Cadillac is experiencing its strongest period in almost two decades.

      Joel Feder

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      After several decades, Cadillac may finally be resuming its role as a benchmark for others, with sales soaring and appealing products making their way into showrooms.

      At the launch of the 2026 Lyriq-V in Seattle, Washington, Cadillac’s Global Marketing Director Brad Franz stated that the first half of the year has marked the automaker’s best performance in almost 20 years.

      The statistics are telling.

      Retail sales have risen by 19% year-to-date.

      Sales of the V-Series models have reached unprecedented levels.

      Retail sales have increased across all 50 states year-over-year, with 26 states seeing over a 25% rise. California has experienced a 16% increase.

      This success can be partly attributed to Cadillac’s push into electric vehicles (EVs). Earlier in July, Cadillac reaffirmed that it views EVs as essential, even as incentives are diminishing. The company believes the demand for its luxury EVs will endure amidst market uncertainties. Supporting this assertion, Franz reported a 23% EV penetration so far in 2025.

      Franz mentioned that the Lyriq and Optiq are currently leading their respective segments (though competitors in those segments were not specified). However, these sales are coming at the cost of competitors, with the Lyriq achieving a conquest rate of 71% and the Optiq also at 71%. These models are attracting new customers to Cadillac showrooms.

      To date, Franz indicated that Cadillac has sold over 60,000 Lyriqs over the past three years, though most of these sales occurred in the last two years as production increased.

      GM is actively responding to consumer and online feedback, making prompt updates to its products, including addressing the inconvenient operation of the Lyriq’s charge port door.

      While EV sales are introducing new customers to Cadillac showrooms, the automaker’s gasoline-powered lineup is also experiencing a positive surge.

      Joel Feder

      The V-Series has finally established itself, and buyers are generally younger than the typical Cadillac customer, according to Franz. This performance sub-brand is also attracting wealthier customers, with V-Series owners often being more likely to be male.

      Cadillac has scrapped its plan to have a fully electric lineup within five years, but new EVs continue to launch on schedule as initially intended. The focus has shifted not to moving away from its EV plans but rather maintaining the production of gasoline vehicles.

      The 2026 Lyriq-V will debut in the coming weeks, marking the first electric V-Series model. The three-row Vistiq is now available at dealerships alongside the smaller Optiq, with an Optiq-V set to join the electric V-Series lineup.

      Cadillac has been actively enhancing its brand prestige. The automaker is returning to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, entering Formula 1, and now offers a hand-built $340,000 EV. This strategy, along with its EV initiatives, appears to be paying off for Cadillac.

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