2007 Cadillac Escalade Base Sport Utility 4-door 6.2l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Cadillac planning more Vsport models

There's a new intermediate class of luxury performance cars emerging. Audi has been doing it for years with its S-line bridging the gap, in many cases, between the standard fare and the full-on RS performance range. BMW's getting in on it with the M Sport line slotting in below the full M models. And now Cadillac is joining the fun with its Vsport offerings.
Models like the CTS Vsport and XTS Vsport are packing a new 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6 with 410 or more horsepower (along with bigger wheels and brakes) to slot in between the standard model and any impending V variant. Well, it appears Cadillac isn't about to stop there.
Speaking with The Detroit News, Cadillac product chief Hampden Tener revealed that, based on the response to the XTS Vsport, the brand is planning more Vsport models. He did not, however, indicate which would be the next to get the slightly sportier treatment. With the full ATS-V expected to pack a version of the same engine powering the aforementioned XTS and CTS Vsport models, an ATS Vsport would have to pack a smaller engine to fit in below. That only leaves the SRX crossover, Escalade SUV and the upcoming ELR hybrid. Food for thought.

Forget everything you know about Cadillac V

Cadillac rolled out the CT4-V and CT5-V performance sedans to a rather confused group of journalists last night. What are these cars? Only 355 horsepower in the CTS-V replacement? And just 320 horsepower for the ATS-V successor? Surely, there's something out of place — you can get up to speed with all the details here. Cadillac understood our confusion and explained what was going on rather quickly. The explanation means you have to forget everything you know about what "V" means for a Cadillac, though. Any Cadillac with the singular "V" badge on it previously has denoted the absolute top-tier of performance for that particular model. The CTS-V had the Corvette Z06 engine in it and made 640 horsepower. The ATS-V had a boosted 3.6-liter V6 good for a raucous 464 horsepower. They were equivalent to BMW M, Mercedes-AMG or an Audi RS. We're not talking about the lesser M or AMG models, either. No, the last Cadillac Vs were meant to compete with cars like the C63 or M3, the top-tier of performance in those brands' lineups. This is where you're going to have to start re-learning, because that's no longer the case for a Cadillac with a V badge gracing the rear end. What Cadillac has essentially done is demote what V means, with the intention of offering "something else" above it. With this new strategy, we'd equate a Cadillac V to something like an AMG 43, M340i, or Audi with an S badge on it. Cadillac has even come out with a car similar to this strategy before in the V-Sport. That didn't confuse everybody, though, because the name was different, and the strategy was clear. Now, Cadillac V is just a small stepping stone to these mysterious high performance cars still to come. We asked for any information concerning these future track-ready, fire-breathing monsters, but mum is the word for now. The naming strategy for something above a V is uncharted territory, and it'll also force everyone to learn what the top of the Cadillac lineup is all over again. Cadillac CT5-V View 6 Photos Why confuse folks like this? Cadillac wants to take advantage of the V brand cache in more of its lineup than just two super sedans. Think future vehicles like an XT5-V, XT4-V and others like that. Now that V doesn't mean a Nurburgring-conquering 500+ horsepower luxury muscle car, it makes it far easier for Cadillac to get V badges on everything. Obviously, GM isn't the first to think of this strategy.

The new presidential limo is almost ready and way bigger than a Suburban

If you're familiar with the current presidential limo, which is nicknamed The Beast, you know it's based on a medium-duty truck platform. This new one, shown in aerial spy photos, appears to be just as huge. The vehicles flanking it in these shots are Chevrolet Suburbans, basically the largest passenger vehicle you can buy. And while the limo looks car-shaped, it's very tall and much longer than the three-row SUV. You might say it's yuge. Like its predecessor, The Beast 2.0 is being developed in secret because all of its various systems and defenses are matters of national security. We are fairly confident that it has lots of armor protection, glass that's about five inches thick, and special systems to clean the air in the event of a biological warfare attack. The current Beast is also said to carry a pint or two of the President's blood type just in case something does happen. When the President is being transported in a motorcade, he is at his most vulnerable, so Cadillac One and the vehicles that surround it have to be prepared for almost anything. In fact, two identical presidential limos travel together to make it harder for would-be attackers to do bad stuff. The Suburban escort it's getting here at the GM proving grounds is appropriate, since most of the vehicles used by the Secret Service to accompany the President's motorcade are big GM SUVs. By the looks of this camouflaged prototype, GM is nearing completion of testing the new Presidential car. The styling is a mix of CT6 sedan and Escalade, with a little XTS thrown in, and it looks a lot more sleek by comparison than the current blocky Beast. When it's ready, President Donald Trump will be the first to ride in it on official business and the current beasts will probably be retired and end up in a museum. Related Video: Featured Gallery Cadillac One Presidential Limo Spy Photos View 13 Photos Image Credit: Chris Doane Automotive Government/Legal Spy Photos Cadillac Luxury Sedan the beast cadillac one