A showroom-ready 2023 Cadillac Lyriq has been spotted undergoing testing on public roads, giving us a good glimpse of what the battery-electric crossover looks like in the wild ahead of its launch in early 2022.
What’s interesting about this particular 2023 Cadillac Lyriq prototype is that it is painted white, which is not one of the colors offered on the Debut Edition, which is only offered in Satin Steel Metallic and Stellar Black Metallic.
A few weeks ago, Cadillac Society caught another Lyriq prototype undergoing testing. That particular prototype was missing several exterior elements, wearing a mockup grille that lacked the production LED display, as well as placeholder matte plastic trim. This latest example, however, has the production-ready Black Crystal grille with integrated lighting along with production-ready gloss black trim. Note the distinct front end with 50 individual LEDs that bring the Lyriq to life with a unique startup lighting animation, “greeting” the driver as they approach.
This example of the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq also sports the luxury marque’s vertical lighting signatures bracketing the Black Crystal front fascia. The eye is drawn to the center of the grille, where the backlit monochromatic Cadillac crest resides. A small opening at the bottom of the front fascia, underlined by silver trim, serves air intake duties.
Moving to the vehicle’s side profile, we see the Lyriq boasts a gently sloping roof line that curves down at the rear hatch, lending it a sleek, aerodynamic motif. The rocker panels are accented with black trim with a silver accent, while flush-mounted door handles give the bodyside a smooth appearance. The small panel in front of the driver’s door, interestingly left in the open position on this prototype, conceals the charging port.
The rear end features slim lighting assemblies that further enhance the vehicle’s sharp bodylines. The rear window looks rather narrow from this angle, with a subtle spoiler protruding out just above it. This treatment gives the impression that the roofline is longer than it actually is.
Riding on the new BEV3 platform, the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq features a proprietary 100.4 kWh lithium-ion Ultium battery pack and a single Ultium Drive motor mounted on the rear axle. The electric driveline is rated at 340 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque, and Cadillac estimates the Lyriq will have 300 miles of range on a full charge.
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Frank Ricciardi
The Lyriq is good looking but I’m just not ready for an electric car. Put a gasoline engine in it and I’ll order one tomorrow…or as soon as the lease is up on my XT5 Platinum.