Cadillac’s lineup of sporty “V” models is flying high right now. Sure, there was some confusion about the whole V-Series vs. V Blackwing naming scheme, but nomenclature aside, the CT4-V Blackwing, CT5-V Blackwing and Escalade-V are all super competent and entertaining cars. Now, Cadillac’s internal Skunk Works–style division turned its eyes to what may be the brand’s best product, the Lyriq electric crossover, giving us the 2026 Lyriq-V.
The big news with the Lyriq-V, like with all V-related products, is a big boost in power, even if it’s not a full-fat Blackwing. (Cadillac, please make a Lyriq-V Blackwing!) Cadillac says its newest car produces a beefy 615 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque from its front and rear motors. That’s enough juice to get this electric crossover from 0 to 60 mph in a solid 3.3 seconds, making it the quickest Cadillac ever. For reference, the most powerful Lyriq you can currently buy, the Lyriq AWD, puts out 515 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque, so both numbers see sizable jumps.
Energy is still provided in the same 102-kWh battery you find in the regular Lyriq, and despite the power bump, the range is still not too shabby. Caddy says the Lyriq-V will be able to travel 285 miles on a full charge. That’s not world-beating, but it’s better than most high-performance EVs. It can also add about 75 miles of range in 10 minutes if you DC fast charge, and the Lyriq-V can go from nearly empty to 80 percent charged up in as little as 41 minutes.
Aside from the extra power, Cadillac added some other goodies to V-ify the Lyriq. It’ll now get some sort of signature EV sound on both the inside and outside, similar to what Dodge is offering with the Charger Daytona. Don’t worry, though. You can turn it off. In terms of driving, there’s now a Competitive Mode, launch control and a V-Mode (basically a custom drive mode with a steering wheel button) that are meant to get the blood pumping. When you’ve pumped enough blood, the Lyriq-V will slow you down with front Brembo brakes surrounded by 22-inch wheels and standard 275/40R22 Continental Performance Contact 6 summer tires (all seasons are also available).
Cadillac says it calibrated the Continuous Damping Control specifically for the Lyriq-V, and combined that with a lowered multi-link suspension setup and a quicker steering ratio. Along with those stickier tires and agility-focused drive modes and traction control tweaks, Cadillac has aimed to make this 5,980-pound electric crossover as close to a driver’s car as possible.
Outside, Cadillac made sure the Lyriq-V stands out from the regular car. It has a unique lower front fascia and side rockers, body-colored lower trim and some available carbon-fiber accents (because of course it does). All Lyriq-Vs will also come with a special chin spoiler and V-pattern mesh on the front lower grille. In case that wasn’t enough, it’s also fitted with plenty of V-Series logos that’ll let everyone know you paid up for the more expensive version. Additionally, it comes standard with a black-painted roof and most of the run-of-the-mill colors the standard Lyriq comes in. There’s one special color, though: Magnus Metal Frost, which is just a satin gray. It’s nice, I guess — fits this car.
Inside, the Lyriq-V is fairly similar to the standard car, but there are still some V-ish touches. Of course, the regular Lyriq’s interior is already a wonderful place to be. In any case, you get special power seats with adjustable bolsters in the seatback and cushions for the front two occupants, a re-skinned infotainment system, V-Series sill plates, special wood trim and Nappa leather with unique stitching.
Tech also remains largely the same. You still get Cadillac’s brilliant 33-inch seamless diagonal screen, a 23-speaker AKG audio system, standard Super Cruise and a really neat Augmented Realty head-up display that’ll help you out with navigation and driver safety aids.
All in all, the Lyriq-V sounds like a really compelling package in the performance luxury EV space. Its pricing isn’t terribly outlandish, either. Cadillac says the 2026 Lyriq-V will start at $79,990 including destination, about $20,000 more than a base Lyriq. I won’t sit here and pretend that isn’t a lot of money, but for what you’re getting it could be a lot worse. Production is set to start in early 2025 (which is now) at GM’s Spring Hill Manufacturing plant in Tennessee.
Obviously, I haven’t driven a Lyriq-V yet, but if it’s as good as the normal car with a boatload more power added on, it’s sure to be a winner. Excellent looks and an attractive starting price certainly aren’t hurting things either. I don’t expect it to be a track monster like a CT4-V or CT5-V Blackwings, but I don’t know if I’d really want that out of a Lyriq regardless.
