by Gilles Guillaume
General Motors GM.N has unveiled the model with which it intends to make its comeback in France, “Lyriq”, a premium electric SUV from the Cadillac brand.
Even if it has always maintained a small commercial presence in Europe to stay on top of trends, the American automobile manufacturer had left the continent the previous decade with the cessation of the marketing of the Chevrolet brand in 2015, then the sale from the Opel and Vauxhall brands to PSA – now Stellantis STLAM.MI – in 2017.
Taking the opposite view of calls for the development of a range of small affordable vehicles, the Lyriq, five meters long, is equipped with “American” power – no less than 528 horsepower – for a range of 530 km, and adorned with high-end equipment and finishes.
“When you look at the electric vehicle market in France, it’s the high-end market that is doing well,” Jaclyn McQuaid, CEO of General Motors Europe, told reporters.
“So beyond the mainstream market, that’s where the focus needs to be right now, and within that segment, it’s the small and mid-size SUVs that are expected to grow the most according to projections,” she added.
The best-selling electric car in France last year was a premium model, Tesla’s Model Y SUV TSLA.O .
Jaclyn McQuaid added, however, that other Cadillac electric models should follow on the same architecture as the Lyriq, including a smaller model.
She also recalled the French origins of Cadillac, name of the French founder of the city of Detroit in 1701.
GM Europe initially intends to do without a network of dealers, as in Switzerland or Sweden where the car is already sold online, while maintenance is entrusted to a specialized partner.
In France, where Cadillac will also have a Parisian showroom, “Cadillac City”, the Lyriq can be ordered from March 23. The car, imported from Tennessee, should then conquer other European markets, starting with Germany by the end of the year.
(Report by Gilles Guillaume, edited by Sophie Louet)