Have The Test Drive Delivered To You For Free, Get $1,500 In Average Savings on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2017 Cadillac XT5 First Drive

Thousands of feet above the Pacific Ocean, the winding roads that lead to the summit of Palomar Mountain turn from undulating curves to tight, blind, hairpin bends. Most drivers along this route are looking for a chance to exploit the limits of their cars' handling as much as one can on public roads, while taking in the bucolic views and endless blue skies. Up here, taking the thrilling curves at high speed is best left for drivers of performance cars who have platinum health insurance, lest the possibility of rolling a vertical mile toward Hellhole Canyon Preserve (we are not making this up) is not a deterrent. How different the experience is when you've chosen to climb the mountain in the 2017 Cadillac XT5, the crossover that replaces the SRX in a growing lineup of refined and redefined XT-named utility vehicles. An instant reminder that this SUV is not a Lotus comes as we enter a corner with a smidgen too much gusto, the tires begin to claw for traction, and the seatbelts tighten with the grip of sudden death. A quick tap of the brakes releases the belts, but not before a bead of sweat forms on the forehead. The overwhelming feeling is one of being unsure if this exercise is out of the XT5's comfort zone, despite Cadillac's goal of hitting the high-achieving sweet spot of the sport-luxury crossover segment. You'll know that an XT5 isn't an SRX when you first see one, although the differences are harder to tell when the two are parked side by side. The XT5 is the second Cadillac model to arrive since the brand learned to speak with a New York accent (albeit an affected Soho dialect) and it's a key pillar to the brand's chances at worldwide success. In 2015, the final year of sales for the five-year-old SRX, Cadillac managed to sell almost 100,000 of them around the world – no small feat for a model about to be replaced, and proof of the crossover's relative freshness and its popularity in export markets like China. Like the SRX that precedes it, the XT5 will be available with either front- or all-wheel drive (a $2,645 option), but that's one of few commonalities with the outgoing model. A new, lighter chassis helps the XT5 shed about 300 pounds, although Cadillac favors high-strength steel for bodywork and leaves aluminum for the engine and interior trim. In line with the revised brand guidelines for naming, SRX evolved into XT5, leaving room for larger and smaller utility vehicles to eventually join the lineup.

This dream home theater and office happens to be in a Cadillac Escalade [w/video]

Need to take a ride cross country in the lap of luxury while still getting some work done? Short of a tour bus, the Concept One Curve from Lexani Motorcars might be one of the most comfy options imaginable. Lexani is usually known for creating opulent armored vehicles, but for the Concept One Curve it focuses on converting a 2015 Cadillac Escalade into a place for work or play. The company strips out the standard passenger compartment to install a higher ceiling with LED lighting, two leather-upholstered power captain's chairs and jump seats. However, the real highlight is a 48-inch curved 4K television mounted against the driver's partition. Don't worry about missing your favorite shows because there's a TracVision Satellite, too. The driver gets a re-covered seat of their own up front. If business needs to get done, the vehicle also includes a Mac Mini computer, tables stowed in the seats and connections for video conferencing. Of course, if you're riding in something this lavish, security might be a concern too. In addition to the window shades, the Concept One Curve features cameras to know what's going on outside. A touchscreen management system lets occupants control the whole setup from the luxurious chairs. Lexani claims that if all of this somehow isn't enough for a buyer, it offers even more options to fit their needs. Scroll down to watch a video tour and read more about this rolling home theater. {C} Lexani Concept One Curve Lexani Motorcars, a boutique luxury conversion company receiving vast international praise, has produced the Concept One Curve - the world's first 2015 Escalade with a built-in 48" 4K Technology Curved Smart TV. Lexani Motorcars is constantly pushing the boundaries of possibility for luxury transportation in everyday vehicles. The Curve is a revisited version of their latest model, the Concept One, with a television upgrade and electronic rear curtains; it is unmatched in its ability to be a premier theater one minute and a five-star mobile office the next. The curved smart TV-which rests on a proprietary electronic partition-is indeed impressive, but it is just one of the numerous amenities this discreet masterpiece boasts.

Junkyard Gem: 1973 Cadillac Eldorado

The 1971-1978 Cadillac Eldorado was a gloriously ridiculous personal luxury coupe, packing a monstrous 500-cubic-inch V8 (that's 8.2 liters for you freedom-hating metric types) under its acre-sized hood for the first five years of production. Fuel economy was comfortably into single-digit territory, which meant you had to be a real high roller to be able to feed a new Eldo after OPEC turned off the oil spigot. I found this '73 in a Denver wrecking yard earlier this spring. View 18 Photos This car appears to have been sold new in Denver, and the extensive bodywork and sanded areas indicate that it was someone's project car prior to coming to the end of the line. The front-wheel-drive system used in the Cadillac Eldorados and Oldsmobile Toronados of this era was known as the Unified Powerplant Package, and it used a longitudinally-mounted engine feeding a chain-drive setup that proved to be amazingly sturdy and reliable. So sturdy, in fact, that it was used in gigantic front-wheel-drive GMC motorhomes. Everyone agrees that these cars are cool, but few are willing to rescue a rough example and take on the difficult and expensive job of a full restoration. This one isn't rusty, but that wasn't enough to save it. Related Video: