By Bob Sorokanich, editorial producer and writer, GM News
Nothing prepares you for that first zero-to-60 sprint in the 2026 Cadillac LYRIQ-V. With 615 horsepower and the Velocity Max feature activated, this car is built for brutal acceleration. I’m buckled in the shotgun seat as the SUV eases up to our launch pad, a closed-off stretch of pavement basking under the Miami sun. Next to me in the driver’s seat, my General Motors colleague Kevin Cansiani prepares to blast off.
Cansiani knows this vehicle inside and out – he’s the lead development engineer on the LYRIQ-V, responsible for every tweak and upgrade that makes this the quickest-accelerating Cadillac ever made.
Caption: With Velocity Max engaged, the LYRIQ-V sprints to 60 mph faster than any Cadillac before.
Typically, full-power sprints in high-performance vehicles come with lots of noise and drama – revving engines, screeching tires, and mechanical cacophony heralding a machine at maximum output. But the LYRIQ-V is all electric, the first EV to earn Cadillac’s V-Series performance badge. When Cansiani nails the accelerator, we launch in elegant near silence.
And what a launch. There’s no dramatic loss of traction or struggle to maintain control, just an authoritative wallop of immediate speed. I’m pinned to the back of my seat; my vision blurs around the edges, like when a spaceship enters warp drive in a sci-fi movie.
Caption: Red-accented performance displays highlight the LYRIQ-V’s interior.
Cadillac estimates the LYRIQ-V can sprint from a standstill to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds (1). When Velocity Max is engaged, the driver’s instrument display shows a handy digital stopwatch that automatically records your zero-to-60 time. As Cansiani and I coast to a halt after our zero-to-60 blast, I glance over at the display. Confirmed: 3.3 seconds on the dot.
Extreme acceleration requires two things: Power and control. The LYRIQ-V comes standard with dual-motor all-wheel drive. Activating Velocity Max unleashes the vehicle’s full 650 lb-ft of torque and maximizes traction to get all that power to the ground. The result: Dominant acceleration with refined luxury and zero chaos.
Caption: Magnus Metal Frost paint, exclusive to the LYRIQ-V, gives this performance EV an extra dose of attitude.
The LYRIQ-V isn’t just about straight-line speed. A host of suspension and chassis changes give this EV the kind of canyon-carving nimbleness expected of a Cadillac V-Series vehicle. Specially calibrated dampers, a lower ride height, and a quicker steering ratio (compared to the non-V model) give the LYRIQ-V precision handling on curvy roads, without disturbing its luxurious isolation on highway drives. Brembo performance front brakes provide confident, consistent, fade-resistant stopping power for spirited driving, and the accent-painted brake calipers feature the V-Series logo, a subtle nod to this car’s capabilities.
After I hop out of the car, Alex Doss, vehicle dynamics engineer at Cadillac, put the LYRIQ-V’s handling capabilities on full display. Standing safely to the side of our closed-off course, I watch Doss flick the EV through fast transitions, showing off the vehicle’s precise cornering capability in Competitive Mode. This feature, unique to LYRIQ-V, increases agility by adjusting the parameters of the traction management system, giving drivers the chance to fully enjoy the car’s corner-carving capability.
Caption: The V button on the steering wheel lets drivers unleash the LYRIQ-V’s full performance.
When you’re not looking for an adrenaline thrill, the LYRIQ-V has standard Super Cruise (2) (with three years of OnStar connected service), the industry’s first truly hands-free driver assistance technology. The luxurious interior includes a V-Series logo on the steering wheel, illuminated V-Series sill plates, and available Nappa leather with embroidered V-Series logos and a unique V-pattern detail on the seatbacks. Outside, unique body trim and available carbon fiber accents set the LYRIQ-V apart, hinting at its performance potential without disrupting the LYRIQ’s restrained styling. Every LYRIQ-V comes standard with a black painted roof, and the optional Magnus Metal Frost exterior color is exclusive to LYRIQ-V.
With LYRIQ-V experts at the wheel, these acceleration and handling demonstrations showed exactly how well-rounded the LYRIQ-V can be. It’s a roomy, comfortable, all-electric luxury crossover, the quickest-accelerating Cadillac in history, and a nimble and precise back-road machine, all in one.
Caption: Power and elegance combine in the LYRIQ-V.
On a closed course only. Based on Initial Vehicle Movement (IVM).
Always pay attention while driving and when using Super Cruise. Do not use a hand-held device. Requires active Super Cruise plan or trial. Terms apply. Visit cadillac.com/supercruise for compatible roads and full details.
Nothing prepares you for that first zero-to-60 sprint in the 2026 Cadillac LYRIQ-V. With 615 horsepower and the Velocity Max feature activated, this car is built for brutal acceleration. I’m buckled in the shotgun seat as the SUV eases up to our launch pad, a closed-off stretch of pavement basking under the Miami sun. Next to me in the driver’s seat, my General Motors colleague Kevin Cansiani prepares to blast off.
Cansiani knows this vehicle inside and out – he’s the lead development engineer on the LYRIQ-V, responsible for every tweak and upgrade that makes this the quickest-accelerating Cadillac ever made.
Typically, full-power sprints in high-performance vehicles come with lots of noise and drama – revving engines, screeching tires, and mechanical cacophony heralding a machine at maximum output. But the LYRIQ-V is all electric, the first EV to earn Cadillac’s V-Series performance badge. When Cansiani nails the accelerator, we launch in elegant near silence.
And what a launch. There’s no dramatic loss of traction or struggle to maintain control, just an authoritative wallop of immediate speed. I’m pinned to the back of my seat; my vision blurs around the edges, like when a spaceship enters warp drive in a sci-fi movie.
Cadillac estimates the LYRIQ-V can sprint from a standstill to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds1. When Velocity Max is engaged, the driver’s instrument display shows a handy digital stopwatch that automatically records your zero-to-60 time. As Cansiani and I coast to a halt after our zero-to-60 blast, I glance over at the display. Confirmed: 3.3 seconds on the dot.
Extreme acceleration requires two things: Power and control. The LYRIQ-V comes standard with dual-motor all-wheel drive. Activating Velocity Max unleashes the vehicle’s full 650 lb-ft of torque and maximizes traction to get all that power to the ground. The result: Dominant acceleration with refined luxury and zero chaos.
The LYRIQ-V isn’t just about straight-line speed. A host of suspension and chassis changes give this EV the kind of canyon-carving nimbleness expected of a Cadillac V-Series vehicle. Specially calibrated dampers, a lower ride height, and a quicker steering ratio (compared to the non-V model) give the LYRIQ-V precision handling on curvy roads, without disturbing its luxurious isolation on highway drives. Brembo performance front brakes provide confident, consistent, fade-resistant stopping power for spirited driving, and the accent-painted brake calipers feature the V-Series logo, a subtle nod to this car’s capabilities.
After I hop out of the car, Alex Doss, vehicle dynamics engineer at Cadillac, put the LYRIQ-V’s handling capabilities on full display. Standing safely to the side of our closed-off course, I watch Doss flick the EV through fast transitions, showing off the vehicle’s precise cornering capability in Competitive Mode. This feature, unique to LYRIQ-V, increases agility by adjusting the parameters of the traction management system, giving drivers the chance to fully enjoy the car’s corner-carving capability.
When you’re not looking for an adrenaline thrill, the LYRIQ-V has standard Super Cruise2 (with three years of OnStar connected service), the industry’s first truly hands-free driver assistance technology. The luxurious interior includes a V-Series logo on the steering wheel, illuminated V-Series sill plates, and available Nappa leather with embroidered V-Series logos and a unique V-pattern detail on the seatbacks. Outside, unique body trim and available carbon fiber accents set the LYRIQ-V apart, hinting at its performance potential without disrupting the LYRIQ’s restrained styling. Every LYRIQ-V comes standard with a black painted roof, and the optional Magnus Metal Frost exterior color is exclusive to LYRIQ-V.
With LYRIQ-V experts at the wheel, these acceleration and handling demonstrations showed exactly how well-rounded the LYRIQ-V can be. It’s a roomy, comfortable, all-electric luxury crossover, the quickest-accelerating Cadillac in history, and a nimble and precise back-road machine, all in one.
1On a closed course only. Based on Initial Vehicle Movement (IVM).
2Always pay attention while driving and when using Super Cruise. Do not use a hand-held device. Requires active Super Cruise plan or trial. Terms apply. Visit cadillac.com/supercruise for compatible roads and full details.