The Escalade has become the biggest blessing Cadillac could ask for, but has also left the brand with a major dilemma. What does the brand do with this nameplate that has more brand recognition than the CTS and ATS combined?
That’s currently where the next generation Escalade stands, according to a report from Automotive News. Cadillac President, Johan de Nysschen, was quite outspoken on the dilemma with the Escalade.
“Can you think of the interesting conversations that take place in our planning meetings?” de Nysschen said. “How do you balance the desire to bring it into alignment with where we’re taking the brand and the equally intense desire not to screw up a good thing?”
The Cadillac Escalade is the antithesis of what the Cadillac brand is becoming. It doesn’t have an exclusive engine, it’s not a showcase of technology and it’s not a sport-luxury vehicle.
But what it is, is something Cadillac may be underestimating. de Nysschen is consistently ready to say Cadillac will not follow the German recipe, and will continue to have a distinct American edge. What’s more American than a big, luxurious SUV? For better, or worse, the Cadillac Escalade embodies something the Germans and Japanese have never perfected, and buyers love it.
Cadillac Escalade sales are up over 100 percent year-over-year, and they’re taken to new homes as quickly as they arrive on dealer lots, with an average transaction price of $83,000.
We’re not saying what we proposed here is the best path, but the Escalade has consistently been an ace up Cadillac’s sleeve. We think an upcoming Cadillac-exclusive V-8 would be welcomed under the hood of the next Escalade, and may allow the model to sit as a unique halo vehicle for the brand, as much as management might not want that to be the case.
Ultimately — and it pains us to say this — the Escalade is the greatest GM badge-engineering job ever. If Cadillac can continue to differentiate the Escalade from its Chevrolet (Tahoe, Suburban) and GMC (Yukon, Yukon XL) cousins and hone it under the emerging brand values, the model’s success should remain.
The sweepstakes closes on December 22nd and the drawing will take place on December 28th.
At a time of year when luxury car ATP usually rises.
Sales decreased 5.6 percent to 16,670 units during the first ten months of 2024.
Specifically critical minerals supply chain development.
Scheduled for a Spring 2025 launch.
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All I wish from the escalade nameplate is that they leave it in the truck category and don't bring it down a bit in size. Let the XT6 or XT7 fill that void. Keep it body on frame. I think they keep it that way especially if assembled alongside the Yukon, Tahoe, and suburban
Unlike other newer cars, the Escalade has spent many years on the market is already popular and appreciated by custom.
ATS has to take longer for sale for the appreciation of buyers, CTS is already coming to have some faithful.
Cadillac Escalade has what Cadillac want, insured and guaranteed sales buyers itself, other products need that time he has had Escalade to get into position.
Cars sold in long end run, cars that sell quickly and are changed by others; over the years never get to work
people do not like that much the cars are changed, likes to have appreciation for a model that is always sold in time.
Pontiac Bonneville, sold for 50 years
Volkswagen Golf; sold for 40 years
Ford Mustang; sold for 51 years
BMW 7 Series: sold for 30 years
Chevrolet Corvette: sold for 62 years.
For a car, time brand success, these cars are safe sales themselves in time, Escalade is not a problem for Cadillac, is an example of what Cadillac should do with their future cars, give them a place and keep them in the years
Nothing wrong at all having two(2) Halo vehicles, three would be even more awesome, 1 car based, 1 crossover based, 1 SUV based......What a Great problem to have!!! But as mentioned in the article, separation from your siblings is Paramount and getting your own Exclusive engines again is exactly what has to happen, they have separations with the Luxury and Tech side of the vehicle an can see it Widening big time, this is just Crazi Awesome what we will be witnessing with Cadillac in our lifetime!!!! One More thing, Leave The Escalade Name Plate Alone.....It's pure Money Baby!! ;)
Mercedes has Unimog why not Cadillac Escalade
Same old Car Clowns within Engineering. GM will always be a truck first company, you know, the one product line that actually makes the company money.
And your point is...?
The TTV-8 that's been alluded to would partially address all three of the cited deficiencies (exclusive engine, new-tech, performance).
A performance trim package with MagneRide, a lower stance, and the TT V-8, would make it more in line with the rest of the Caddy stable.
A plug-in Hybrid version (PHEV) could be incorporated as another package marketed toward the tech-savvy with big families and/or utilitarian needs. Packaging the equipment shouldn't be as difficult as GM's other smaller cars. (This may not have many takers.)
Weight loss with the next version as also planned for the other GM body on frame vehicles will also help.
With that said, should we be concerned with aligning the Escalade with the rest of Cadillac's line-up? It may be those differences that's helped to drive the sales. What I mean is that they shouldn't take away anything that makes the Escalade appealing just to make it fit with the brand image (square peg/round hole).
EXACTLY. It's a very curious form of delusion that Cadillac and GM brand managers have. EVERY model they have introduce since the Escalade first hit the streets has come and gone (CTS excepted). All the while GM proudly stated that this new model was taking Cadillac in a new direction, or they were going to beat Europe at their own game, or It's time for a change from "traditional American luxury". Yet the Escalade has been the most Cadillac of Cadillacs since the 2nd iteration.
It's Big, Powerful, Brash, Non-conformist, and Unapologetic. Nearly everything all of the newer Cadillac's try not to be.
Maybe instead of trying to conform their successful -cash cow- Escalade to the lack luster formula the cars seem to posses, Cadillac should be distilling everything that made the Escalade a modern American Icon and sales success into the rest of the Cadillac portfolio.
It's funny to me how the most "traditional" of Cadillacs is THE Cadillac that's in the greatest demand.
If Cadillac wants to give it a three letter or two letter and number model name, they can use "SK8" which even sounds close to "Escalade". And Cadillac needs to give it the same new EVT that the CT6 is getting, but upscaled for a more powerful engine. So it can still feel powerful when accelerated, but also can ruun in silent electric power for quiet smoothness when arriving at the next society meeting.
Maybe Cadillac could go as far as offering specialty models like Chevy and GMC do . Offer it in a limited edition , like a de-chromed Escalade all done in body color , the green house moldings all in black . I think theres room for something like this . Jeep has a Grand Cherekee they call the California edition , that Cadillac could emulate . But not black wheels unless the Escalade was all black . Just not a fan of the plasti-dipped wheels . JM $0.02 .
JMO,I would like to see the Escalade in the future to seperate itself more from the tahoe and yukon from the exterior profile. I work at a valet, and when an Escalade is parked next to or near a Yukon or Tahoe, it looses a bit of it's charm. And it would also be great for a more sport version.
I would like to buy a 2016 Escalade ESV. When can I order one?????