We mean, how quickly did that get out of hand—a high-performance, full-size, three-row Cadillac SUV?
SUVs with high performance are a thing. Or, for that matter, ask Ford, Jeep, Dodge, Acura, practically all European luxury manufacturers, and now Cadillac. The Cadillac Escalade-V 2023 is the first, and ostensibly last, Cadillac SUV to sport the V-Series badge. However, with the company concentrating on developing its high-performance V sub-brand and the launch of the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, the massive Escalade-V begins to make sense. Why not mix your most known product with the V treatment you want to make more recognisable, even if that product is a full-size, three-row SUV that appears to contradict V's athletic aspirations?
And it's not like we weren't expecting the Escalade-V. It's been seen in spy photographs and teasers. Cadillac has released the first images of their enormous performance SUV. All important data, however, will be revealed at a later point this spring. But, thanks to the images and video below, we can at least get a sense of how it will look and get some indications about what is beneath.
To no one's surprise, the Escalade-V seems to be a standard Escalade with V-Series insignia and quad exhaust tips. The 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V rides on special rims and high-performance Bridgestone tyres and has a black grille and black detailing on the lower door panels. Big red brake callipers can be seen peeping through the rims, and they're most likely Brembo. GM's Magnetic Ride Control adaptive suspension will also be standard.
To address the elephant in the room, the Escalade is indeed massive. As a V-series, any other smaller, lighter Cadillac SUV would have made more sense. But keep in mind that GM's chassis engineers are magicians, as proven by the excellent handling of Cadillac's other V-series cars. While they'll have their job cut out for them in order to make the towering and hefty Escalade dance, we can't wait to see what they've come up with.
The major issue is what will be behind the enormous hood of the Escalade-V. We're anticipating the supercharged LT4 V-8 based on the exhaust noises in Cadillac's movie. This engine also powers the CT5-V Blackwing sedan, producing 668 horsepower and 659 lb-ft of torque. Those figures may not be the same in the Escalade-V—Cadillac will likely sacrifice some horsepower for higher torque lower in the rpm range to help get this beast moving—but we'll see more than the 420 hp in the conventional gas-fed Escalade. In terms of transmission, anticipate the 10-speed automatic to remain, but retuned for quicker shifts and more eager gear selection.
Things should stay pretty much the same on the inside. The V-Series emblem may be seen on the steering wheel, and it may also appear on the headrests. Cadillac has only released one image of the inside, so we can only speculate that it will have additional carbon fibre trim and contrast stitching. However, the 38-inch curved OLED dashboard panel should be retained, and it may contain the Performance Traction Management system used in the CT5-V and Chevrolet Corvette, which allows the driver to alter the stability control settings for increased performance.
Although Cadillac refers to this SUV as a V-Series vehicle, it appears that it will be known as the Escalade-V rather than the Escalade-V Blackwing. But that information, as well as all the specifications, will be saved until the spring, when Cadillac aims to share more with the public, following which the 2023 Escalade-V is expected to debut in showrooms in the second half of this year.
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