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Cadillac Escalade rolls out as first wagon with Caddy badge
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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AUSTIN, Tex. -- On downtown streets in the Texas capital, a full-size sport-utility wagon rolls on 16-inch all-season radial tires, pitching driver and rider above the fray of commuter congestion.
It's a big machine, with massive V8 engine tucked beneath an extended hoodline and a spacious cabin concealed behind darkly tinted Solar-Ray windows. The cockpit has plush seats for five in soft perforated leather and a cargo compartment that could carry a week's worth of travel gear.
It's also loaded with prime luxury features -- from heated seats in front and back and power-operated controls to a deluxe Bose Acoustimass music system with six speakers and 6-disc CD changer set in the front console, even a hands-free cell phone tied to a sophisticated navigation system which plots the vehicle's earthly position from orbiting satellites and connects to operators who can dispense guidance information or dispatch emergency aid.
With so many features and so much luxury gear, you could call this wagon the Cadillac of SUVs, but its grille already bears the laurel wreath and crest of Cadillac and the emblem also appears in embossed relief on leather seatbacks so it's hard to miss the fact that this machine, while different from every Caddy before it, nevertheless comes from the pinnacle brand at General Motors.
Cadillac, it seems, has developed a deluxe wagon that lives up to the Cadillac image of luxurious motoring.
Labeled Escalade, the full-size Cadillac SUV looks like an abbreviated version of the gigantic Suburban GM wagon, although dressed up with body-colored cladding, running boards and rooftop luggage rack in place, plus a rear step bumper which hides a trailer hitch, and four chromed aluminum 6-spoke wheels which also flash Cadillac's crest on center caps.
Park the Escalade next to Suburban and you too may find it difficult to tell them apart, since both exhibit a similar form from front bumper through B pillar.
Beyond the front seatback, however, Suburban gets extra room to add a third tier of seats so it can carry up to nine people, while Escalade maximizes with five riders in two front bucket seats followed by a bench for three.
Detect differences by comparing the second set of doors on each side: Suburban's rear door edge forms a straight line from top to bottom and runs in front of the rear wheelwell, while the rear door of Escalade has a notch near the bottom to tuck around the arched well.
Also, Escalade's size allows it to fit neatly into a home garage, while Suburban cannot due to its extra length.
Escalade feels rock-solid to drive.
Constructed atop a full-size GM pickup truck's platform, Escalade employs a rectangular ladder-type chassis with welded crossbars and boxed front end. The center section dips to forge a lower step-in height for easier entry by passengers.
This rigid platform supports the fully-independent front double A-arm suspension mechanism and a rear system with strong semi-elliptical multi-leaf springs. A thick 46 mm Bilstein shock absorber stands in each wheel's shock tower, and the rear axle, designed for hauling a load, uses a semi-floating design.
Add variable-ratio power steering and power brakes connected to a 4-wheel anti-lock system and Escalade sets the scene for some serious maneuvering.
Then there's that whopper V8 beneath the hood.
The 5.7-liter iron-block engine, producing 255 hp, provides all the muscle you may need, such as for towing a trailer weighing up to 6,500 pounds.
An electronic powertrain control module regulates fuel injection, with micro-adjustments for the mixture of air and fuel 80 times every second. This means instantaneous compensation for stressful effects such as altitude, as well as load. The result: Continual, dependable power flow.
A single transmission choice, GM's ultra-smooth Hydra-matic 4L60-E electronic automatic 4-speed system, mates with Escalade's V8. Sophisticated internal electronic controls automatically measure critical operating factors -- such as throttle position, engine speed and temperature, or varying load -- to always select an appropriate gear for changing conditions.
For ultimate traction, Escalade also packs a 4-wheel-drive system with automatic active transfer case -- called Autotrac -- as standard equipment.
Essentially, the wagon functions with rear-wheel traction for typical pavement applications. However, when on-board sensors detect wheel spin -- such as when pavement become slick with rain or snow -- the smart Autotrac system automatically switches from standard rear-wheel-drive to a mode which channels power equally to front as well as rear wheels, without needing driver's prompt.
Further, you can punch up a low-gear setting of the 4-wheel-drive mode for venturing off-road into more rugged terrain where steady low-end torque enables Escalade to crawl over rocks and bumps of the off-pavement world.
For safety, a variety of Cadillac systems appear, including Autotrac's traction stability, plus 4-wheel anti-lock brakes, daytime running lamps and twin airbags.
In addition, the standard OnStar communications system sets three keypad buttons in the overhead console, with one reserved for emergency calls.
Cadillac's 24-hour roadside assistance program applies to Escalade -- and service arrives within thirty minutes.
GM's PassLock theft deterrent system is also aboard, as is an alarm with adjustable shock sensor that triggers the alarm if it detects a jolt to the wagon.
Recent tests of Escalade included a drive into Texas Hill Country west of Austin, tracing narrow asphalt ribbons through rolling hills, plus multi-lane interstate links and a romp on farm roads plowing through dirt and gravel.
These tests showed that Escalade rides smoothly on the open road and maneuvers easily in traffic, despite its size.
On dirt, the Autotrac mechanism enables driver to concentrate on steering without having to think about when to shift into 4-wheel drive mode,
Escalade also applies so many luxury elements that you feel like you're riding in a Cadillac sedan. Favored standards include power windows and door locks, leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, tilting steering wheel, and the soft leather seat upholstery with decorative interior touches of glossy Zebrano wood trim.
1999 CADILLAC ESCALADE WAGON
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1999 CADILLAC ESCALADE Specs |
| Description: |
Full-size 4-door wagon |
| Model Options: |
Full-size 4-door wagon |
| Wheelbase: |
117.5 inches |
| Overall Length: |
201.2 inches
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| Engine Size: |
OHV 5.7-L V8
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| Transmission: |
Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
Autotrac 4x4 |
| Braking: |
Power disc/drum/ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
13/16 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 46,000 |
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