The new Cadillac Lyriq SUV.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
As many auto manufactures have struggled during the past few years between the pandemic and a chip shortage, Cadillac is seeing success.
“Cadillac in Canada has been on a roll for the last few years. 2020 was the best year in our history from a sales perspective, said Shane Peever, managing director of Cadillac Canada during the recent test-drive event for the all-electric Lyriq compact SUV in Park City, Utah. “And then we did it again in 2021″ for back-to-back sales records.
In 2020, Cadillac sold 12,066 vehicles in Canada; in 2021, that rose to 12,743. And momentum appears to be building thanks to its first all-electric vehicle. In fact, if you want a 2023 Lyriq, you’re out of luck – it’s already sold out. More than 3,300 have been preordered in Canada, with production to begin in August. Cadillac is now accepting orders for the 2024 models with dual electric motors, 500 horsepower and all-wheel-drive. No other pricing or feature details are available.
Our test vehicle was a rear-wheel-drive Lyriq with a 12-module, 100 kilowatt-hour battery pack and a one-motor system that produces 340 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque, and has an estimated range of 502 kilometres. It rides on GM’s new Ultium battery architecture – it’s the same battery technology used in the GMC Hummer EV and all GM EVs moving forward. It’s less expensive, more powerful and uses less cobalt than the batteries found in the Chevrolet Bolt.
The Lyriq rides on GM’s new Ultium battery architecture – the same battery technology used in the GMC Hummer EV and all GM EVs moving forward.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
With 457 kilometres of range to start, I travelled along highways, twisty mountain roads and through quaint little villages. The Lyriq felt smooth, composed and responsive. In sharp corners, it was surprisingly well-balanced. The default setting for theone-pedal felt overly sensitive and somewhat jarring, slowing down the vehicle abruptly and making my driving partner nauseous. Thankfully, you could turn off the system easily using an icon on the massive 33-inch curved LED display. Cadillac’s so-called “Regen on Demand” system, accessed via a paddle shifter on the left side of the steering wheel, also improves efficiency by allowing the driver to adjust the regenerative braking level and control how quickly the vehicle slows down or comes to a complete stop. The pressure-sensitive paddle was a bit finicky at first, but once you got the hang of it, it created a more engaging drive and added an extra eight kilometres of range.
After several hours and nearly 120 kilometres, the range dropped 145 kilometres – not bad considering we blasted the air conditioning in the blazing 27-degreeheat, turned on the ventilated front seats, pumped up the tunes on the AKG 19-speaker audio system, and drove it like a gas-powered vehicle.
When stopped, the Lyriq garnered attention and compliments constantly from pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers. No surprise – it looks sharp. Designers faced challenges creating a new, memorable brand identity for Cadillac now that it has no engine. “For so long, the car’s design and face were defined by that big grille and the patterns and shapes that went into it. Now, everybody is rethinking, how do you have a clean brand identity that still feels unique in the marketplace,” said Tristan Murphy, interior design manager of the Cadillac Lyriq.
For Murphy, the solution was simple – it was in the lighting. “What really separates the Lyriq [from the competition] is the whole light-up animation. We took lighting to a whole other level where it’s not just about lighting the road and being functional, but being part of a beautiful walk-up sequence,” said Murphy. It’s stunning to witness – walk up to the vehicle with key fob in hand and the front lights come to life, starting with Cadillac’s trademark centre crest and working outward to the slim, vertical LED headlamps before ending with the rear taillights. The lighting theme also extends inside with 26 customizable colour choices to alter the mood in the cabin.
Removing the engine eliminated other constraints for designers, too. With no transmission tunnel, for example, it opened up the floor plan and allowed for smart storage solutions including a spot to store your purse, within arm’s reach. The bin is lined elegantly in juniper blue; the pattern is repeated above in a jewelrylike drawer perfect for hiding smaller items like cellphones or wallets. Intricate laser-etched patterns on the dark-ash wood highlight the craftsmanship and attention to detail in the cabin.
Removing the engine opened up the floor plan and allowed for smart storage solutions, including a spot to store your purse within arm’s reach and a jewelrylike drawer perfect for hiding smaller items like cellphones or wallets.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
The Lyriq will be built at GM’s Spring Hill manufacturing facility in Tennessee and delivery for Canadian customers is expected later this summer.
Tech specs
2023 Cadillac Lyriq
Base price: $69,898 (including Destination and Freight Charges)
Motors: one motor (2023); dual electric motors (to come for 2024)
Battery Pack: 100.4 kilowatt hours (rear-wheel drive); not announced (all-wheel drive)
Charging capability: Level 2 (240-volt) 6-10 hours; DC fast-charger, 122 kilometres in 10 minutes
Horsepower/torque (lb-ft): 340/324 (rear-wheel drive); 500/not announced (all-wheel drive)
Claimed Range: 502 km (rear-wheel drive); not announced (all-wheel drive)
Alternatives: Tesla Model Y, Audi Q4 e-tron, Jaguar I-Pace, Genesis GV60
Looks
Even though the Lyriq is electric, it still looks like a Cadillac. The new face is dramatic and bold with striking lighting details at the front and rear. I’m not a fan of the flush door handles, which make opening the door a two-step process – push the electronic button on the handle and grab the shark fin accent a few inches above.
Even though the Lyriq is electric, it still looks like a Cadillac.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
Interior
In true Cadillac fashion, the cabin is upscale with a massive curved 33-inch LED display to access many items from the audio and navigation systems to the glove box compartment and ambient lighting choices. Many functions can also be controlled using a rotary dial on the centre control, but I prefer using the touch screen or better yet, Google’s personal assistant – it’s fast and works well.
The cabin is upscale with a massive curved 33-inch LED display to access many items from the audio and navigation systems to the glove box compartment and ambient lighting choices.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
Performance
The Lyriq is more engaging to drive than many competitors. Climbing up mountains was effortless and along sweeping roads it was sure footed. The ride was also whisper quiet with little road or wind noise in the cabin. The 2024 all-wheel-drive model is expected to tow up to 3,500 pounds.
Technology
The Lyriq is loaded-to-the-nines with safety technology and driving aids such as adaptive cruise control, advanced parking assist and Super Cruise, GM’s semi-autonomous hands-free driver assistance system. It also has Google with Google Maps and a personal voice assistant, wireless Apple Car Play and Android Auto, a built-in WiFi hot spot, and over-the-air software update capabilities.
Cargo
Many competitors have front trunks, but the Lyriq doesn’t. No biggie – the rear cargo is large with 793 litres of space. The rear seats fold down with the touch of two buttons in the cargo area. Drop the seats and the cargo expands to 1,723 litres.
With the rear seats folded down in the Cadillac Lyriq, there is 1,723 litres of space.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
The Verdict
Cadillac is making a comeback and the Lyriq will certainly help thanks to innovative design cues, long driving range and posh, tech-friendly interior.
Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
The writer was a guest of the auto maker. Content was not subject to approval.
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TORONTO – Roots Corp. may have built its brand on all things comfy and cosy, but its CEO says activewear is now “really becoming a core part” of the brand.
The category, which at Roots spans leggings, tracksuits, sports bras and bike shorts, has seen such sustained double-digit growth that Meghan Roach plans to make it a key part of the business’ future.
“It’s an area … you will see us continue to expand upon,” she told analysts on a Friday call.
The Toronto-based retailer’s push into activewear has taken shape over many years and included several turns as the official designer and supplier of Team Canada’s Olympic uniform.
But consumers have had plenty of choice when it comes to workout gear and other apparel suited to their sporting needs. On top of the slew of athletic brands like Nike and Adidas, shoppers have also gravitated toward Lululemon Athletica Inc., Alo and Vuori, ramping up competition in the activewear category.
Roach feels Roots’ toehold in the category stems from the fit, feel and following its merchandise has cultivated.
“Our product really resonates with (shoppers) because you can wear it through multiple different use cases and occasions,” she said.
“We’ve been seeing customers come back again and again for some of these core products in our activewear collection.”
Her remarks came the same day as Roots revealed it lost $5.2 million in its latest quarter compared with a loss of $5.3 million in the same quarter last year.
The company said the second-quarter loss amounted to 13 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Aug. 3, the same as a year earlier.
In presenting the results, Roach reminded analysts that the first half of the year is usually “seasonally small,” representing just 30 per cent of the company’s annual sales.
Sales for the second quarter totalled $47.7 million, down from $49.4 million in the same quarter last year.
The move lower came as direct-to-consumer sales amounted to $36.4 million, down from $37.1 million a year earlier, as comparable sales edged down 0.2 per cent.
The numbers reflect the fact that Roots continued to grapple with inventory challenges in the company’s Cooper fleece line that first cropped up in its previous quarter.
Roots recently began to use artificial intelligence to assist with daily inventory replenishments and said more tools helping with allocation will go live in the next quarter.
Beyond that time period, the company intends to keep exploring AI and renovate more of its stores.
It will also re-evaluate its design ranks.
Roots announced Friday that chief product officer Karuna Scheinfeld has stepped down.
Rather than fill the role, the company plans to hire senior level design talent with international experience in the outdoor and activewear sectors who will take on tasks previously done by the chief product officer.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, are set to resume today as a strike that has stopped most services drags into a second week.
No timeline has been set for the length of the negotiations, but Joe McCann, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they are willing to stay there as long as it takes, even if talks drag on all night.
About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people unable to navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last Tuesday, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.
Hundreds of drivers rallied outside TransLink’s head office earlier this week, calling for the transportation provider to intervene in the dispute with Transdev, which was contracted to oversee HandyDART service.
Transdev said earlier this week that it will provide a reply to the union’s latest proposal on Thursday.
A statement from the company said it “strongly believes” that their employees deserve fair wages, and that a fair contract “must balance the needs of their employees, clients and taxpayers.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
MONTREAL – Travel company Transat AT Inc. reported a loss in its latest quarter compared with a profit a year earlier as its revenue edged lower.
The parent company of Air Transat says it lost $39.9 million or $1.03 per diluted share in its quarter ended July 31.
The result compared with a profit of $57.3 million or $1.49 per diluted share a year earlier.
Revenue in what was the company’s third quarter totalled $736.2 million, down from $746.3 million in the same quarter last year.
On an adjusted basis, Transat says it lost $1.10 per share in its latest quarter compared with an adjusted profit of $1.10 per share a year earlier.
Transat chief executive Annick Guérard says demand for leisure travel remains healthy, as evidenced by higher traffic, but consumers are increasingly price conscious given the current economic uncertainty.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
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