There’s no vehicle that can do everything, but a few that come close. High-performance large SUVs, for instance, are almost comically capable machines. They can haul seven passengers in comfort, out-accelerate many smaller vehicles, and even dance more nimbly than you’d expect, thanks to engineering wizardry.
But they’re exceptionally rare. Since Dodge ended its run of Durango Hellcats, no American automaker has attempted the built-like-a-lineman, dances-like-a-ballerina feat of selling a high-performance 7-seater.
That’s about to change.
A Speedier Escalade
Cadillac today announced a high-performance V-Series version of its Escalade full-size SUV.
Though Cadillac sent out photos, rumors outnumber facts, as befits a mythical leviathan. What we know for sure comes from a handful of photos, and one brief video Cadillac posted to Twitter. It doesn’t show much – just a line of Cadillac sedan headlights flanking a much taller set of lights that could only be an Escalade.
But it reveals more with its soundtrack. The characteristic whine of a supercharger accompanies a roaring V8, shifting quickly through several gears.
The screen then fades to black before revealing the stylized V logo Cadillac attaches to high-performance special editions of its cars.
Cadillac Has the Parts to Do It
Those, by the way, can be exceptionally pricey. The Cadillac CT5 sedan starts at about $37,000. Its CT5-V Blackwing high-performance edition starts nearly $47,000 higher. We have no idea what you should expect to pay for an Escalade V. But it’s safe to say it will command a significant premium over the $77,890 list price of the base Escalade.
Cadillac already builds a supercharged V8 for high-performance cars. The 6.2-liter LT4 V8 it uses in the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing performance sedan would be a logical choice for a big V SUV. It makes 668 horsepower in the sedan, though Cadillac would likely have to adjust the power to mount it in the much-heavier Escalade.
But the real engineering feat in building a high-performance full-size SUV is tuning a suspension that can make the big body feel lighter. Cadillac’s Magneride system might fit the bill.
If you’d like to know more, unfortunately, you’ll have to wait a few months. Cadillac says, “More information about the 2023 Cadillac Escalade V-Series, including full vehicle specs, will be revealed in spring 2022.”
