Apparently, it will arrive with the same horsepower as the standard Lyriq.
The high-performance V variant of the Cadillac Lyriq will have no more power than the standard all-wheel-drive (AWD) Lyriq, according to the guys at GM Authority.
Last month, Cadillac accidentally leaked that a V trim for the all-electric Lyric would be available via its accessories website. Cadillac V models have a history of mostly being awesome machines, and this would be the first electric version. The problem seems to be that the AWD version already makes a beastly 500 horsepower so adding more power has likely been deemed unnecessary.
Estimates for the Lyriq-V have mostly landed on it having 600 hp. However 500 hp is still a lot when mixed with the AWD model's 450 lb-ft of torque and is likely on or near the limit of its battery.
That suggests to us that Cadillac is concentrating on making the most of the chassis for performance, which is undoubtedly a costly research and development project as performance EV's are still relatively new to the industry and wholly new to Cadillac. The challenge is that the Lyric weighs 5,810 pounds in AWD form. For reference, the Lyriq is a mid-sized SUV and the similarly sized Hyundai Santa Fe weighs 4,076 lbs at its heaviest. A Honda Civic, at its heaviest weighs 3,102 pounds.
As other manufacturers have discovered, the good news for Cadillac is that the weight can be kept low over a regular combustion engine-powered car. It's all about weight management in the chassis and using the usual upgrades a Cadillac V model would get, like Brembo brakes, active damping suspension that can get aggressively sporty, and more aggressive styling with aerodynamic elements.
The original Cadillac leak suggests that the V model will arrive in time for the 2024 model year. Of course, Cadillac might be holding power back for aninsane Blackwing model. We shall see.
Keyword: Cadillac Lyriq-V Won't Be As Exciting As We Hoped