This story has been updated with new information.
After offering up only “something exciting,” with a 12-second teaser video providing a menacing roar out of the darkness overnight, Cadillac is revealing a little more — only a little — about what TheDetroitBureau.com has confirmed earlier: Caddy is coming to market with a high-performance V-Series version of its flagship Escalade SUV.
“The 2023 Cadillac Escalade will be the first SUV to don the high-performance V-Series badge,” GM’s luxury brand offered in a statement.
“With nearly two decades of racing-inspired prowess, the V-Series designation is reserved for vehicles that encompass the peak of Cadillac performance, bold, distinguished design, and innovative technology.”
While encouraging, that was about it, adding only more information about the 2023 Escalade V-Series will be “revealed in spring 2022.” The upside is the brand is promising that includes all of the specs for the performance model so we can see how stacks up against the competition and if Caddy really is going to let us “hear the roar of luxury.”
Filling the gap
The arrival of the 2023 Escalade-V is important as Cadillac is behind the curve in this small, but potentially very profitable, segment. Competitors like BMW and Mercedes-Benz have already made a point of delivering high-performance versions of their biggest SUVs.
In fact, there’ve been a number of sightings of what are believe to be Escalade-V prototypes running around in recent months. And, if anything, company officials have made it clear Cadillac intends to only intensify its focus on performance going forward, as it showed with last year’s debut of the new Blackwing sedans.
That doesn’t answer all the questions posed by the teaser image, of course. We’re still left wondering what will be tucked under the Escalade variant’s hood. We can be sure it’s a V-8, but have to guess, for the moment, at specifics.
No slouch
The existing Escalade — which got a complete makeover for the 2021 model year — is no slouch. It draws motivation from a 420-horsepower 6.2-liter V-8. Taking this 3-ton behemoth up to the next level will require some sophistication. But Cadillac has plenty to draw from, especially if it taps the resources of its parent.
It’s unlikely it will opt for the 5.5-liter flat-plane-crank V-8 found in the upcoming Chevrolet Corvette Z06. That would be too much to ask for and the wrong application. More than likely, our sources believe, we’ll see Caddy go with a version of the 668-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 found in the CT-5 V-Series Blackwing sedan.
Now, if that happens, some folks might say that GM’s flagship luxury brand is going back on its word. Recall that the automaker announced it wouldn’t use the new Blackwing powertrain technology again after launching versions of the CT4-V and CT5-V. In fact, Caddy said those would be the last “cars” to come. It said nothing about SUVs.
Turning a corner
Unlike with the Blackwing sedans, however, it seems extremely unlikely that Cadillac would also offer a 6-speed manual for the Escalade-V. Expect a 10-speed automatic, instead. Of course, getting to wear a V badge is about more than just straight-line acceleration for Cadillac.
Look for the wicked beast to add a variety of other performance-enhancing features, including an upgraded magnetic ride control suspension, as well as the de rigueur exterior trim and interior updates.
