Cadillac Escalade (GMT900) 2007–2013

[Matt]

2007 CADILLAC ESCALADE: AN ICON REBORN

DETROIT – Cadillac unveiled the 2007 Escalade, the next generation of the iconic luxury SUV. The all-new Escalade establishes a new level of refinement and style, delivered with an instantly recognizable form that introduces the next step in Cadillac’s ongoing renaissance.

Based on General Motors’ all-new full-size SUV platform, the ’07 Escalade features new powertrain, chassis, safety and interior systems. These integrated systems deliver the most powerful and most efficient luxury SUV in the segment, led by a new 6.2L all-aluminum V-8 engine with variable valve timing technology delivering 403 horsepower (301 kw)* and 417 lb.-ft. of torque (565 Nm).*

“The 2007 Escalade represents the next phase of Cadillac’s product renaissance – a renaissance that was launched by the previous-generation Escalade,” said Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager. “Since its inception, Escalade has been an icon – the vehicle discerning customers aspire to own. The ’07 model raises the bar with exceptional exterior style, interior refinement, increased performance and enhanced ride and handling smoothness.”

Cadillac Escalade will be available in the first quarter of 2006, with extended-wheelbase Escalade ESV and Escalade EXT models to be introduced later in the year. The Escalade family is one of the most aspirational nameplates in the industry and attracts the youngest customers in Cadillac’s portfolio of automobiles.

Cadillac Escalade will also be sold outside North America , thus strengthening Cadillac's global portfolio.

Distinctive design

Escalade has a sleeker, cleaner and more athletic form with improved aerodynamics while appearing smaller in stature. It is instantly identifiable and incorporates styling cues from the landmark Sixteen concept vehicle, including a more detailed signature grille, front fender vent ports and layers of chrome accents.

“One look and there’s no doubt it’s an Escalade,” says Taylor . “The ’07 Escalade introduces the future of Cadillac design, which matches leading edge forms and styling with superior craftsmanship and attention to detail.”

Details in elements such as wraparound fascias, styled mirrors and integrated running boards enhance Escalade’s flowing design and bolster the feeling of refinement. All major sheetmetal and body components are new and feature crisp, taut lines. The sleek, toned look includes a faster windshield angle of 57 degrees, which flows gracefully into the roofline. This also improves aerodynamic performance to a segment-best 0.363 coefficient of drag, which helps improve fuel economy and reduce wind noise.

The bold Escalade front-end design features a Sixteen-inspired egg crate grille with detailed chrome elements and a prominent wreath-and-crest insignia. The grille is flanked by tri-element headlamps that use High Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting technology, with available IntelliBeam automatic headlamp beam control. The sides of the vehicle look fresh and clean with new doors, a single-piece window surround and seven layers of chrome accents. Rear-end styling also is distinct and is highlighted by LED taillamps, LED-lit center high-mount stop light (CHMSL), chrome accents and an integrated trailer hitch cover.

Larger standard and available wheels, including standard 18-inch wheels and available chrome 22-inch wheels, are tailored to fit the wheel openings. This precise wheel-to-body relationship – enabled by a wider track – gives Escalade a more athletic presence and lowered stance.

[Matt]

Refined, spacious interior

All-new interior styling is a cornerstone of the new Escalade. The flowing, luxurious interior is complemented with premium materials and a distinct layout not shared with any other GM full-size SUV. The cabin also is more spacious, with an instrument panel that is lower and moved forward in the vehicle. This warm and inviting interior comes in two colors: Ebony and Cashmere .

Escalade’s exclusive interior includes a unique instrument panel, instrumentation gauges with white needles and blue light inlays with continuously lit, white-LED backlighting, Nuance leather-covered seats, leather-covered door trim and center console, fabric-covered interior pillars and an available heated steering wheel.

The two-tone Cocoa-on-Cashmere appearance gives Escalade the aura of a roomy luxury sedan. The upscale styling is complemented by new, softer and low-gloss materials for the instrument panel and other trim pieces. The harmonious color and grain of the materials were carefully selected to provide a premium feel as well as durability. Flush-mounted controls and radios, with almost imperceptible gaps, convey precision and integration.

Attention to detail is evident throughout the vehicle. There is no visible hardware to greet occupants when the doors are opened and there are no exposed fasteners or hardware on the pillars, seats or seat tracks. The seats have “close-outs” that surround the seat bottoms and seat tracks, creating a more finished appearance. Fasteners and hardware are also covered when the seats are folded.

When it comes to convenience and capability, Escalade delivers with a new industry-exclusive power fold-and-tumble second-row seat feature that eases access to the third-row seat, as well as a power-assisted rear liftgate that opens and closes with the touch of a button. The remote starting feature is standard and is integrated with the tri-zone automatic climate control system, allowing the interior to be heated or cooled when the vehicle is remotely started.

An enhanced array of audio, infotainment and safety options also includes an available 8-inch touch-screen navigation system, as well as a DVD system with large 8-inch flip-down screen. A segment-first Bose 5.1 Digital Surround Sound system is integrated into the new family of radios that play DVD audio, DVD video, CD audio, CD videos, MP3s and XM Satellite Radio.

The new Escalade is more spacious. More fore/aft front seat travel provides the segment’s leading legroom for front-seat passengers. Second-row seat legroom and knee room, and third-row seat headroom are increased over the previous models. The second- and third-row seats also have more shoulder room – a feat accomplished while also offering standard roof-mounted head curtain side air bags. Cargo room has increased by 4.2 cubic feet (118.9 liters) behind the second-row seats and 2.3 cubic feet (65.1 liters) behind the third row. The third-row seats fold flat and are easily tumbled forward or removed for maximum cargo area. Also, the unique, two-compartment center console is the segment’s largest. The glove box offers 25 percent more storage space than previous models and features damped opening operation that reinforces Escalade’s overall feeling of refinement.

[Matt]

Driving experience

With a reputation as one of the segment’s top performers, the ’07 Escalade builds on its heritage with a combination of performance, responsiveness and comfort that channels the vehicle-wide refinements into an effortless driving experience.

A new 6.2L V-8 rated at 403 horsepower (301 kw)* and 417 lb.-ft. of torque (565 Nm)* is exclusive to Escalade. This all-aluminum engine uses v ariable valve timing (VVT) to optimize camshaft timing to improve low-rpm torque and high-rpm horsepower. The introduction of variable valve timing through the unique, dual-equal cam phaser is the industry’s first application of VVT on a mass-produced V-8 overhead-valve engine. The unique dual-equal phaser adjusts the camshaft timing at the same rate for both the intake and exhaust valves. Aluminum cylinder heads and an aluminum engine block offer reduced mass, an attribute that supports improved vehicle weight distribution and improved fuel economy.

A new Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed automatic transmission is matched with the 6.2L engine. One of the industry’s most advanced automatics, the 6L80 features clutch-to-clutch shifting and has a wide, 6.04:1 overall ratio – including two overdrive gears – that helps deliver an excellent balance of performance and fuel economy. The 6L80’s six forward gears have smaller “steps” between them, compared to a conventional four-speed automatic, which bolsters both performance and the feeling of smoothness. Shorter steps between the gears help the transmission quickly find the best gear for the vehicle speed and road conditions, with less back-and-forth hunting on grades – a trait that is particularly helpful when towing. Also, the 6L80 has Driver Shift Control (tap up/tap down) capability that allows the driver to manually select upshifts and downshifts with a button on the column shifter.

A stronger frame and chassis supports the more powerful powertrain and enables the Escalade’s exceptional responsiveness and ride and handling smoothness. A new, fully boxed frame offers 49 percent increased torsional stiffness and a 35-percent improvement in beaming frequency, compared to previous models. In addition, all front and rear suspension attachment points are stiffened for improved suspension performance and reduced road input into the vehicle. The frame supports wider front and rear tracks – approximately 3 inches (76.2 mm) wider in front and 1 inch (25.4 mm) wider in the rear – that enhance stability and driving confidence through a more secure road feel and a lower center of gravity.

The front suspension consists of an all-new coil-over-shock design that delivers linear, solid and unwavering ride and handling characteristics on all road surfaces. Also new is a rack-and-pinion steering system that provides precise and responsive control and superior on-center feel. A highly refined five-link rear suspension complements the front suspension for great road isolation and vehicle handling.

Larger, four-wheel disc brakes and an all-new ABS system from Bosch help ensure braking performance. Larger vented front and rear brake rotors, 50-percent stiffer dual-piston calipers, longer-life brake pads and the new system’s design result in enhanced pedal feel, reduced brake noise, predictable, linear brake response and shorter braking distances. A new Bosch 8.0 next-generation four-channel ABS system is also standard. The ABS system works with the standard StabiliTrak stability control system’s new rollover mitigation technology. This software algorithm technology uses sensors to proactively predict vehicle “tip-up” and apply appropriate brake force to help prevent such events.

Enhanced driving control and ride smoothness are offered with the standard Road Sensing System, which uses electronically controlled shock absorbers to make nearly instantaneous damping adjustments. The system “reads” the road and anticipates the best damping rates.

[Matt]

Safety and security

GM’s new 2007 full-size SUVs are designed to be among the industry’s safest and most secure vehicles, with a 360-degree perimeter safety system of occupant protection and crash avoidance technologies. New features include roof-mounted head curtain side air bags with rollover protection for all seating rows and front-seat safety belt pretensioners that are linked to the vehicle’s sensing system to provide segment-exclusive deployment in rear-end crashes. These features are integrated into a stronger vehicle structure that is also designed for improved compatibility with other vehicles. The roof-mounted head curtain air bags include design features that provide increased rollover protection and occupant containment. Sensors located at the front of the vehicle, in the side doors, and within the occupant compartment provide increased and more immediate crash detection. The vehicle’s sensing system provides segment-exclusive capability to deploy front seat safety belt pretensioners during certain rear-end collisions, enhancing the belt system’s ability to hold the occupants firmly in place.

The roof-mounted head curtain side air bag system incorporates one of the segment’s first rollover indication sensors, which is located on the vehicle’s center tunnel in the occupant compartment. The sensor monitors the vehicle’s accelerations and roll rate. If these signals indicate an impending rollover, the roof-mounted head curtain side air bags deploy to provide an extra measure of occupant protection and containment. These rollover-capable head curtain side air bags stay inflated longer than airbags developed only for side impacts because rollover incidents can last longer. The deployment duration and other design features of the rollover capable air bags combine to provide increased occupant protection and the ability to help keep occupants inside the vehicle.

Crash avoidance is bolstered through enhanced design and driver control dynamics, such as wider front and rear tracks, as well as more responsive suspensions – including a new coil-over-shock front suspension design and new rack-and-pinion steering. The vehicles are built on a stronger and stiffer, fully-boxed frame that contributes to enhanced crash energy management. The front frame section has been designed to optimize crush progression resulting in improved energy absorption efficiency. The improved crush performance, enabled by hydroformed frame rails and efficient chassis component packaging, also comprehends design provisions for improved vehicle-to-vehicle compatibility in the event of a frontal impact with a smaller vehicle.

Additional safety and security features include:

• Standard StabiliTrak stability control system with rollover mitigation technology
• Standard dual-stage driver’s front air bag
• Standard dual-stage outboard-front passenger air bag with Passenger Sensing System
• Available roof-mounted head curtain side air bags for all seating rows
• Standard front seat safety belt pretensioners with rear impact deployment capability
• Standard tire pressure monitoring system
• Available rain-sensing wiper system
• Available Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist that can detect certain stationary objects in the rearward path of the vehicle and send an audible warning sound
• Available rear-view camera system designed to provide the driver with a view of people or objects in the rearward path of the vehicle
• Standard pull-up/push-down power window switches

All models come with the Generation 6 OnStar system (with a one-year Safe and Sound service plan). The system includes the General Motors Advanced Automatic Crash Notification (AACN) system, making crash data available to emergency services to potentially dispatch the appropriate life-saving personnel and equipment to crash scenes faster. If the vehicle is in a crash that activates an airbag, the OnStar system automatically notifies an OnStar Advisor, who will check on the occupants or summon emergency help if necessary. OnStar also can assist authorities in locating a vehicle if it is reported stolen (ability to locate stolen vehicles varies with conditions).

[Matt]

Cadillac Escalade #20

[Matt]

Cadillac Escalade #21

[Matt]

Cadillac Escalade #22

[henk4]

An icon reborn?

Icon of what????

[Matt]

Well, this is the 3rd generation - it's an icon here.

[henk4]

Well, this is the 3rd generation - it's an icon here.

yep but what does it represent (if anything but hollowness)

[smxi]

yep but what does it represent (if anything but hollowness)

It represents American spirit, americans like big, comfortable vehicles and this one is one of those (it also gave boost to Cadillac brand). And believe me a lot of europeans, japanese and other natives of tiny counties with high gas prices that live here, use opportunity to own these huge, handsome machines.

[dracu777]

handsome machines.

handsome?? perhaps by ugly stick standards

[smxi]

handsome?? perhaps by ugly stick standards

I'm talking about second generation, I've always liked it. Still do.

[racerx]

The 3rd Gen model definitely doesn't have the presence or somewhat unique looks that the 2nd Gen did. If anything this new one looks somewhat generic, especially from the back and rear 3/4 view...it looks like a Navigator!

[smxi]

especially from the back and rear 3/4 view...it looks like a Navigator!

oh, no... ...