Cadillac’s hot V-Series models have, for the most part, packed V8 power. However, General Motors’ luxury brand is set to bring the nameplate into the electric era.
Road & Track reports a representative for Cadillac confirmed the brand will show an “interpretation of what a V-Series would look like in EV form” during 2024.
A spokesperson also told Automotive News the brand “will offer performance variants no matter the propulsion”.
It’s a milestone year for Cadillac’s V-Series line, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. It also enters the new year with momentum, with V-Series sales up by 55 per cent in 2023.
These reports suggest Cadillac could preview a concept electric V-Series model, though it’s unclear if this will be a V-Series version of one of Cadillac’s already revealed EVs or if it’ll be something separate entirely.
Cadillac currently sells only one electric vehicle (EV), the Lyriq, which will relaunch the brand in Australia later this year.
-
Lyriq -
Escalade iQ
The brand has also recently revealed three other electric SUVs: the smaller Optiq and larger, three-row Vistiq crossovers; and the flagship Escalade iQ.
These have yet to be confirmed for Australia, though all three nameplates have been trademarked and GM executives have confirmed the Lyriq won’t fly the Cadillac flag solo – though they stopped short of confirming when it’ll have company in local showrooms.
Cadillac is also rumoured to be working on electric successors to its existing combustion-powered CT4 and CT5 sedans.
-
CT4-V Blackwing -
Escalade-V
It currently offers V-Series versions of the CT4, CT5 and Escalade, plus more hardcore V Blackwing versions of the two sedans – with the latter offering a choice of manual or automatic transmissions.
Cadillac’s first V-Series model was the 2004 CTS-V sedan, which featured an overhead-valve 5.7-litre V8 (later a 6.0-litre) shared with the Chevrolet Corvette, mated with a six-speed manual transmission.
It was soon joined by the STS-V sedan and XLR-V convertible, which used a supercharged version of Cadillac’s Northstar overhead-cam V8, mated with a six-speed automatic.
-
STS-V, XLR-V and first-gen CTS-V
These lasted a single generation, but the CTS-V went for two more generations, both with supercharged V8 power.
V-Series models were later joined by tamer VSport models, which forwent V8 power for twin-turbocharged V6 engines. That said, not every hardcore V-Series model has packed a bent eight, with the ATS-V for example being the first V with a twin-turbo V6.
In recent years, Cadillac revised its V-Series strategy, rolling out models like the CT4-V and CT5-V that are less powerful than previous Vs – the CT4-V even features a four-cylinder engine, a first for a V-Series – but replacing the full-fat ATS-V and CTS-V models with new CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing models.
It also introduced the first ever Escalade-V, the first time the V-Series name has been used on an SUV.
-
ATS-V (right) and third-gen CTS-V (left)
MORE: Cadillac locked in for Australia in 2024: Everything you need to know
