DETROIT — Cadillac is setting a new design tone with the Lyriq, the electric vehicle that will be a launch pad toward its plan to eliminate internal combustion engines by 2030.
The crossover, due out early next year, kicks off the latest of many reinvention efforts that have had varying levels of success for the General Motors luxury brand in recent decades. But the conversion to all EVs is not the kind of transformation that can be easily unwound or brushed aside later if brand leaders' execution falls short.
Designers borrowed embellishments from Cadillac's heritage while leveraging the styling freedom created by the new battery architecture to give the Lyriq a low, wide stance. They added touches such as a lined jewelry drawer and a cantilever console inspired by grand balconies. Each component of the midsize crossover — and all future Cadillac EVs — is unique. It won't share parts with Chevrolet, Buick or GMC.
"We've got a whole strategy of how we want to develop Cadillacs to be Cadillacs first and foremost," said Andrew Smith, executive director of Cadillac global design. "That really means that we've got a component set, a sharing strategy, even a manufacturing strategy that's very much dedicated for Cadillac."
Cadillac will open customer reservations Saturday, Sept. 18, for the launch edition of the Lyriq. After reservations are full, Cadillac will shift to a traditional dealer allocation model.