2008 Cadillac Escalade Esv Sport Utility 4-door 6.2l on 2040-cars

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Brock Lesnar does M. Bison impression on Cadillac CTS

There's no doubt that a huge amount of physicality is required to survive night after night in the ring as a professional wrestler. Conversely, the storylines that tie all the action together are as staged as any soap opera. However, there's nothing fake about watching two axes being embedded in a Cadillac CTS by WWE wrestler Brock Lesnar. Lesnar's prodigious brawn was really putting this luxury sedan out of its misery, though. With matte black stripes on the hood, fake fender vents, camouflage along the side, and a decal proclaiming "Redneck" on the windshield, this particular Cadillac was far from the standard of the world. In favor of the CTS' build quality, Lesnar's hatchets didn't immediately do quite as much damage as you might expect, and he had to take several swings to achieve the destruction here. If you think that destroying a sedan one piece at a time sounds like something from a video game, you aren't alone. Someone else noticed a definite similarity to the bonus round from Street Fighter 2 where you get points for beating up a car at the dockside until it falls apart. Appropriate sound effects were even added, but having Lesnar throw a few pixelated fireballs would have been a nice inclusion, too. For the significantly longer, original version, check out the one embedded below. After Lesnar crushes the CTS, the actual wrestling does eventually ensue. The Caddy even briefly acts as a prop for some of the action.

GM considering new powertrain options for large SUVs

Aside from the new General Motors offerings, there's not a whole lot of action going on in the fullsize SUV segment. That doesn't seem to be stopping GM from pushing the envelope in the market as Automotive News is reporting that the automaker is looking to introduce some new powertrain options into the Chevy Tahoe (and Suburban), GMC Yukon (and Yukon XL) and the Cadillac Escalade - all have been redesigned for the 2015 model year.
Now, we already know that GM and Ford are collaborating on nine- and ten-speed transmissions for a broad range of applications (including the big SUVs), but this new report says that GM is also considering other options as a way to one-up the competition and, of course, to optimize fuel economy. AN quotes Jeff Luke, executive chief engineer for GM trucks, as saying that "interesting powertrain technologies" are coming including a return of a hybrid SUV and possibly even a diesel engine. Although it sounds like the latter could come down to how customers respond to the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel.

Weekly Recap: Cadillac's crossover blitz hinges on the 2017 XT5

Cadillac's aggressive new cadence of crossovers begins next spring with the arrival of the 2017 XT5, the first of four new utility vehicles that Cadillac will unleash in a bid to win more customers and revitalize its image. The XT5 replaces the aging SRX, and it's the first SUV to use the brand's new naming scheme (cars will use the corresponding CT prefix). Billed as the cornerstone of Cadillac's remade crossover lineup, the XT5 will join showrooms right after Caddy's new flagship, the CT6 sedan. It will be on display next week at the Los Angeles auto show after first appearing this month at the Dubai motor show. "It's pivotal to our ongoing growth, which is why we've developed XT5 from the inside out to provide customers more space, more technology, more luxury, and more efficiency," Cadillac president Johan de Nysschen said in a statement. "Pivotal" is almost understating the XT5 and the red-hot midsize crossover segment. The SRX is Cadillac's top seller in 2015, posting a 25-percent increase and its 56,732 units (up 25 percent) are more than one third of the brand's 141,090 sales this year. Yes, the totals have been partially incentive-fueled, and Cadillac put an average of $7,225 on the SRX's hood in October, according to TrueCar data. Still, it's an impressive performance for any vehicle, especially one that's had few major changes since the new generation launched as a 2010 model. "The SRX has been selling very well, given how late in the lifecycle it is," AutoPacific product analysis manager Dave Sullivan told Autoblog. It outsold the all-new MKX last month and really only trails the Lexus RX. This is the volume model for Cadillac and dealers need this to be a grand slam, not just a home run." Cadillac is adamant the XT5 isn't an SRX re-skin. It has a new chassis, more interior room, and adds features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Thanks to a new structure, the XT5 sheds 278 pounds compared with its predecessor, which should improve fuel economy and driving character. The crossover uses General Motors' latest 3.6-liter V6 rated at 310 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque, and it is fortified with variable-valve timing, cylinder-deactivation, and stop-start features. The V6 will team with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a twin-clutch all-wheel-drive system than can summon all of the torque distribution to the front or rear axles. Cadillac will also sell a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder model in China.