New Cadillac Escalade-V ESV Spied Testing In The Real World

Earlier this month, GM Authority brought you coverage of the new Cadillac Escalade-V testing in prototype form out in the wild. Now, we’ve once again caught the upcoming hot-to-trot SUV testing, this time with an even-better look at the Cadillac Escalade-V ESV.

For those readers who may not know, the ESV stands for “Escalade Stretch Vehicle,” essentially denoting the extended-wheelbase variant of the luxury utility vehicle. Earlier in May, we caught both the standard-length Escalade-V and the extended-length Escalade-V ESV testing. The model featured in these new spy photos is the Escalade-V ESV.

These latest photos give us a clear view of the Cadillac Escalade-V ESV’s revised fascia, which includes new intakes covered by black mesh inserts. It also appears as though there is a sensor in the center of the new intake.

This particular model is also noteworthy for its tire specs, with a set of Bridgestone Alenza rubber mounted in the corners. By comparison, the Escalade-V prototypes caught testing earlier in the month had the tire manufacturer and model scrubbed from the sidewalls. As such, it’s reasonable to assume Cadillac will run some kind of high-performance compound by the time the Escalade-V finally hits production, with these Bridgestone tires used for testing purposes only.

Finally, this prototype is running the same multi-spoke wheels and black finish as the prototypes seen earlier in the month. Also notable are the round exhaust pipes, unlike the squared pipes seen on the earlier prototypes.

Way back in July of 2019, GM Authority was the first to report on the new Cadillac Escalade-V. Then in March of this year, Cadillac Chief Engineer Tony Roma provided a few tantalizing hints as to what the new performance SUV could offer.

To that point, the Cadillac Escalade-V will feature the supercharged 6.2L V8 LT4 gasoline engine under the hood. That’s the same engine used in the Chevy Camaro ZL1 and Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, throwing down 650 horsepower in the former, and 668 horsepower in the latter. The LT4 will connect to a 10-speed automatic transmission, while Magnetic Ride Control and Air Ride Adaptive Control will keep it all shiny side up. The new SUV will also rock more aggressive styling, as previewed by the camo-covered front end of the prototype featured here. Look for the production model to arrive for the 2022 or 2023 model year.

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