GUANGZHOU MOTOR SHOW: Cadillac Optiq debuts

The Cadillac Optiq has been revealed at Auto Guangzhou today and the all-new mid-size battery-electric luxury SUV could be on its way to Australia.

Already trademarked here and indirectly revealed earlier this year by the Chinese Ministry of Information, the Optiq is smaller than the Lyriq large electric SUV with which General Motors plans to relaunch the Cadillac in Australia in the second half of 2024.

Currently, the Optiq is only being reported as being built in China for China, but it shapes up as a logical Tesla Model Y fighter (at least at the top of its range) as well as a rival for the BMW iX3 and the incoming Polestar 4 in Australia as well.

Considering we expect the Lyriq to start in the $130,000-$150,000 range, the Optiq might kick off at around $100,000. But that’s all speculation at this point.

The other Cadillac model being touted for Australia following right-hand drive confirmation for the US premium car-maker’s upcoming range of EVs is the much larger full-size Escalade IQ electric SUV that was recently rolled out in the USA. But that will be a $200,000-plus proposition.

Unlike the Lyriq and Escalade iQ, the Optiq uses Chinese SAIC-CATL batteries rather than the GM-developed Ultium battery packs.

Cadillac launched the Optiq at Guangzhou with a public competition to decide its Chinese name and win the use of an example for a year. But it released little other detail about it.

As previewed earlier this year the Optiq will come with a choice of 150kW and 180kW powertrains in China and has a 180km/h top speed.

It measures up at 4822mm long, 1912mm wide, 1642mm high and has a 2954mm wheelbase. It weighs in at 2220kg.

In a statement to carsales today, General Motors Australia & New Zealand chief Jess Bala said: “It is very exciting for the Cadillac team that Optiq was revealed today at the Guangzhou Auto Show.

“This week, we announced the Cadillac brand will come to Australia and New Zealand as a right-hand drive EV portfolio, led by Lyriq. We have confirmed the Lyriq will be the first right-hand drive EV entry for Australia and New Zealand and can’t comment on future product speculation for our market,” she said.

Speaking to carsales earlier this week, Bala did not address Optiq directly but made it clear the Lyriq was only the starting point for Cadillac’s product plans in Australia.

“Our plans go out years from now because we are going to expand, we are going to grow and we are going to bring more vehicles to market.”

Expanding the number of direct-to-customer ‘experience centres’ beyond Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland was also planned, she said.

“We have a plan to expand, we will go exactly where we think the demand makes the most sense.

“That [three outlets] is definitely not it, we will be expanding from there for sure.

“Then there are other things we will do to enhance those as well, whether it be pop ups and activations in different locations and different events. It won’t be only those three.”

Bala confirmed the experience centres would stay exclusive to Cadillac.

Meanwhile, GMANZ has also this week reached out to GMSV dealers, sounding them out about becoming service points for Cadillac locally.

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