2021 Cadillac Escalade Premium Luxury on 2040-cars

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2021 Cadillac Escalade ESV spied uncovered

The 2021 Cadillac Escalade made its big debut a little over a week ago, complete with its fancy interior and displays, but the company has only shown the short-wheelbase model. One of our spy photographers has picked up the slack and caught the long-wheelbase ESV model cruising around southeast Michigan without any camouflage. It's pretty much what you would expect: an Escalade but longer. But it does have a couple subtle differences. Those differences lie in the sides of the Escalade ESV where the length makes some changes. The wheelbase is indeed longer, not just the body, as evidenced by the rear wheels sitting farther back from the edges of the rear doors. Those doors are also a bit longer, so rear seat access should be a little better with this lengthened Escalade. Another change is in the stylized C-pillar. It's a bit more difficult to see since this is a Sport trim with black trim, but the C-pillar is substantially thicker, and the rear edge leans forward more than on the shorter version. This reworked trim probably helps hide the ESV's extra length somewhat. The extra thickness might hinder some rear and side visibility, too. The Escalade ESV will make its formal debut at the upcoming New York Auto Show, and we expect it will go on sale at the end of this year at about the same time as the short-wheelbase version. The extra length will probably also bring a little extra cost to the base price. Pricing for the 2021 Escalade has not yet been announced, though. It will probably be revealed closer to the luxury SUV's on-sale date. Related Video:

Dodge Dart falls short of Consumer Reports Recommended, Caddy XTS and Lincoln MKS, too

The Dodge Dart, Cadillac XTS and Lincoln MKS all failed to earn a "Recommended" rating from Consumer Reports. When it came to the compact Dart, the organization's testers thought the vehicle offered a quiet cabin, solid-feeling chassis and nimble suspension, but the new model ultimately fell short of the coveted rating due to powertrain issues. The institute's reviewers found the base 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine to be underpowered and noted "drivability issues" when the available turbocharged 1.4-liter four was paired with the optional dual-clutch transmission (some of our editors disliked it paired with the six-speed manual). CR also dinged the latter powerplant for sounding "raspy." For what it's worth, we think the forced-induction engine offers an excellent and playful exhaust note, but that's just us.
As for the XTS, CR lauded the car for its luxurious cabin, but the vehicle's experience was dulled by its finicky CUE infotainment interface. Overall, the big Cadillac scored much higher than its cross-town rival from Lincoln. While testers found the American luxury sedan to offer a quiet ride and quality fit and finish, they felt the MKS delivered a "cramped driving position, ungainly handling, uncomposed ride, and limited visibility." Ouch. At the end of the day, both cars fell short of rivals from Japan, Germany and Korea. Check out the full press release below with more details, along with CR's musings on the Chevrolet Spark and Lexus ES.

Cadillac CT6 styling will be evolutionary, not like Elmiraj

Well, this is at least a little disappointing. It turns out Cadillac's long-awaited flagship, the CT6, won't be ushering in a wholesale change in the company's design. That's coming from GM Design guru Ed Welburn, meaning it should be taken as gospel (unless of course he's just trying to hoodwink us). "It'll be different and it will certainly stand out in the portfolio," Welburn told Automotive News. "But you won't see a real shift in direction." Instead, Art and Science will be shown in yet another new form, and will "continue to evolve," according to Welburn, although what that means is unclear. What we can say for certain, though, is that Art and Science on the CT6 will not evolve into the stunning Elmiraj Concept. "I think Elmiraj was more of an influence on some other things we're working on for Cadillac," Welburn said, we're guessing with a smirk and an air of mystery. Considering we have yet to see the CT6, it's hard to tell whether this will be good news or bad, although based on the critical reception to the Elmiraj, we're a little bit disappointed by Welburn's statements. Still, only time will tell whether the styling of the CT6 will really work out.