After months of teases, Cadillac officially announced the Lyriq-V as a 615-horsepower, high-performance electric SUV that will go on record as the “quickest” vehicle ever produced by the luxury automaker.

With that much horsepower, and 650 pound-feet of torque, Cadillac says the Lyriq-V is able to leap from zero to 60mph in just 3.3 seconds — besting the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing’s acceleration by a tenth of a second. That may not sound like much, but when you consider that the CT5-V Blackwing is lauded as one of the most expertly engineered American cars ever made, and when you realize that the CT5-V Blackwing is likely the last of its kind, you start to see the significance of the Lyriq-V’s performance specs.

Of course, there’s some fine print to consider. That acceleration time is measured on a closed course, using the Lyriq-V’s Velocity Max that’s also available on Cadillac’s forthcoming EV lineup that includes the Vistiq, Optiq, and Escalade IQ. And it includes a metric called “Initial Vehicle Movement,” which is when the vehicle starts moving rather than when the green light goes off.

And yes, there are plenty of EVs that can accelerate to 60mph in under three seconds. But I don’t think Cadillac was out to shatter any records with the Lyriq-V. It wanted to make a car that “fits perfectly” into people’s lives, as Cadillac boss John Roth says.

To that end, the Lyriq-V looks like it takes a lot of what worked with the original Lyriq and made it more powerful. Its 102kWh battery will help propel this V-Series for an estimated 285 miles of range. It gains around 75 miles of range in about 10 minutes when plugged into a DC fast charger or about 19 miles per hour when sipping from a 240-volt Level 2 charger. And it will ship with a CCS port for charging, rather than the Tesla-backed NACS standard.

The Lyriq-V perches on 22-inch wheels with Brembo brake calipers. The handling is “comfortable, yet spirited,” with 5-link independent suspension and continuous damping control for stiffer shock absorbers.

And now we come to the part where I inform you that, yes, the Lyriq-V features a “unique sound experience” that simulates an engine growl. Cadillac is the latest automaker to resort to faux exhaust noises piped through external speakers to comfort car buyers who may be feeling a bit hesitant about leaving the warm bosom of the internal combustion engine.

Another unique feature is a button on the steering wheel for V-Mode, which is “a suite of traction management features specifically engineered to increase vehicle agility.” And like the original Lyriq — but unlike GM’s other electric vehicles — the Lyriq-V will support phone mirroring through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The electric V-Series has been in the works for a while now. Cadillac first introduced the concept of an electrified V with the introduction of three V-Series.R hybrid race cars at the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship races in 2023.

It then first teased a fully electric Lyriq-V in March 2024 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the inaugural launch of the V-Series at the Sebring International Raceway in March 2004. That year saw the introduction of the 2004 Cadillac CTS-V, signaling the automaker’s intention to compete with other performance luxury subbrands like BMW M and Mercedes AMG.

Thanks to their quick, seamless acceleration and aerodynamic shapes, electric vehicles are a great fit in the performance segment. Indeed, BMW, Mercedes, and Audi all have performance-geared EVs for sale — or at least have outlined plans to sell them. Cadillac would be the latest to add its own spin on plug-in power.

Starting at $79,990 (including destination charges), the 2026 Lyriq-V is expected to start production at GM’s Spring Hill, Tennessee, factory in early 2025.