Cadillac: ‘We want to build a hypercar’

General Motors luxury brand Cadillac is considering a rival for the blisteringly fast and expensive Mercedes-AMG ONE hypercar.

And if built it would come to Australia, according to GM global design chief, Australian Michael Simcoe.

“Could we build a hypercar? Yes. Would we like to build one? Yes. Are we building one? That would be giving too much away,” Simcoe said.

Asked about a Cadillac hypercar’s Aussie prospects, he added: “If there was a hypercar no doubt we would [bring it to Australia].”

Simcoe, a 40-year Holden and GM veteran, was speaking from Detroit to Australian motoring media about Cadillac, which launches in Australia with the Lyriq battery-electric SUV later this year.

He confirmed Cadillac’s interest in developing a hypercar after being asked whether brand’s entry into Formula 1 as soon as 2026 with Andretti Global could prompt such a vehicle’s development.

There has been a recent trend of F1-affiliated car-makers developing road-going hypercars.

The limited-edition $5 million Mercedes AMG ONE coupe launched in 2023 uses an adapted 746kW version of the 1.6-litre V6 petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain employed by the Mercedes-AMG F1 team.

The ONE is capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in 2.9 seconds and has a top speed of 352km/h.

Meanwhile, the Red Bull F1 team will debut its $10 million RB17 track-car developed by F1’s leading designer Adrian Newey within weeks at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Intriguingly, Simcoe was even prepared to admit the Cadillac hypercar might retain a combustion-engined component, even though the brand has previously stated its intention go all-EV by 2030.

That prevarication potentially reflects a softening of Cadillac’s position on its EV switch by its global leader John Roth, who recently stated ICE technology could stay in the portfolio beyond the 2030 deadline.

“No, it [hypercar] wouldn’t have to be [electric], but it could be,” Simcoe said.

A combustion engine makes sense if it’s linked to the F1 program because the world’s premier motorsport category’s overhauled 2026 technical rules retain ICE.

Cadillac also races prototype sports cars in the World Endurance Championship and US IMSA competition, powered by V8 hybrid engines.

“Whether it’s ICE or whether it’s EV, Cadillac is committed to performance,” Simcoe said.

“Otherwise we wouldn’t be having the conversation around Formula 1 and we wouldn’t have branded it the way we have.”

Cadillac’s interest in a hypercar also reflects a recent emphasis on its performance credentials.

In March it teased the V Series Opulent Velocity concept, which is expected to showcase an electric path forward for the internal-combustion high-performance sports sedans that are marketed under the V Series label and topped off by the Blackwing models.

Until now, Cadillac has focussed its electric future on SUVs (Lyriq, Optiq, Vistiq and Escalade IQ) and the hand-built Celestiq that is not expected to come to Australia.

“Like the Blackwing and like the work in [sports car] racing] right now, Cadillac is committed to performance,” Simcoe said.

“The intent [of V Series Opulent Velocity] is to continue to talk about Cadillac and Cadillac style.

“It would be silly of us to ignore that as part of Cadillac’s brand value at the moment is performance.”

Cadillac has dabbled in hypercars previously. In 2002 it revealed the V12 Cien coupe concept and in 2003 the 13.6-litre V16 Sixteen concept.

The Corvette C5-based XLR two-door convertible was sold from 2003 to 2009.

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