Cadillac Escalade on 2040-cars

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2021 Cadillac Escalade First Drive | Opulence at a cost

The Cadillac Escalade is one of the most recognizable cars in America, both on the road and in the minds of consumers. It is equal parts profit machine and pop culture icon, and it sits atop GM’s heavy-hitting hierarchy of body-on-frame SUVs. Sure, Cadillac may hold most of the cards in the luxury SUV marketing game, but itÂ’s not the only player. For starters, the Lincoln Navigator is quite good, and it takes a very similar approach to truck-based luxury. Both are flashy, cushy and high-tech, and their tuning acknowledges that driving dynamics will never be the strong suit of vehicles this large – though ride comfort certainly can be. To make matters worse, the Europeans are getting serious about their three-row SUV game, and while they may not offer the same body-on-frame capability you get from the Americans, they more than make up for it with brand prestige and state-of-the-art engineering. With such solid competition, Cadillac was not in a position to just phone in the EscaladeÂ’s redesign. The highlight of that effort is a new platform, shared with the new Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon, that finally features an independent rear suspension. There's also the gorgeous and tech-rich interior featuring a 38-inch curved OLED dash screen, a new diesel engine option and – stop us if youÂ’ve heard this one before – Super Cruise. While the Escalade does share its fundamentals with the Tahoe and Yukon, the Cadillac-branded variant of GMÂ’s big truck platform always gets special treatment. Only the very base model is available without a leather interior, for example, and the aforementioned in-cabin tech is exclusive to the Escalade. YouÂ’re also limited to just two engine options: the standard 420-horsepower V8 that's the range-topping option on GM's other SUVs, and the new 3.0-liter Duramax turbodiesel inline-six that's good for 277 hp and a V8-matching 460 pound-feet of torque. Both are paired with GMÂ’s 10-speed automatic transmission, and thereÂ’s no price difference, regardless of trim.   Like CadillacÂ’s other offerings, the 2021 Escalade has a split trim hierarchy. Above the base model, you can choose one of two paths: Premium or Sport. The Premium Luxury and Premium Luxury Platinum are your more traditional, flashier options, with lots of chrome and a rich, warm interior. The Sport and Sport Platinum are for those who prefer a more modern, subtle aesthetic, with blackout exterior trim and more subdued interior finishes.

2015 Cadillac ATS sedan gets early reveal in making-of video

Cadillac is apparently preparing to roll out a minor facelift for the ATS sedan - which we know not because General Motors has already revealed it or because we're looking at it in a fresh batch of spy shots (though we've seen that too), but because a behind-the-scenes video from the filming of its commercial has leaked out online. Which may be bad news for Cadillac, and even worse news for the film production company, but good news for us, because we get to see it ahead of schedule.
The revised sports sedan seems to be sporting a new front bumper and less egg-cratey grille with Caddy's new wreath-less badge at its center, all apparently put in place to bring the sedan more in line with the new ATS coupe.
We're sure Cadillac will be revealing the updated 2015 ATS sedan shortly, but you can scope it out right now in the video below. By way of comparison, we've included an image gallery of the current ATS, released back in 2013, as well.

Hennessy wastes no time in supercharging the 2015 Cadillac Escalade

The ink is still drying on the all-new 2015 Cadillac Escalade sales brochures, but that hasn't stopped Texas-based Hennessey Performance (HPE) from leaping out of the gate with its own high-performance variant. In stock form, the big fourth-generation Cadillac flagship arrives with a new small block naturally aspirated 6.2-liter Ecotec3 V8 delivering 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. Fresh out of the showroom, the 5,900-pound SUV will sprint to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds.
While that is plenty fast for some owners, others don't want to be shamed by a 550 horsepower Mercedes-Benz GL63 AMG or a 510 horsepower Land Rover Range Rover Sport - both will leave the stock Escalade at a stoplight.
The team at HPE has come to the rescue with its HPE550 supercharger upgrade, which includes a belt-driven supercharger, air-to-water intercooler, recalibrated engine management software and a three-year/36,000 mile powertrain warranty. With 6 psi of boost, the direct-injected 6.2-liter is tuned to deliver an impressive 557 horsepower and 542 pound-feet of torque - gains of 32 percent and 18 percent, respectively, over stock. Although HPE isn't releasing performance figures as of yet, our math says that should be enough power to put the two Europeans in the Cadillac's rearview mirror. The company also offers a set of 20-inch lightweight H10 forged monoblock wheels, to further improve performance.