Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Cadillac Escalade to get new lease on life in 2014

Known for unmitigated excess to some, the Cadillac Escalade embodies over-the-top transportation for oil barons and high-rolling hip-hop stars. The Detroit Bureau quotes an unknown senior Cadillac official saying, "We were finding that for everyone turned on by that image there were four (potential luxury buyers) who were [turned off]." Add in national gas prices flirting with $5 a gallon, and the Escalade seemed destined to join the flamboyant fins of the 1959 Eldorado.

But The Detroit Bureau says GM saw too much profit in the tanker-sized truck and plans to refresh it in early 2014 as a 2015 model. The Bureau predicts the SUV will continue to be body-on-frame with the new 2013 Chevrolet pickup underpinnings holding it all together. It's probably safe to assume the luxury will be upsized, the engine uptuned and the price upjacked.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/23/c...-life-in-2014/

mmarshall

Well, never mind the other four.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Considering the new GL450/550 has already bowed, Cadillac has an opportunity here. The same can be said of the Navigator which will likely be powered by a 3.5L V6 EcoBoost and/or optional 6.2L V8

mmarshall

It will be interesting to see if the next-generation Escalade and Navagator keep their names or join the Cadillac/Lincoln alphabet-soup.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

that's a good observation. Lincoln is more likely to do it than Cadillac though. The Escalade has always upstaged the Navigator (though I prefer the latter) in popularity

rkyat

Not that i'd ever buy one. But I still like the escalade. Interior may not be the best, but I do like the styling and throaty sound of the exhaust.

G Star

iTrader: (2)

The extended luxury SUV market is still left to Cadillac to eat up.

There is a reason why the Cadillac Escalade is the SUV limo of choice (because it is the only choice).

<VENOM>

The Escalade and plenty of other high priced Luxury vehicles all suffer then same fate, people buying them are buying them for the image not really realizing what they cost in the long run

tex2670

As long as there's a Tahoe/Yukon/Suburban, there will be an Escalade.

Lil4X

Non-rapstars and gangstas can save over $15K by purchasing the GMC Yukon Denali. Identical specs, very similar features.

Escalade Premium:


Yukon Denali:


If your image doesn't require a couple of gold teeth, furs, and a big hat, you can save a considerable amount of money - and get a lot of theft insurance by buying the Denali. Now that you have the "stealth Ex", the difference can go for the up-armor package.

nikko2jzge

Taking the shift lever off the steering column would improve the interior by 30%.

xsh0tya

LOL... How come you have to be a gangsta or rapper to drive a cadillac. While in New York for work alot of the drivers picked us up in Escalades. In my neighbourhood alot of the soccer moms drive them as well. Sadly, my girl wants one... so unless another SUV can "WOW" her, looks like im a going to be a gangsta.
Hopefully, fuel economy will be something they focus on.

tex2670

+1. I see plenty of soccer moms driving the Escalade--not as many as the MDX, but it's definitely up there.

rkyat

Yep! Here in NYC I see alot of little ladies driving them around. And not the regular one either, the extended surburban sized one, esv i think it is?

LexLaw

Exactly! Unfortunately some tired stereotypes never die. Escalades are driven and owned by a wide array of individuals of all demographics. Just as a majority of rappers don't wear gold teeth or even drive SUVs. Over the past decade or so majority of Escalades that I've seen have indeed been corporate limos shuttling along midtown Manhattan or parked in front of private schools on the Upper East Side and such. Highly popular among corporate gansters who favor suits by Corneliani.

Great point...And I pray that won't be the case for either of them, particularly Caddy.

So True!! The only trucks that are close are the Mercedes Benz GL Class, or Infiniti's QX as far as size, cargo capability and seating but even that comes up relatively short. Perhaps if Range Rover were to ever extend the wheelbase and offer a true 3rd row and not jump seats. But even then it would still come up short also. Cadillac definitely cornered the market on that while Lincoln pretty much fell off of the map with the Navigator. But perhaps with their recent turn around the Navigator is due for a resurrection and new grille