Cadillac offers a sneak peek at the interior of the 2015 Escalade full-size luxury SUV.
The world won’t get its first full look at the long-awaited replacement for the Cadillac Escalade until next week, but General Motors is offering up a sneak peek at the full-size luxury SUV’s interior in an effort to build interest in the upcoming announcement.
The big Caddy ute became a symbol of roadway “bling” when it made its original debut back in 1998, an even more stylish version generating strong demand among the hip-hop community two years later.
But in an industry where change occurs at an increasingly rapid pace, GM had let the so-called ‘Slade linger without much change for the better part of a decade – in part due to delays caused by its 2009 bankruptcy.
The new model is expected to share the same underlying platform as GM’s other restyled full-size SUVs, such as the GMC Yukon Denali. But it also promises the 2015 Cadillac Escalade will get a unique look and an extensive range of upscale features, both inside and out, in line with the overall remake of the Caddy brand.
It's not known if GM will offer a hybrid version of the 2015 Escalade -- like this old gas-electric model.
(Click Here for more on GM’s other new full-size SUV.)
The actual unveiling of the 2015 Escalade will take place in New York City next Monday. But the images released today reveal a new interior much more in line with the look of such new Cadillac models as the 2014 CTS – which itself moves more up-market to more directly take on competitors such as the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
“Advanced technical features and controls are designed to add a boldly modern element to the design, as well as offering the latest features in luxury, connectivity and safety for up to eight occupants,” GM declared in a release accompanying this image.
A lot has changed – both at GM and in the large premium SUV segment itself – since the last-generation Escalade first appeared. While the outgoing model was an example of automotive excess, attracting those who wanted to make a bold statement with flashy chrome and a massive set of wheels, the old Escalade also was a bit crude in terms of its ride and didn’t offer many of the high-tech features considered basics in today’s luxury market.
GM promises to address those issues by adding far more modern package that delivers improved ride and handling, better fuel economy, improved safety and lots more in-car infotainment features. Among the latter updates, look for the 2015 Escalade to adopt the latest version of Cadillac’s Cue touchscreen interface.
(Cadillac’s new Elmiraj concept could be the shape of things to come. Click Herefor a closer look.)
Caddy’s full-size SUV will share the same underlying platform as new-for-2015 lower-priced models such as the Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe utes and the GMC Yukon Denali. That platform, in turn, is based on the architecture developed for GM’s 2014 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups. It remains to be seen if the big truck will adopt such features as the magnetic ride control suspension found in some other new Cadillac models.
The original Escalade debuted at a time when bigger was considered better for many Americans, especially in the luxury market. Much of today’s demand has shifted, however, from conventional sport-utility vehicles to smaller, car-based crossovers. In fact, the compact crossover segment it expected to become one of the U.S. market’s biggest growth niches in the years ahead.
But there remains a potentially strong market for large, high-line models, analysts contend, and GM’s competitors appear to agree. The new Escalade will go up against such offerings as the big Mercedes-Benz GL. And after also hesitating, Ford has finally given the go to a renewed version of the very first of the big luxury SUVs, the old Lincoln Navigator. That update is expected to reach market a year or two later than the 2015 Cadillac Escalade remake.