to be left-hand drive-only.

Cadillac introduced its return to the Australian market earlier this week, confirming the Lyriq can be offered right here in manufacturing unit right-hand drive by the tip of 2024 in two new showrooms in Sydney and Melbourne.

Whereas it didn’t affirm the Optiq particularly, it indicated the model will subject a couple of product in Australia.

“We assess each market and each product chance… we’re not sharing greater than Lyriq proper now however we’ll proceed to evaluate what Cadillac is growing globally and what’s the proper match for our market and at the moment,” stated GM Australia and New Zealand managing director Jess Bala.

“Clearly it’s not simply Lyriq, there are going to be extra Cadillacs to return.

“We’re standing up a model and a enterprise, so clearly it wants a couple of entry.”

Likewise, executives confirmed the Cadillac model’s retail community will develop past the preliminary two places.

Executives additionally confirmed that, whereas the Lyriq will come from the corporate’s Tennessee plant within the US, “every little thing is at all times into consideration” relating to manufacturing sourcing – leaving the door open to sourcing automobiles from China.

Cadillac stated it’ll value the Lyriq “competitively” inside its phase, which incorporates rivals just like the BMW iX.

The iX and Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV each begin at round $135,000 earlier than on-road prices.

Regardless of what it’s calling aggressive pricing, Cadillac says it’ll promote autos right here in “unique volumes”.

Along with a separate retail community from the prevailing GM Specialty Automobiles enterprise, it’s additionally promising a singular after-sales expertise which it characterises as “white glove”.

“We’re all about offering an elevated luxurious expertise to that buyer from the minute they might enter their particulars in an internet site or go to certainly one of our Cadillac Expertise Centres, throughout to buy and past that,” stated Ms Bala.

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