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Cadillac Escalade Review
01/28/12
The second generation of Cadillac's Escalade Limo debuted
partway through 2001 as a 2002 model. It was meant to bring
young, affluent buyers into the Cadillac fold, and succeeded beyond
Cadillac Limo's expectations as it became a status symbol among
trendsetters like professional athletes and pop musicians. Often
second-year changes are minimal, especially to successful vehicles.
But in the auto industry these days, sitting on one's laurels is among
the best ways to lose, and so there are important new features for
the 2003 Escalade.
As before, the basic Escalade Limo is offered in two-wheel drive or all-
wheel drive form, with the 2WD model equipped with a 285-
horsepower 5.7-liter V8 and the AWD model having a 345-hp 6.0-
liter V8. While the external styling is unchanged, both models have
a host of new interior features, thanks in part to a multiplexed
electrical architecture. The StabiliTrak stability enhancement system
standard on the AWD model has been upgraded, and the 2WD
model now has a version of StabiliTrak as well. XM satellite radio,
a DVD rear-seat entertainment system, and an upgraded Bose(tm)
sound system are now available.
I've been driving a new AWD Escalade Limousine for the past week. It's
large, but after doing a little historical research, I discovered that it
is actually shorter and narrower than some of the classics of the tail-
fin era. It is higher and heavier than those ancestors, but it also
holds more people in greater comfort. The Escalade big,
comfortable, and luxurious in a totally American way - those are
Cadillac core values, after all.
APPEARANCE: While the Escalade Limo shares most of the gently-
rounded contours of the full-sized GM SUV family, the matte-silver
egg-crate grille, chiseled hood, angular lower cladding, and
protruding taillights distinguish it from its cousins. It's big, it has
presence, and it is the new look of Cadillac. Rearview mirrors with
integrated turn signals and factory optional chromed wheels are the
only changes to the Escalade's exterior styling for its sophomore
year - other Cadillacs are catching up to it. The angular ``stealth
fighter'' styling first introduced at the front of the Escalade can be
seen on the CTS sports sedan, and look for further development on
upcoming Cadillac Limos
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