Configurator Challenge: Cadillac – Drive

Customisation is in vogue at the moment, but too much choice can be confusing. In our configurator challenge, Drive team members scroll through a manufacturer’s website to create their ideal combination for a certain model.

The biggest news of this past week was confirmation of Cadillac’s return to Australia after more than 50 years out of the market – and multiple false starts in recent decades.

The General Motors luxury brand intends to sell electric vehicles only, starting with the Lyriq large SUV – leaving the likes of the CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwing sports sedans, Escalade V8 4WD, and other models off-limits to local buyers.

But with the full US Cadillac showroom to choose from, what would the Drive editorial team buy?

Tell us which new Cadillac you would buy – and how you’d specify it – in the comments below (build a car here), and what you’d like us to configure next.

Sure, I’d love to pick up a Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing with the 6.2-litre supercharged V8 and manual transmission (ideally in tri-coat red with the bronze wheels), as who doesn’t love a muscle sedan? But with the announcement of Australian availability, I think the right thing to do here is to embrace the American luxury brand with some good old green-and-gold hospitality.

I’ve built a Lyriq Sport electric SUV in Emerald Lake Metallic with the standard, 22-inch alloys in the ‘After Midnight’ grey finish, and have added a black contrast roof.

In terms of equipment, this is the fully-loaded specification of the Lyriq, but I’ve opted for the 255kW/440Nm rear-wheel-drive model, because as a luxurious tourer, that’s enough oomph and it affords more driving range from the 100kWh battery pack.

Inside I’ve chosen the light-brown Oxford Stone leather, and ticked the box for the panoramic sunroof. It’s the most green-and-gold I can do!

I saw a Lyriq on the road in Palm Springs earlier this year and it looked great. Seeing it in the metal in Melbourne, and noting the attention to detail in terms of material use and implementation, I’m really excited to see this car heading for our market.

The design is striking from every angle, so I hope to see some bold and personal configuration choices made.

I’m not bowing to consumer sentiment with an electric SUV. Or an SUV of any kind.

For me, a Cadillac needs to be a big-ass sedan (or a Coupe De Ville) but since GM’s luxury division no longer makes big-ass sedans or coupes, I’ve settled for the 2024 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing and its stonking 6.2-litre supercharged V8 paired with a six-speed manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive.

And you might as well herald your arrival. My colour of choice is a blinding shade of Cyber Yellow, matched with 19-inch alloys finished in satin graphite and fitted with the optional Bronze pack which as the name suggests adds a bronze-coloured centre cap and black wheel lugs, because, why not?

Inside, my trim of choice is Sky Cool Grey and Jet Black inserts with miles and miles of contrast red stitching. To complement the red needlework, optional red seat belts top off the vibe I’m after. Outside, there’s an optional carbon-fibre front splitter.

All up, my circa $US93,000 CT5-V at list, with options and on-road costs rolls out of the dealership with a ‘sticker price’ of $US107,950, or around $166,000 of our dollars. I’d argue my V8 supercharged, rear-wheel drive, manual, performance brawler represents a better return on investment than just another homogenous electric SUV.

I could not be more excited that Cadillac is back… and I don’t even mean back in Australia, I mean in terms of design, engineering, presence and luxury. Some of the new generation models from the brand look every bit the spiritual successors to the iconic and graceful 1960s Cadillacs. The last peak design era for the brand, in my eyes.

Kicking that off is the Lyriq. It may not be the Caddy you first think of, and that’s what’s so great about it. It’s a new chapter, but unlike the direction taken by some other brands, Cadillac hasn’t forgotten what made it the brand it is – and what made American Luxury so enviable.

With a little tone-on-tone ’60s inspiration in mind, I’ve opted for a Lyriq in Emerald Lake metallic with a Juniper-coloured interior. The colour-block treatment works perfectly against the range of brightwork inside and outside the car. I’ve also added a black roof with a panoramic sunroof.

That’s paired with the rather unimaginative ‘Luxury 3’ equipment package, but it loads the Lyriq up with heated seats front and rear, three-zone climate control, AKG premium audio, 22-inch polished alloy wheels, and a laundry list of other standard inclusions.

While it may not pack a lumpy V8, the 373kW/610Nm dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain should be more than capable of effortless acceleration, washed in the quiet calm that only an electric vehicle can provide. Befitting for a brand that once hailed itself the standard of the world.

From what I’ve seen of the forthcoming Cadillac Lyriq, it’s looking like a very promising electric luxury SUV. And while I enjoy the fantasy of cruising around in a big black V8-powered Cadillac Escalade SUV – ploughing traffic off the road ahead of me like a locomotive clearing snow – I’ve always had a thing for mid-size luxury sedans with quick six-cylinder engines and manual transmissions. The vehicle everyone forgets about 20 years in the future.

Which brings me to the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing. I was lucky enough to drive one in recent months at the launch of the Forza Motorsports video game at the Spring Mountain race track in Nevada.

In a group of dozens of content creators, influencers, and journalists, we were given Blackwings for an autocross competition and I came second overall on the day – only losing to a professional racing car driver who holds a lap record at Fuji. If it sounds like I’m bragging, you’re absolutely right.

But I stepped out of the car impressed. Luxury sedans aren’t typically the vehicle of choice for autocross competitions, but the CT4-V Blackwing was relatively nimble and responsive, with a great engine and accommodating ergonomics.

While that vehicle was an automatic, mine would have a manual transmission to send the 352kW/603Nm from the 3.6-litre twin-turbo V6 to the rear axle. Black with black wheels, bronze brake calipers to match the Caddy badge, carbon-fibre body-kit, black badging, and a tan and black interior with plenty of Alcantara. A true BMW M3 competitor, hiding in a tuxedo.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been stuck in a wormhole of The Sopranos for the past year, or it could just be that I no longer want to have the smallest car at the daycare car park – I love the excess of an Escalade-V.

Though it will no doubt be a pain in the proverbial to park, this SUV is the definition of gangster, and what could look cooler than cruising around in an all-black car with black badges and murdered-out window tint. People will either think you’re an undercover cop or coming to whack them.

Inside it’s hard to go past the gangster blood (aka dark auburn) leather interior, which I feel complements the Black Diamond exterior paintwork and monochrome badges.

All up my build comes to $US162,185 before taxes, which would also be the approximate annual fuel bill for that mind-blowing 6.2-litre supercharged V8 petrol engine, good for 509kW and 885Nm.

The only main concern is where to park it, as this is just about the antichrist in the eyes of the anti-SUV tyre slashing groups currently trying to make a mark on Australia. Then again, if you saw someone driving a car which looks like this, would you dare cross them?

I like electric cars, but buying a Lyriq and knowingly missing out on the final high-performance, petrol-powered Cadillac sedans to grace showrooms would be like hearing last drinks for the Ford Falcon XR8 and ordering a Mondeo.

A V-Series Blackwing it is, then. As much as I like V8s, I don’t like big cars – and I couldn’t live with (or fit in my garage) the dimensions of a CT5.

All of that means I’ve picked a CT4-V Blackwing, combining its 3.6-litre twin-turbo V6 – which can trace its roots to a VZ Commodore, if you’re generous with the timeline – with a six-speed manual transmission.

Cyber Yellow Metallic complements 18-inch two-tone silver and grey wheels, black mirror caps and red brake calipers. There are some tantalising carbon-fibre options but I’ve left those at the dealership.

Inside I’ve optioned the performance bucket seats in quilted black leather, with suede seatbacks, Torch Red seatbelts, a performance data recorder, and the Climate and Technology Packages, which include a head-up display among other extras.

The final price comes to $US71,135 ($AU110,000) before the destination charge (shipping to the dealer), including $US9640 ($AU15,000) in options. Worth every penny. Now, about bringing it to Australia…