The local new car scene may be dominated by the Chinese carmakers of late, but Singapore is set to welcome an old American friend back into its arms again.
Yes - General Motors (GM) will soon make a grand return to our shores, working once again with its previous partner, Alpine Motors, as its official distributor.
The older folks among us might remember that Alpine previously enjoyed quite a vibrant run with GM's Chevrolet brand in Singapore, which once boasted a sizeable local presence. Built initially off the backs of budget-friendly picks including the Chevrolet Aveo and Optra, and the seven-seater Captiva SUV, later models including the Chevrolet Cruze and Orlando helped to sustain its popularity.
However, the brand was forced out of the market in 2017 when Singapore adopted the more stringent Euro 6 emissions regulations for new cars on the market. (None of Chevrolet's models then met the standard.) The pulling of the plug had rather drastic and immediate effects. Chevrolet went from registering 623 cars in 2016, and 468 cars in 2017, to just two in 2018, and then none in 2019.
Unsurprisingly, GM's lack of a presence in Singapore (and in fact, in our general part of the world) can be chalked down to the fact that it has always prioritised the production of its cars in left-hand drive - which follows its domestic market of the U.S.A. Consequently, other brands under its umbrella, including the premium-positioned Buick and all-out-luxury Cadillac, are a rare sight here.
Times are changing, however, and as Singapore gears up for GM's re-entry - now with the official confirmation that the Chevrolet Corvette will spearhead the lineup - we've also found ourselves wondering: What else might eventually make its way back onto our shores?
While no further confirmation has been provided yet on what will follow after, we're taking a look at a number of models that are either set to be, or already produced in right-hand drive, and weighing whether they'll eventually arrive in Singapore.
1. Chevrolet Silverado
Starting with the golden bow-tied brand (yes that's not a cross) that most Singaporeans will be familiar with, the gauntlet-like Silverado pickup marks one of the few right-hand drive Chevrolets you'll currently find in production.
Interestingly, however, the particular units we're referencing aren't birthed from one of GM's factories in the U.S.A; they're actually re-tooled for Australia and New Zealand's right-hand drive roads, by a company named GM Specialty Vehicles (GMSV).
GMSV currently offers the Silverado in two petrol variants, both powered by a 6.2-litre V8, and one diesel variant, whose long bonnet hides a 6.6-litre turbodiesel V8. The latter is capable of an eye-watering 469bhp and 1,322Nm of torque, with power sent to all four wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Unsurprisingly, the Silverado is all brawn and mass - around six metres long and two metres wide - with immense hauling power, incredible carrying capacity, and sophisticated offroading prowess to match too. Perhaps surprising, however, is how advanced and polished it is for a tough truck, with a modern and spacious cabin, as well as a full suite of driving assistance systems.
You can imagine that these qualities would endear the Silverado to ute-friendly Australia… but not so much Singapore.
Here, it would simply be too much car for our city's narrower roads and smaller carparks, out Goliath-ing even popular full-sized MPVs such as the Toyota Vellfire and DENZA D9. There's also the fact that pickup trucks are not all that popular in Singapore - at least not to the extent that we’ve seen them embraced in Thailand and Malaysia. That's a little sad because the Silverado is one hell of a cool machine.
Our verdict: Probably not headed to Singapore.
2. GMC Yukon Denali
It's not just pickup trucks that GMSV oversees the conversion of, though.
Aimed at drivers who want the space, luxury, and power of the Silverado, but would rather trade hauling capacity for passenger space, the GMC Yukon is yet another model that gets special left-hand drive to right-hand drive conversion in Australia and New Zealand.
It would perhaps be helpful to see the Yukon as the mechanical twin to the Silverado. It draws power from the same 6.2-litre EcoTec3 V8 petrol engine, which is mated to the same 10-speed automatic transmission, and could haul a trailer-docked speedboat with ease too thanks to its massive tow load (up to 3,628kg!).
Still, it's clear that this is a machine made for passengers.
The Yukon comes as standard with eight seats across three rows, and eschews toughness for more comfort and luxury. Its widespread use of soft-touch materials in the cabin, and multitude of screens - including a pair for second-row passengers, courtesy of the car’s rear-seat media system - make its people-oriented intentions manifest.
The Yukon even comes with adaptive four-corner air suspension, which is claimed by GMC to deliver “exceptional ride comfort”, on top of other practical benefits such as automatic load-levelling and an adjustable ride height where more ground clearance is required.
Still, it's hard to imagine the Yukon thriving in Singapore. SUVs that embody a meaty chunk of Americana - such as the Infiniti QX80 and even the recently-discontinued Jeep Grand Cherokee L – tend not to do as well here, likely due both to their unwieldiness and their big and thirsty engines. Expecting the Yukon Denali to perform dissimilarly would be foolish.
Our verdict: Unlikely to make the swim here too.
3) Cadillac Lyriq (and Lyriq-V)
Here's where things start to get exciting - at least in terms of what we could expect in Singapore.
Whereas the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Yukon are retrofitted right-hand drive models, all of the Cadillac models you'll find on this list have been specifically designated for right-hand drive, straight from the factory.
If international markets are anything to go by, our bets would be on the Cadillac Lyriq being one of the first models to arrive in Singapore. It's set to be the trailblazer for the brand in both Australia and Japan.
Considering that lots of EVs are duking it out now in terms of styling, the Lyriq makes a great first impression. GM's head honcho for design has famously decried the need to sacrifice good looks for aerodynamic efficiency, and the Lyriq stays faithful to the mission, defiantly resisting any of the blob-likeness that has come to define many SUVs on the market.
Sharp creases and angularity, instead, are more the name of its game. When it first broke cover, the Lyriq also helped to debut a 'black crystal grille' that has since come to define Cadillac's EVs. In particular, quite unlike anything we've seen before is the 'sail panel' design of its D-pillars, which see its slim L-shaped tail lamps cutting right through the metal rather than tracing the windows, for an otherworldly-looking rear end. "The customer should feel like they're driving in the future," is how Cadillac's design chief describes the car.
Considering that Cadillac takes on the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz in other parts of the world, the Lyriq's cabin is a high-tech and sumptuous feast for the senses too. Photos suggest a high-quality interior, while an eye-watering 33-inch screen covers the dashboard.
Built atop of GM's bespoke platform for EVs (codenamed 'Ultium'), it also gets both a high voltage architecture that can support DC charging at up to 190kW, as well as high-performance electric motors. In single-motor rear-wheel drive guise, the Lyriq is capable of 254kW and 441Nm of torque, while the dual-motor variant has a combined output of 373kW and 610Nm of torque.
The Germans could also see competition not just in the electric luxury, but high-performance electric luxury arena, should the Lyriq-V make it to our shores.
The performance SUV will mark the first electric Cadillac to wear the 'V' badge, trading thirsty and monstrous V8s for more powerful electric motors. The Lyriq-V also comes with lowered suspension, larger brakes, and a quicker steering ratio.
Our verdict: The Lyriq could bring some serious heat to the luxury electric SUV market - and given what we've heard in Australia and Japan, our hopes are high. Not too sure about the Lyriq-V, though.
4) Cadillac Optiq
With the Lyriq setting the tone for Cadillac's coming-of-age electric era, the Optiq offers something in a more compact package - while still serving up a good dose of the cutting-edge style and technology of its bigger brother.
Well, compact might be a bit of an understatement (or is it overstatement?) - the Optiq is more than 4.8m long and 1.9m wide, so we're talking more Audi Q6 e-tron than Q4 e-tron territory. Built atop of the same Ultium platform used on the Lyriq, the Optiq also has space aplenty thanks to a long 2,954mm wheelbase, within which a battery of up to 84kWh in capacity can be tucked.
Strangely, unlike the Lyriq, the Optiq is only offered internationally with dual-motor all-wheel drive, albeit with a more modest output of 224kW and 480Nm of torque. Even so, however, it's quite the marathoner. GM claims a driving range of up to 486km by America's stringent and fairly accurate EPA cycle.
The Optiq also comes stacked with quite a fair bit of impressive capabilities, including near 50:50 weight distribution across its front and rear axles, as well as double-pane acoustic insulation for all its windows to keep external noise at bay. On the inside, the utilisation of a similar panoramic screen setup to the Lyriq's makes it clear that the Optiq doesn't cut corners in delivering an outsized high-end experience, even if it's downsized.
Our verdict: The Optiq actually makes the most sense for our roads, given its size!
5) Cadillac Vistiq
While the Escalade IQ - electric twin of Cadillac's big, bad, boxy icon - is likely to be kept within America, global markets have their own three-row electric SUV to look forward to.
Meant to sit above the Lyriq in the range, the Vistiq is glorious, full-sized American excess, designed to take on the likes of the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV.
In relative terms, its styling is more old-school Cadillac: More traditional, brash-SUV than genre-fluid crossover (in the way that the Lyriq can lay claim to). It's got a menacingly squarish jaw, and a boxy rear-end. 21-inch wheels come as standard, with up to 23-inch options available. 23!
Yet the Vistiq remains an unmistakable member of Cadillac's modern EV lineup with its sleek vertical head lamps and 'Black Crystal Shield'. A cool 'Cadillac Mondrian' pattern graphic covers the rear windows too, giving those in the third row extra privacy.
The car gets a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup as standard, which sees a peak output of 616bhp and 880Nm of torque sent to all four wheels. Crafted to provide "exhilarating performance and intuitive technology", the car also comes with chassis damping control as standard, but can be opted for with extra dynamics-related tricks, such as adaptive air suspension and rear-wheel steering. Like the rest of its siblings, it's fitted with a massive battery pack - 102kWh in capacity to be precise - which sees it manage up to 482km of range on a full charge.
Our verdict: Unclear. While the Celestiq has already been confirmed for Japan, Australian motoring sites indicate that the three-row SUV will not be headed Down Under. Again, this might be too much car for our roads.
