Cadillac Escalade

In its recent years, the Cadillac Escalade has become popularly known as a status symbol. Celebrities and athletes are often to be seen in them. David Beckham, Rupert Murdoch the media Tycoon, Michael Phelps, James Blake, and musicians such as Ludacris, Tyrese and Brandy are among some of the celebrities seen in this vehicle. With its latest trends, let's take a look at Escalades brief history.

The Escalade was introduced in 1999 in response to compete with Fords Lincoln Navigator. Nowadays, we have seen other manufacturers come out with similar models that have created competing forces. These models are the Mercedes Benz G class and the Lexus LX. The first model of the Escalade was very similar to the GMC Yukon Denali, with the same exterior panels and wheels. It had a 255 Horsepower V8 engine and was an all wheel drive, that essentially remained the same in 1999 and 2000. In its first few years the car wasn't too inspiring, and it even had dwindling sales in the 90's. Therefore it was revamped in 2001 and 2002 and boasted a 5.3L V8 engine with a 6L V8 option.

In 2003, the Escalade was tweaked to have better stability control, and power adjusting pedals. The model in 2004 came dressed with 20-inch chrome wheels, and also included more technical features such as a tire pressure monitoring system and XM satellite radio.

The 2005 model was equipped with OnStar, with an even more powerful engine, at 345 Horsepower. In 2007 it was put on a new platform, and a pick up version was offered called the EXT. The engine now has a whopping 403-horse power, a 6-speed transmission, and a much greater price tag. It can accelerate from 0-60 in just 6-8 seconds, quite amazing for such a big vehicle. Overall the escalade offers classy looks, a roomy interior, and of course, power.

With last years high gas prices and the push to be greener, GM planned to launch a Hybrid version of this vehicle. This idea was introduced at the famous 10 function GM's pre Oscar party. It has room for 7, towing capability, and great fuel economy.

Maybe with these changes it will remain a flagship vehicle for GM and maintain the status it has come to enjoy in its recent years.

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