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Watch Brad Pitt's Chinese Cadillac XTS commercial

Once upon a time, in a land not so far from this one, Brad Pitt was the very face anti-consumerism. You see, when he slipped into the role of the elitist-loathing, food-abusing, violence-embracing Tyler Durden from Fight Club, his visage was inextricably married to images of leveling credit card corporations with nothing more than a little human fat and some determination. Of course, that was before Pitt settled into old age with a passel of children at his feet. Now, it seems, he'll shill for something as long as it doesn't damage his reputation in America.
Need proof? Look no further than this Chinese ad for the Cadillac XTS. In it, Pitt contentedly wafts the big front-wheel drive barge around San Francisco against a mildly euphoric soundtrack. You can check out the scene for yourself below, just make sure you have your last meal squarely situated in your stomach before pressing play. We have to wonder if Pitt wakes up in the middle of the night with Chuck Palahniuk's oddly omniscient words echoing in his ears: "Then you're trapped in your lovely nest, and the things you used to own, now they own you."

Cadillac Lyriq shown in pre-production form for the first time

A single photo of the upcoming Cadillac Lyriq testing in camouflage was posted on LinkedIn by Mahmoud Samara, Cadillac’s vice president of sales, service and marketing. ItÂ’s significant, because we havenÂ’t seen a single photo of the actual pre-production Lyriq yet. All Cadillac has shown us so far is a concept-like version of the crossover that is destined for production. This photo of the crossover done up in camouflage gives us the first impression of how Cadillac is transforming the Lyriq from concept car to production car. ItÂ’s moving at speed with some motion blur in the image, but we've lined both it and the original production-intent prototype up atop each other below for you to compare. In a way, this photo is a lesson in how deceiving camouflage on a car can be. The undisguised Lyriq has exponentially more presence and pizzazz than the one in black and white speckled wrappings. Given just the camo car, weÂ’d be able to discern that Cadillac is working on a large, coupe-like electric crossover, but the details would remain a mystery. The dramatic window line is totally obscured by the camo car, and so is its wild rear taillight that wraps up into the giant rear pillar. That huge rear blade/pillar is one area that could see change from the Lyriq photos weÂ’ve seen so far, too, as it looks like a massive blind spot for the driver. Other notable differences include regular-sized wheels and tires, a potentially higher roofline (for more practical headroom and cargo space) and actual side mirrors instead of the camera mirrors. Does it all look slightly less futuristic? Sure, but remember that the camouflage is there to disguise and trick the eye. One element that does look completely carried over is the massive screen inside. You can see the monolith stretching across the dash from far away. ItÂ’s likely that we get a full array of spy shots from one of our usual sources soon with far more angles to look at. SamaraÂ’s announcement in his post made it clear that pre-production testing is underway at GMÂ’s testing facilities. Cadillac has previously said that the Lyriq would officially go on sale in late 2022, so expect more disguised prototypes until then. Cadillac Lyriq View 8 Photos Related video: The Lyriq is CadillacÂ’s new all-electric crossover

2021 Cadillac Escalade getting a star-studded introduction

Now that Chevrolet's Tahoe and Suburban are out of the bag, it's Cadillac's turn to introduce its new body-on-frame SUV. The next-generation Escalade will make its public debut on Feb. 4, 2020. The Escalade could have been one of the stars of the 2020 Detroit Auto Show had the event not moved to June. That's far too late for Cadillac, so the company will introduce the model during a special event held in Beverly Hills, Calif. The date wasn't chosen at random; it's less than a week before the 2020 edition of the Academy Awards, an event Cadillac has partnered with for the past six years. It's reasonable to assume the Escalade will play a key role in the ritzy event. The Escalade won't look anything like its Chevrolet-badged siblings, as leaked images show a tall, upright rendition of Cadillac's shield-shaped grille, but we expect many similarities beneath the sheetmetal. It will be bigger and correspondingly more spacious than the outgoing model, and an independent rear suspension will make it more comfortable. Inside, the digital instrument cluster and the infotainment system's screen will blend into a single unit angled toward the driver. Powertrain specifications remain under wraps, though we expect a naturally-aspirated V8 will come standard. An earlier report claims the twin-turbocharged Blackwing engine available in the CT6 will not make its way to the Escalade, and we doubt Cadillac will follow Chevrolet's lead by making a 3.0-liter straight-six turbodiesel available at an extra cost. An electric model is in the works, however. The 2021 Cadillac Escalade will go on sale about halfway through next year with a base price in the vicinity of $80,000. It will again be available with a short or a long wheelbase. Once it's unveiled, the coast will be clear for GMC to round out General Motors' portfolio of full-size SUVs with new variants of the Yukon and the Yukon XL. They'll likely break cover during the first half of 2020.