It’s nice to be reminded sometimes of the days of yore when vehicles filled up the entire lane, spit fire, and roared like a beast.
Nowadays it’s all about cuddling with Mother Nature, saving the planet, and blending into the background. The roar of an engine is artificially produced and finding a place to plug in the order of the day.
Well friends, Cadillac has decided to take a slightly different path. While others are working on all-things electric, seemingly bowing to the feet of old Mama Nature, Caddy is defiantly giving her the middle finger.
The Escalade has always been everything that everything else isn’t big, brash, and unapologetically in your face. But recently they introduced the V Series. This ain’t your granddad’s Cadillac. The V Series is the Cadillac high performance treatment, the American version of AMG or M. Instead of apple strudel though, it’s apple pie on steroids hot from the oven. The Escalade V Series is an American brute in a tailored suit charging through the urban jungle with the authority of a military convoy.
And I got to spend a week with one recently.
On the outside sitting still with its imposing grille, sharp lines, and enough chrome to make a rapper blush, the Escalade V Series demands attention like a rockstar crashing a funeral. It sits atop the Escalade lineup loaded with everything Cadillac can jam into its vehicles and adds performance-tuned adaptive air suspension, Brembo high-performance brakes and V-specific driving modes.
Inside the cabin is a symphony of leather, wood, and brushed metal. And let’s not forget about the tech – the Escalade V Series is loaded with more gadgets than a Bond car, including a massive infotainment screen, advanced driver assistance systems, and enough connectivity options to keep even the most tech-savvy passengers entertained. Need to adjust your massage settings while sipping champagne in the rear seats, which for the record have enough legroom to rival a first-class flight to Dubai? No problem. The Escalade V Series has got you covered.
The power for the V Series is like the standard Escalade just swallowed a whole barrel of dynamite and grew a taste for speed. Under the hood lies a snarling beast of an engine – a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that churns out enough horsepower (682) and has enough torque (653) that getting on the throttle will send you off the starting line making you feel you’re launching a small satellite into orbit. It will leave you wondering what the hell just happened.
But it’s not just about straight-line speed. The Escalade V Series can handle corners with surprising agility for a vehicle of its size. Credit goes to the magnetic ride control and performance-tuned suspension, which work together to keep this behemoth glued to the road. Sure, you’re not going to be carving up mountain passes like you’re in a sports car, but considering you’re piloting a small mansion on wheels, the Escalade V Series feels remarkably composed. And yes it drinks gasoline like a frat boy at an open bar, and don’t even think about trying to park it in a compact space.
Of course, all this luxury and performance doesn’t come cheap. With a price tag that could rival a small country’s GDP, the Escalade V Series isn’t for the faint of heart—or wallet. But if you’ve got the means and the inclination to make a statement that screams “I’ve arrived,” then the 2023 Cadillac Escalade V Series is ready and waiting to take you there, in style, comfort, and with a roar that’ll rattle windows, and wake the neighbors.
The 2023 Cadillac Escalade V Series
MSRP: $144,680
MSRP (as tested): $152,295
Engine: 6.2-liter supercharged V8, 682.0 hp @ 6000 rpm, 653 lb.-ft torque @ 4400 rpm
Transmission: 10-speed shiftable automatic
Fuel Mileage (EPA): 11 city, 16 highway, 13 combined
Fuel Mileage (as tested, mixed conditions): 19 mpg
Curb Weight 6,217 lbs.
Exterior Dimensions
Length: 211.9 in.
Overall width without mirrors: 81.1 in.
Height: 76.7 in.
Wheelbase: 120.9 in.
Max Towing Capacity: 7,000 lbs.
Max Payload Capacity 1,330 lbs.
Interior Dimensions
Front head room: 42.3 in.
Front leg room: 44.5 in.
Front shoulder room: 65.5 in.
Front hip room: 61.7 in.
Rear head room: 38.9 in.
Rear leg room: 41.7 in.
Rear shoulder room: 64.6 in.
Rear hip room: 61.2 in.
Cargo capacity, all seats in place: 25.5 cu.ft.
Maximum cargo capacity: 121.0 cu.ft.
Warranty
Basic: 4 yr./ 50,000 mi.
Drivetrain: 6 yr./ 70,000 mi.
Rust: 4 yr./ 50,000 mi.
Roadside assistance: 6 yr./ 70,000 mi.
Free maintenance: 1 yr./ unlimited mi.
Greg has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.