Toyota’s Lexus brand has long-established itself as a leader in luxury hybrid vehicles, but General Motors’ Cadillac brand is reportedly taking aim at Lexus’ eco-friendly domain. Cadillac could offer a hybrid option on two of its future rear-drive offerings.

General Motors has already announced a new version of its two-mode hybrid system, with the new system promising 20 percent more power from an electric motor 25 percent smaller than the unit currently used in GM’s two-mode hybrid vehicles. The new hybrid system will first appear in GM’s full-size truck hybrids – like the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid – but will eventually be applied to GM’s rear-wheel drive sedan offerings.

According to Jim Hall, a consultant for 2953 Analytics, GM’s next-generation two-mode hybrid system will be offered on Cadillac’s upcoming ATS sedan. The ATS – expected to bow sometime in 2011 – will feature GM’s new rear-wheel drive Alpha platform and compete against vehicle like the BMW 3-Series.

In addition to the ATS, GM will likely apply its smaller two-mode hybrid system to the next-generation Cadillac CTS, Hall told Automotive News. The next CTS should hit the streets in 2012, riding on a stretched version of the ATS’ Alpha architecture.

However, the Cadillac-badged hybrid models are still several years out. GM’s next-generation two-mode hybrid system will first launch in the company’s full-size truck offerings in 2013, so don’t expect a hybrid Cadillac model before then.

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