2026 Cadillac LYRIQ V

Two decades ago, Cadillac took the sensible CTS midsize sedan and did a very unsensible thing: The automaker stuffed the 5.7-liter LS6 V8 from the C5 Corvette Z06 underhood, then made it available solely with a six-speed manual transmission to weed out casual performance enthusiasts. Caddy ultimately softened the V brand's original hardcore ethos — best exemplified by the big, silly Escalade-V — but one thing is consistent throughout: V means business. And an unquenchable thirst for premium gas.

That last point will be called into question next year, however, as Cadillac readies the first electric car to join the V family. The 2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V is based on the automaker's midsize EV SUV and should boost output far beyond the current range-topping trim, which maxes out at a healthy 515 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque. But Cadillac hasn't confirmed much outside of the Lyriq-V's name and model year but has said more information will come in early 2025.

That said, we know that Cadillac won't play second fiddle to any other GM brands. The Lyriq shares a common platform with the Chevy Blazer EV, and that car's upcoming SS trim is expected to develop 557 horsepower and 648 lb-ft of torque. That's a lot more than today's dual-motor Lyriq. We expect the Cadillac Lyriq-V to one-up its high-performance sibling with even more electric ponies. We don't know if the powertrain will be enough to rival the automaker's current crop of supercharged V8s (rated in excess of 650 horsepower) but, hey, one can dream, right?