Before the end of the year, Cadillac will restore the uplevel Platinum version to its Escalade lineup of luxury SUVs. Moreover, the brand is considering a sporty derivative, a V-6 turbo-diesel, and a twin-turbocharged gasoline V-6. The new engines would complement the model’s 6.2-liter small-block V-8, which remains the backbone of the Escalade portfolio.
Although the previous-generation Escalade was available with a Platinum trim level as well, brand manager David Schiavone says the new model is a step up: “The new, regular Escalade picked up where the previous Platinum left off.” It adds luxury trim such as a suede headliner. He didn’t confirm a series-production model, but Schiavone also said that a sporty variation of the Escalade is possible. It could be called Vsport.
The Escalade, which is Cadillac’s longest-running offering, will be sold all over the globe, said Schiavone. And that’s one of the reasons why Cadillac is looking at smaller engines. One of them is a V-6 turbo-diesel that could be shared with the CTS. But the brand is also considering a twin-turbocharged V-6 gasoline engine, such as the one sold in the XTS and the CTS.
Cadillac isn’t expected to bring a pickup version of the Escalade to market. That means the outgoing Escalade EXT, a close relative of the defunct Chevrolet Avalanche, will remain without a successor. Schiavone said that the Escalade moniker has so much equity that switching to Cadillac’s long-customary three-letter model designations was roundly dismissed.
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The Escalade’s closest competitors are the Mercedes-Benz GL-class, the Land Rover Range Rover, and the Lincoln Navigator, which was downgraded with an EcoBoost V-6 engine for the 2015 model year. Cadillac’s full-size SUV will also face strong competition from the upcoming BMW X7.
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