mobile-menu-icon
GM Authority

What’s In A Name? Escalade French For…

This article is part of the GM Authority What’s In A Name Series, where we attempt to understand the meanings of GM vehicle names.

An observant reader pointed out that l’escalade is French for rock-climbing. Could that be part of the reason why the biggest, baddest Cadillac SUV wears the Escalade nameplate? Or does the Escalade name stem from the English definition of the word, which — according to Oxford American Dictionaries — is the scaling of fortified walls using ladders, as a form of military attack? We’d be fine with either, since both are bad ass.

Talk to us in the comments.

Hat tip to Dominiq.

GM Authority Executive Editor with a passion for business strategy and fast cars.

Subscribe to GM Authority

For around-the-clock GM news coverage

We'll send you one email per day with the latest GM news. It's totally free.

Comment

  1. All three are bad ass, the SUV included. It was originally a Ford/Lincoln idea, remember the Navigator, it never really took off as a product or a pop culture icon; the Escalade did. It’s got to have something to do with that Cadillac swager, somthing I do’nt think anny other car on earth has with the possible exeption of Mecedies Benz.

    Reply

Leave a comment

Cancel