2021 Cadillac Escalade Leaks Out

Ive read all the replies regarding this new Escalade. Ive come to a conclusion.

Seems to me this new Escalade is a lot like the Star Wars Rise of Skywalker flick...

Where it should have taken a certain other path, it decided to take a safe approach as to not destabilize the target marget too much and the changes that were made were not pleasing to another certain fanbase. 

Oh well...the movie surpassed the billion dollar mark and this new 'Slade will sell in great numbers regardless because the weak points of the older generations were improved greatly (interior) and it retained the elements that make an Escalade an Escalade.  Just like in Rise of Skywalker.  Boring and safe storyline...its still an undeniable Star Wars flick...

All Daimler’s SUVs look familial, all of Bavarian motorworks SUVs look familial, all Land Rovers look familial... yet people somehow are surprised that General Motors SUVs look familial. 🧐

1 hour ago, oldshurst442 said:

Ive read all the replies regarding this new Escalade. Ive come to a conclusion.

Seems to me this new Escalade is a lot like the Star Wars Rise of Skywalker flick...

Where it should have taken a certain other path, it decided to take a safe approach as to not destabilize the target marget too much and the changes that were made were not pleasing to another certain fanbase. 

Oh well...the movie surpassed the billion dollar mark and this new 'Slade will sell in great numbers regardless because the weak points of the older generations were improved greatly (interior) and it retained the elements that make an Escalade an Escalade.  Just like in Rise of Skywalker.  Boring and safe storyline...its still an undeniable Star Wars flick...

 

 

Star Wars needed to end the whole Skywalker saga for good.  Disney needs new and fresh stories instead of the trilogy that just ended. 

The new Escalade is fine and is better than the last one.  Remember the original 1999 Escalade?  Now THAT ONE looked exactly like a same-year Tahoe/Yukon!

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

All Daimler’s SUVs look familial, all of Bavarian motorworks SUVs look familial, all Land Rovers look familial... yet people somehow are surprised that General Motors SUVs look familial. 🧐

Invalid comparison. Each of those are examples of different models within the same brand.  GM has multiple brands.  A Cadillac shouldn’t look like a Chevy or GMC.  

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

All Daimler’s SUVs look familial, all of Bavarian motorworks SUVs look familial, all Land Rovers look familial... yet people somehow are surprised that General Motors SUVs look familial. 🧐

Cadillac SUVs are same sausage, different lengths.  If the Germans do it, Cadillac will surely copy it.

57 minutes ago, riviera74 said:

Star Wars needed to end the whole Skywalker saga for good.  Disney needs new and fresh stories instead of the trilogy that just ended. 

 

The new Escalade is fine and is better than the last one.  Remember the original 1999 Escalade?  Now THAT ONE looked exactly like a same-year Tahoe/Yukon!

Right on both accounts!

6 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

Cadillac SUVs are same sausage, different lengths.  If the Germans do it, Cadillac will surely copy it.

Not really, though. There is little resemblance in styling between the XT4, XT5, XT6 and Escalade beyond some front and rear details between some models. 

46 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

A Cadillac shouldn’t look like a Chevy or GMC.  

It doesn't.

No more than a ‘70 Sedan deVille looked like a ‘70 Caprice.

5 minutes ago, balthazar said:

It doesn't.

No more than a ‘70 Sedan deVille looked like a ‘70 Caprice.

Dream on.   The side profile of the SWB Escalade is nearly identical to the Tahoe and Yukon.  The ESV has different C-pillar trim, but is nearly identical to the Suburban and Yukon XL in profile. 

Oh boy...

I dont think its fair to hold the Escalade SWB or ESV to such scrutiny as to say it shares too much profile with its Chevy and GMC counterparts.

I dont feel like posting pics but...

As you could see...SUVs dont change in profile all that much.  That there vehicle is a late '60s 'Burban.

That there C Pillar is slanted. Yeah...like how the new gen is gonna be. Other later years its straight.  It dont matter...overall this has been the shape of GM's fullsized BOF SUVs.  And Ford's too. And strangely enough...Dodge's too...

This is what Americans want. 

We change the formula, and we get the Last Jedi...  All kinds of backlash.

OK...since the Escalade is just part of a trio...why wouldnt it look the same as the other two? 

IT SHOULD SHARE THE SAME PROFILE!!!

ALSO...the MARKET dictates that it SHOULD share the same profile as its siblings

Lets be honest...BMW is fairly new to this big SUV game (X7).  The X5 is also new and BMW went with a soft round look.  The Navigator, Escalade, Hummer, Bronco, Excursion, Tahoe, Yukon, Suburban...all American SUVs...are boxes...and that is what is required as per what the market suggests.

Mercedes Benz SUV icon, the military one...is a box...

Therefore...we just bitchin' just for bitchin's sake.

Funny..SUVs from FoMoCo are identical to one another...yet no bitchin'

And what I was saying in that American SUVs adopt this shape

And I thought I wasnt gonna post pics...

PS:  The Europeans take a different route...but I aint gonna post pics of those on the account that Im gonna sleep now and I dont want any nightmares... (Theyre ugly is what I saying)

Or do you folk prefer that the Escalade becomes more rounded and bloated like a Merc GL/BMW X7 or worse...like a Tesla Model X but bigger. 

Or the unthinkable..like a Cybertruck...  the equivalent of Luke milking that walrus space cow drinking that blue/green milk...   

Palpatine returning doesnt seem all that bad now...does it?

PS:  Ive enjoyed the sequal trilogy. Episode 8 the most. 

13 hours ago, balthazar said:

All Daimler’s SUVs look familial, all of Bavarian motorworks SUVs look familial, all Land Rovers look familial... yet people somehow are surprised that General Motors SUVs look familial. 🧐

It can be familial and still retain the vertical headlamps. 

9 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

 

 

PS:  The Europeans take a different route...but I aint gonna post pics of those on the account that Im gonna sleep now and I dont want any nightmares... (Theyre ugly is what I saying)

 

 

The problem w/ trying to compare to European makers is that MB and BMW have single brands, so they don't have the kind of multibrand reality GM has with Chevy, GMC, and Cadillac.    However, consider VWAG--similar to GM in that they have a multi brand structure.

 They do have multiple brands, and they do have several large SUVs---consider the Touareg, Cayenne, Q7, Bentayga and Urus---5 different brands, all share the same platform (MLBevo) and have similar dimensions, but are very differentiated in styling.   GM doesn't have that much differentiation styling wise between Tahoe,/Suburban Yukon, and Escalade...

2 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

It can be familial and still retain the vertical headlamps. 

What if Cadillac designers wanted to do away with stacked/vertical headlights?  Maybe it was for safety that this changed happened like it was mentioned before?  It dont matter...   Looks are subjective...and it does look like an XT6...and the XT6 is plain and boring looking Ill admit, but no more than what the segment offers...but on the Escalade, it works better, to my eyes at least. 

But...even that does not matter. 

The 2021 Escalade looks the part of a top dog, big and brutish luxury SUV. One that continues the Escalade lineage without missing a beat.  Playing it safe a tad?  Sure!  But I didnt know that the Escalade had to change drastically to appease the fanbade...

Or are we gonna take a page right out of Star Wars and cry "this is not the Cadillac Escalade that I know. This is NOT my Escalade!" 

1 minute ago, oldshurst442 said:

What if Cadillac designers wanted to do away with stacked/vertical headlights?    

That seems to be the case...  the front doesn't bother me as much as the bad C-pillar trim...but bad C-pillar trim is becoming a Cadillac thing, look at the CT5. 

2 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

The problem w/ trying to compare to European makers is that MB and BMW have single brands, so they don't have the kind of multibrand reality GM has with Chevy, GMC, and Cadillac.    However, consider VWAG--similar to GM in that they have a multi brand structure.

 They do have multiple brands, and they do have several large SUVs---consider the Touareg, Cayenne, Q7, Bentayga and Urus---5 different brands, all share the same platform (MLBevo) and have similar dimensions, but are very differentiated in styling.   GM doesn't have that much differentiation styling wise between Tahoe,/Suburban Yukon, and Escalade...

Ummmmm  No!

The Cayenne looks like the Toureg that looks like the Bentaya...

 The Bentley has taken a more portly and bloated approach...like how women were desired in the 17th and 18th centuries.  But the profile remains the same

We think in our minds that VW does it better...but they dont

1 minute ago, oldshurst442 said:

Ummmmm  No!

The Cayenne looks like the Toureg that looks like the Bentaya...

 The Bentley has taken a more portly and bloated approach...like how women were desired in the 17th and 18th centuries.  But the profile remains the same

We think in our minds that VW does it better...but they dont

 

There is a slight resemblance, but I bet the panels are all different...

Which is which? Okay, it’s easy because emblems.. 

5 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

That seems to be the case...  the front doesn't bother me as much as the bad C-pillar trim...but bad C-pillar trim is becoming a Cadillac thing, look at the CT5. 

Im on the same page as you.

The front doesnt bother me.  The  C Pillar trim DOES bother me.

And yes...the 2021 'Slade is missing something.  Its missing a certain trait that I cant put my finger on it, but overall, its a nice Escalade design.  

If GM was interested in making the Escalade a unique luxury vehicle, it should share no side body panels with Chevy and GMC and have it's own unique styling...but they are too cheap to invest the coin to do that.

Oddly, they do give the XT* Cadillac CUVs unique bodies compared to related Chevy/Buick/GM models---the XT6 doesn't resemble the Traverse or Acadia.

There is nothing really wrong w/ the Escalade as it turned out, but it's still obviously a Chevy/GMC SUV with a different nose and added bling. 

11 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

What if Cadillac designers wanted to do away with stacked/vertical headlights?  Maybe it was for safety that this changed happened like it was mentioned before?  It dont matter...   Looks are subjective...and it does look like an XT6...and the XT6 is plain and boring looking Ill admit, but no more than what the segment offers...but on the Escalade, it works better, to my eyes at least. 

But...even that does not matter. 

The 2021 Escalade looks the part of a top dog, big and brutish luxury SUV. One that continues the Escalade lineage without missing a beat.  Playing it safe a tad?  Sure!  But I didnt know that the Escalade had to change drastically to appease the fanbade...

Or are we gonna take a page right out of Star Wars and cry "this is not the Cadillac Escalade that I know. This is NOT my Escalade!" 

Obviously they wanted to do away with them, because it doesn't have them...

9 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

Ummmmm  No!

The Cayenne looks like the Toureg that looks like the Bentaya...

 The Bentley has taken a more portly and bloated approach...like how women were desired in the 17th and 18th centuries.  But the profile remains the same

We think in our minds that VW does it better...but they dont

 

That VW is an Atlas which is built on the Golf platform.

Just now, ccap41 said:

Obviously they wanted to do away with them, because it doesn't have them...

Yeah!

So why are we complaing then?

Ill take @Robert Hall post about the panels and GM not wanting to go the extra mile to differentiaite the Slade over the other 2 more at heart...because its true.  But Im guessing GM is saying if it aint broke, dont fix it.  And GM has the right to think that way since FoMoCo didnt really differentiate the Gator over the Excursion all that much either. And the Gator is the main competitor for the Slade...

Until real competition heats up with the Germans...then the Slade will CONTINUE to BE what it has ALWAYS been!!! 

Tesla definitely needs to make a CyberSUV 

1 minute ago, oldshurst442 said:

Yeah!

So why are we complaing then?

Ill take @Robert Hall post about the panels and GM not wanting to go the extra mile to differentiaite the Slade over the other 2 more at heart...because its true.  But Im guessing GM is saying if it aint broke, dont fix it.  And GM has the right to think that way since FoMoCo didnt really differentiate the Gator over the Excursion all that much either. And the Gator is the main competitor for the Slade...

Until real competition heats up with the Germans...then the Slade will CONTINUE to BE what it has ALWAYS been!!! 

The X7 and GLS are selling at a higher rate than the Escalade.  The Navigator was outsold by the ancient Infiniti QX80 last year which is embarrassing.

@smk4565

You are right.  My bad.

The Touareg looks CONSIDERABLY different.  The 1st gen though not so much..

BUT

BUT

SHYTE...the Porsche that costs a lot of $$$ has a lesser brand and model that looks kinda like it...

NOT GOOD ANY WHICH WAY YOU SLICE IT!!!

2 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

Yeah!

So why are we complaing then?

Ill take @Robert Hall post about the panels and GM not wanting to go the extra mile to differentiaite the Slade over the other 2 more at heart...because its true.  But Im guessing GM is saying if it aint broke, dont fix it.  And GM has the right to think that way since FoMoCo didnt really differentiate the Gator over the Excursion all that much either. And the Gator is the main competitor for the Slade...

Until real competition heats up with the Germans...then the Slade will CONTINUE to BE what it has ALWAYS been!!! 

Because, in my opinion, they fckd up one thing that distinguished an Escalade and something that gave it that powerful look. Everybody knew what Escalade lights looked like. This goes exactly to your point of, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

3 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

Tesla definitely needs to make a CyberSUV 

The X7 and GLS are selling at a higher rate than the Escalade.  The Navigator was outsold by the ancient Infiniti QX80 last year which is embarrassing.

Shyte dude!

I hate these kinds of discussions.

I havent looked at the sales figs. Nor do I  care.

But...the Escalade is an outgoing model. The GLS and X7 are brand spanking new.

The fanboys of M-B and BMW are gobbling these up.  And when the fanboys get there fill...these will drop off DRAMATICALLY!

The Escalade has a BIGGER following...

Get where Im going with this?

3 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Because, in my opinion, they fckd up one thing that distinguished an Escalade and something that gave it that powerful look. Everybody knew what Escalade lights looked like. This goes exactly to your point of, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Not really.

One could say that stacked lights are becoming stale, boring.

One minor facial change does not bring down the franchise...

It changed one major detail with independent rear suspension. I think that one change offsets the vertical headlights change...enough for folk not to give a shyte.

The grille still says big ass Cadillac!

7 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

Not really.

One could say that stacked lights are becoming stale, boring.

One minor facial change does not bring down the franchise...

It changed one major detail with independent rear suspension. I think that one change offsets the vertical headlights change...enough for folk not to give a shyte.

The grille still says big ass Cadillac!

People already didn't give a shyte about the solid rear axle, it sold extremely well. Wasn't it something like 3 sold for every 1 Navigator and that's has IRS for awhile, prior to the newest generation. 

Correct, it doesn't bring down the franchise. I just think that's the biggest glaring mistake. Everything has been upgraded ten fold. I just don't like the horizontal headlights and I believe it should still have large, vertical headlights. 

Since when is an IRS worse than a solid rear axle?  If you want space in your SUV, then IRS is the best way to get there.

About the independent rear suspension...

True that it ousold the Gator. But that was when the Gator was still the same Gator way back when it was rotting on the vine.

Also...the GLS has gotten bigger and the X7 has been introduced. 

If it wasnt broken then, it has potential to be broken now...independent suspension is a must for 2021. 

Im OK with you not liking these horizontal headlights.  Im just not sharing your POV about them.

16 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

The mid 2000s models had almost no differentiation along the sides, except for the plastic lower trim, running boards and wheels that I can see.. if you hide the front ends, they all look pretty much the same...

I would agree with you in regards to the GMC and Chevy as the sides are almost identical, but Cadillac did stand out from the other two with their wheel wells and the cladding at the bottom of the doors.

The IRS is a big improvement, Ford/Lincoln did it 12 years ago on the Expy/Nav...GM was being lazy with the old school solid axle...going to an IRS should improve the ride and lower the rear floor for more cargo and 3rd row legroom...

4 minutes ago, dfelt said:

I would agree with you in regards to the GMC and Chevy as the sides are almost identical, but Cadillac did stand out from the other two with their wheel wells and the cladding at the bottom of the doors.

Those were just plastic appiques, though, right?  Not actual changes to the sheetmetal (other than the front fenders and hood, I believe all 3 had the same metal). 

9 minutes ago, riviera74 said:

Since when is an IRS worse than a solid rear axle?  If you want space in your SUV, then IRS is the best way to get there.

Never..? Unless you're an off-road nut. 

2 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Never..? Unless you're an off-road nut. 

I can't imagine many people off road full size luxury SUVs..maybe .00000000001 percent of buyers...   

Land Rovers and Range Rovers maybe in the UK have off-roading fans, but not much in the US beyond the off-road image..

5 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Those were just plastic appiques, though, right?  Not actual changes to the sheetmetal (other than the front fenders and hood, I believe all 3 had the same metal). 

Correct, they are just applied panels, but at least it gave it a different look. 

Now the 3 have the same back, doors and front fenders, they are all identical if you removed the logo and that face, they should have stayed with Art n Science as it was a solid differentiating style compared to GMC and Chevrolet.

2 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

I can't imagine many people off road full size luxury SUVs..maybe .00000000001 percent of buyers...   

Land Rovers and Range Rovers maybe in the UK have off-roading fans, but not much in the US beyond the off-road image..

Tue, I am one of the rare people that does take my Escalade off road, but that is rare compared to the bulk of them.

Cadillac has been waning off Arts & Science for awhile now. And hence the dismissal of vertical headlights and lack of a coherent C Pillar design across its line-up.

And I think I found what is troubling for me with the Escalade and Cadillac's models in general as of late. (The last 2 year models at least)

The lack of a DEFINITION of design language going forward. There seems not to have a plan in place for a new styling direction...   The plan seems to be just to wane off Arts & Science and that is it...

They got the general Escala look and they try to mimic that all across the board while retating some Arts & Science elements, but softening up the Art & Science look at the same time.

It kinda works. It kinda doesnt.

Yup...like Star Wars with the sequal trilogy. No clear path moving forward.  LOL

I liked the Art & Science styling quite a bit..esp. the sharp edges...in a world of lumpen blobular design, it stood out...the vertical headlights were a strong Cadillac styling cue, modern yet retro--harkening back to the stacked lights on the '65-68 Cadillacs.

47 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

I can't imagine many people off road full size luxury SUVs..maybe .00000000001 percent of buyers...   

Land Rovers and Range Rovers maybe in the UK have off-roading fans, but not much in the US beyond the off-road image..

Yeah, it's typically for the image. I don't see ANYBODY buying a new full-size SUV and taking it anywhere where you need the extra articulation of a solid axle. 

Now taking one that's 10+ years old and off-roading it, I could see that. 

Don't forget about this shyte storm, as well! 

Escalade 600! 

12 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Yeah, it's typically for the image. I don't see ANYBODY buying a new full-size SUV and taking it anywhere where you need the extra articulation of a solid axle. 

Now taking one that's 10+ years old and off-roading it, I could see that. 

 

Yeah, with full size I can't see off-roading a new one...now with Jeeps, it's different... back in the day, I had my '00 Jeep Grand Cherokee on rocky back country trails outside Crested Butte and Aspen, Co a week after buying it new..

21 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Don't forget about this shyte storm, as well! 

Escalade 600! 

This is where I get it for EVs, but for ICE it makes no sense to me. They should have kept it L based. I do understand they are wanting people to get used to 400, 500, 600, 800, 1000 badgeing so when an EV comes out, it will not be a big deal.

Since the diesel and gas engines make the same torque, are they both Escalade 600?  

10 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

Since the diesel and gas engines make the same torque, are they both Escalade 600?  

Maybe the diesel will be 600D?

"Simple enough, right? Well, not really. Instead of converting pound-feet to Newton-meters and calling it a day, Cadillac decided to throw another wrench into the equation: It rounds the conversion to the nearest 50. This means the 600 on the back of the new Escalade is a lie, as the SUV's V-8 and diesel six-cylinder engines produce 624 Nm of torque or 460 lb-ft. The number 624, however, doesn't look quite as nice 600—at least to Cadillac. (Blame overseas markets like China, where the figure makes more sense.) The decision was made not to use engine displacement so that the badges could also be applied to future electric vehicles; still, turbocharged models have a T after the number, so there is some indication of what lies under the hood."

Isn't that special.  So it's sorta 600 somethings.

6 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Isn't that special.  So it's sorta 600 somethings.

Any future EV version will mean the inverse.  600 nothings.

10 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

Any future EV version will mean the inverse.  600 nothings.

It would be in however they measure power for EVs...watts of output?   Rods per hogshead?  Liters per hectare? 

I think it's awesome, love the Bronze Metallic paint and the slick jeweled LED headlights. The interior is gorgeous, the dark color dash is my favorite with dark zebrano wood trim, although I would go with a slightly darker leather as the lighter cream colored leathers get stained from dyes that rub off from dark slacks or blue jeans. Bravo Caddy!!

Link to MT write-up with much better pics inside and out.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/autos-luxury/2021-cadillac-escalade-this-is-what-the-600-badge-on-its-rear-end-means/ar-BBZFXPi#image=BBZGhz9|27

2 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

It would be in however they measure power for EVs...watts of output?   Rods per hogshead?  Liters per hectare? 

EV's are all about low end torque, 11,500 lb.- in. of torque.

Those headlights look great in the closeup pic...I'm sure I'll like it in person.  Love the interior.   Looking forward to sitting in one at an auto show..looks like it would be a great road trip SUV.

9 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

@smk4565

You are right.  My bad.

The Touareg looks CONSIDERABLY different.  The 1st gen though not so much..

BUT

BUT

SHYTE...the Porsche that costs a lot of $$$ has a lesser brand and model that looks kinda like it...

NOT GOOD ANY WHICH WAY YOU SLICE IT!!!

Yep, the VW Touareg was a Porsche Cayenne through and through, same chassis and AWD, VR6, 8 spd trans. Only difference was the front clip and rear taillights, sides were identical along with doors, mirrors, rear quarters, rear hatch as well. VW actually asked Porsche to build it for them well before they owned Porsche. Just facts I thought I would drop for y'all!