Cadillac is getting its ducks in a row as it prepares to create a fully electric lineup within the next decade.
The Lyriq, a midsize crossover unveiled this month, features a return of the ducks that the brand dropped from its logo 20 years ago.
The ducks — officially, they’re merlettes — appear on the sides of the Lyriq’s instrument panel, visible when either of the front doors are open.
For decades, two trios of merlettes swam in the golden stripes of the Cadillac crest. They’re knightly symbols of the Crusades and stemmed from the family crest of Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, with three representing the explorer’s mother’s noble lineage and three representing his father’s lineage.
The Cadillac brand dropped the merlettes in 2000 when it modernized the badge displayed on its vehicles’ grilles. A more recent modification also retired the wreath surrounding the crest.
The Lyriq, which will be Cadillac’s first fully electric vehicle when production starts in 2022, doesn’t bring the merlettes back as part of the crest itself. In a video shown during the reveal, three can briefly be seen inside a series of rectangles next to a glowing crest. Although they’re hidden in a spot many owners might barely notice, the birds serve as an homage to the brand’s past as it paddles into a new era.