2023 Cadillac Escalade-V First Look: Boy, That Escaladed Quickly
High-performance SUVs are a thing. Or just ask Ford, Jeep, Dodge, Acura, virtually all the European luxury brands, and now Cadillac. The 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V is the first and seemingly least-likely Cadillac SUV to wear the V-Series badge. But, with the brand focusing on expanding its high-performance V sub-brand—and on the heels of the launch of the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing—the humongous Escalade-V starts to make sense. Why not combine your most recognizable product with the V treatment you're hoping to make more recognizable, even if that product is a full-size, three-row SUV seemingly antithetical to V's athletic aspirations?
And it's not like we didn't see the Escalade-V coming. We've seen it in spy photos and teasers. Cadillac now is sharing the first pictures of its massive performance SUV. All the pertinent details, however, are being reserved for a later date this spring. But with the pictures and video below, we can at least see how it will look like and gather some hints about what lies beneath.
To the surprise of no one, the Escalade-V looks pretty much like the regular Escalade with V-Series badges and quad exhaust tips. Sporting a black grille and black details on the lower door panels, the 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V rides on unique wheels and high-performance Bridgestone tires. Big red brake calipers can be spotted peeking through those rims, and likely are sourced from Brembo. Expect GM's Magnetic Ride Control adaptive suspension to come standard, too.
To address the elephant in the room, yes, the Escalade is gigantic. Any other smaller, lighter Cadillac SUV would have made more sense as a V-series. But remember, GM's chassis engineers are magicians, as evidenced by Cadillac's other V-series models' fine handling. While they'll have their work cut out making the tall and heavy Escalade dance, we can't wait to see what they've done.
The big question is what will be under the Escalade-V's massive hood. Based on the exhaust sounds in video released by Cadillac, we're expecting the supercharged LT4 V-8. This engine also is used to power the CT5-V Blackwing sedan, where it makes 668 hp and 659 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers might not be the same in the Escalade-V—Cadillac will probably sacrifice some horsepower for greater torque lower in the rev range to help git this beefcake moving—though no matter what we'll see more than the 420 hp in the regular gas-fed Escalade. As far as the transmission goes, expect the 10-speed automatic to stick around, albeit retuned for snappier shifts and more eager gear selection.
Inside, things should remain pretty much the same. A V-Series logo can be seen on the steering wheel, and we will perhaps see it on the headrests, too. Cadillac only revealed one picture of the interior, so we can only guess it will incorporate more carbon fiber trim and contrast stitching. But the 38-inch curved OLED dashboard screen should remain and perhaps will include the Performance Traction Management system that the CT5-V and Chevrolet Corvette have, which lets the driver adjust the stability control's settings for more performance.
Although Cadillac is referring to this SUV as a V-Series model, it looks like it will officially bear the name of Escalade-V and not Escalade-V Blackwing. But that info and all the details are reserved for the spring when Caddy plans to share more with the world, after which time expect the 2023 Escalade-V to arrive at dealerships on the second half of this year.
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ProsEngine apparently runs on TanneriteBalanced chassisStupid quick ConsToo many drive mode settings for someAWD adds some heftThat faceThere are two places where you'll probably never catch a glimpse of the new BMW M3's garish front end: from its driver's seat and, anyone sharing the road with one, from another car. Why? Because it'll take some fairly exotic machinery to keep up with, let alone pass, the BMW M3 Competition.Even when the M3 is coming at you, it'll streak by so fast, those big ol' vertical nostrils will seemingly blur into wider shapes that recall BMW's kidney grilles of yore. Whatever your thoughts about it, BMW did ensure the M3's sniffing schnoz shovels a ton of air into the engine bay, where its fierce 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six lies.BMW says the engine produces 503 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. But man, it seems like there's no way this I-6 punches below 600 hp. Equipped with BMW's available xDrive all-wheel drive, the M3 Competition we tested shoots to 60 mph in 3 seconds flat. The quarter mile is dispatched in 11.1 seconds at 124.7 mph. That's Porsche and performance electric vehicle territory.The 630-hp Lamborghini Huracán STO bests it by just two tenths to 60 (2.8 seconds); the advantage of the 720-hp Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is even slimmer—just 0.1 second. How can we reconcile that the M3, despite loading each of its horsepower with 7.8 pounds, somehow keeps up with those supercars, which carry 5.1-5.4 pounds per hp? We can't. BMW historically has underrated its beefier engines, but this is egregious.As features editor Christian Seabaugh summed things up, "It's just hilariously unhinged." There exists a drive mode where power is only sent to the rear axle, with predictable results. But you needn't activate the RWD setting for lurid oversteer. Forget chucking the M3 into a corner; you can just as easily induce drifts by pressing harder on the gas with the steering wheel turned. BMW's xDrive seamlessly sends so much engine torque to the rear wheels that you'd swear the car is rear drive.Speaking of, compared to the rear-drive M3 Comp he'd driven previously, senior features editor Jonny Lieberman bemoaned the heft, which he swore he could feel the M3's AWD gear added to the front axle. Indeed, some judges found it was often necessary to briefly lift off the gas or dab the brakes to get the M3's mass to transfer to the front for optimal turn-in, especially on the Streets of Willow Springs—a behavior Lieberman insisted was the result of the hundred or so extra pounds the AWD M3 Competition carries up front. But without a rear-drive M3 Comp on hand for comparison, most didn't find it disqualifying.More noticeable are the personality shifts from the previous M3 to this one. Gone is the sensation that the M3 tries to pummel the earth into submission with its overly firm suspension and heavy controls. In its place is a pleasant new delicacy to its dynamics. The suspension seems to have more travel and compliance, the body is allowed to roll and pitch slightly rather than remaining stiffly dead-level at all times, and even in the sportiest modes its steering is almost light.This smidge of movement lends the M3 a more natural feel, and you can easily detect where you are in its grip envelope by dint of the body lean. Our shoulders like the transition to the less weighty steering, which, along with the suspension's newly up-on-its-toes feel, gives the M3 Competition a furtiveness to its responses that's nearly Alfa Romeo-like.This harmonic lightness let several editors settle into a satisfying, fast-paced flow. On the Angeles Crest portion of our evaluation, where the M3 changed several judges' minds, Lieberman was able to keep pace with features editor Scott Evans driving the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series. Of the two, only Evans could spot the M3's awful nose—in his mirrors—as it bore down on his 720-hp über-sled. Alexander Stoklosa 2022 BMW M3 Competition (xDrive) Specifications Base Price/As tested $77,895/$108,545 Power (SAE net) 503 hp @ 6,250 rpm Torque (SAE net) 479 lb-ft @ 2,750 rpm Accel, 0-60 mph 3.0 sec Quarter-mile 11.1 sec @ 124.7 mph Braking, 60-0 mph 105 ft Lateral Acceleration 1.03 g (avg) MT Figure Eight 23.3 sec @ 0.89 g (avg) EPA City/Hwy/Comb 16/22/18 mpg Vehicle Layout Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan Engine, Transmission 3.0L Turbo direct-injected DOHC 24-valve I-6, 8-speed automatic Curb Weight (F/R DIST) 3,899 lb (54/46%) Wheelbase 112.5 in Length x Width x Height 189.1 x 74.3 x 56.4 in On Sale Now Show All
The internet has been abuzz since Chevy introduced the all-new 2023 Colorado just a few short weeks ago. With that pickup joining a new Ford Ranger (and likely a new Toyota Tacoma) next year, the midsize segment is heating up. And surprise, surprise, with a new Colorado in the offing, it was only going to be a matter of time before GMC's turn came to pull back the sheets that pickup's mechanically related, brother-from-another-mother: The 2023 GMC Canyon.Billed by GMC as the "official vehicle of nowhere," though it is definitely a machine that at any given time will be somewhere, the 2023 Canyon boasts a fully redesigned exterior with a lineup-wide taller stance and widened track than its Chevy counterpart. Like the Colorado, the Canyon has been reimagined from the ground up with a greater focus on off-road capability and style. The 2023 Canyon also features a new premium suite of advanced technology, an all-new interior design, a new powertrain, and a new top-tier AT4X trim. Simply put… this should be the most advanced and capable Canyon ever.It also is much more differentiated from the Colorado than before, both visually and pricewise. GMC has adopted an even wilder take on the newest Sierra's squinty-eyed, beefy-grille look here, weaving body-color sections throughout the nose to break up the forward lighting and give it a technical, aggressive mein. Compared to the relatively tamely styled Canyon of yore, the 2023 model is altogether hunkier, with deeply chamfered body creases above blistered fenders to go with a more aggro suspension setup. It's a good thing there's so much outward separation between the GMC and its Chevy sibling, too, because the Canyon now starts at about $40,000.Lifted Suspension And Wide Stance… For EveryoneIn a bold move for GM's more upscale truck brand, GMC has decided that all 2023 Canyon models will ride on same lifted, wide stance, suspension that's available only on the off-road-focused versions of the Colorado. GMC says that the Elevation, AT4, and Denali models will receive a 2.0-inch suspension lift while the AT4X will ride on a 3.0-inch lift. With no "base" model Canyon to directly compare to, these figures are in reference to the 78.8-inch maximum height of the entry-level 2023 Colorado Work Truck (WT); on the Colorado, only the Trail Boss (2.0-inch lift) and ZR2 (3.0-inch lift) lineup with those suspension heights. Elevation and AT4 check in at 79.8 inches tall while Denali lands at 80.4 inches and AT4/AT4X hit at 81.7 inches tall.The same rings true for the Canyon's track width. All Canyon models will arrive with a track width of about 66 inches front and rear, with the only variation being due to wheel offset. By comparison, the 2023 Colorado WT, LT, and Z71 will all arrive with a 3.0-inch-narrower 62.8-inch track width; only the Colorado Trail Boss and ZR2 off-road models carry the wider tracks. Generally speaking, we approve of the high and wide approach, however, we find it a touch peculiar that the luxurious, ostensibly street-truck focused Denali trim has followed this same path… but we digress.Extended Cab, Long Bed and Base Model Are DeadFirst went the manual crank windows. Then it was our beloved third pedal and standard cabs. Now, for 2023, GMC is pulling the rug out from under pickup buyers' choices by offering the all-new Canyon in pretty much a single cab and bed configuration. You'll now only be able to purchase a Canyon in four-door crew-cab, short-bed (5-foot 2-inch) configuration. While this eliminates both the stubbier extended cab and long-bed (6-foot 2-inch) options from the order sheet, it aims to simplify the production process for GMC by focusing on the models most buyers want.That same process of elimination ensnared the Canyon's least-expensive trim level, the Elevation Standard. A little bit of history: When GMC launched the previous generation of Canyon in 2015, that truck was available in three trims: Base, SLE, and SLT, with an All-Terrain package available for SLE. By 2020 the lineup had grown to include SL, Canyon, SLE, All-Terrain, SLT, and Denali. In 2021, the lineup changed again, and this time reduced to just four trims: Elevation Standard, Elevation, AT4, and Denali.At launch, the now Elevation-Standard-less 2023 GMC Canyon will be available in the premium AT4 and Denali trims along with the new AT4X. This move doesn't come as a huge surprise given that the AT4 and Denali trims currently make up the vast majority of not only Canyon sales but GMC sales as a whole. While not available right at launch, the (non-Standard) midlevel Elevation trim will be returning later in 2023.A New Interior With Modern TechnologyThe 2023 Canyon's interior comes packed with GM's latest suite of in-car tech, including a high-resolution 11.0-inch infotainment screen and a fully digital driver information display (11.0 inches on Denali and AT4X, 8.0 inches on Elevation and AT4). These new screens enable the truck to provide drivers with up to 10 different camera views, including HD Surround Vision and waterproof underbody cameras with a washing system. Also available is a class-exclusive 6.3-inch head-up display.All 2023 Canyon models will come fitted with automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking with cyclist alert, IntelliBeam automatic high beams, following distance indicator, lane keep assist with lane departure warning, and forward collision alert. An available Canyon Safety Plus Package adds rear cross traffic braking and blind zone steering assist. The available Technology Package offers rear pedestrian alert, adaptive cruise control, and HD Surround Vision. GMC's vibrating Safety Alert Seat is standard on Denali and AT4X.Each of the 2023 GMC Canyon's four trims will come fitted with a unique interior identity, each an upgrade over the outgoing truck's inner duds. For example, Denalis get laser-etched wood décor and leather appointments. The flagship, off-road-focused AT4X will arrive with trim-exclusive Ceramic White and Obsidian Rush color treatments, both with vibrant red-colored seat belts. Every Canyon's dashboard, while clearly related to the newest Colorado, does sport GMC-specific touches, including angular outboard air vents instead of round pieces, plus a different primary dashboard design ahead of the passenger.A New Turbocharged 2.7-Liter I-4 EngineAt the height of its popularity, the outgoing GMC Canyon came with the choice of three different engines and transmissions. You could get an entry-level 2.5-liter I-4 with either a six-speed manual or automatic, an optional 2.8-liter Duramax Diesel I-4 with a six-speed automatic, or the standard 3.6-liter V-6 with an eight-speed automatic transmission. For 2023, GMC has tossed all of the former powertrains in favor of a turbocharged 2.7-liter I-4 sourced from the larger full-size Sierra 1500 and new second-generation eight-speed automatic transmission.If you've been paying attention to GM-related truck news, you'll note that the 2023 Chevy Colorado also made the switch to the same 2.7-liter engine. However, in the Chevy, three power levels are available, ranging from 237 hp to 310, and from 259 lb-ft of torque to 430. GMC deploys only the hottest version of the 2.7-liter engine across the Canyon lineup, meaning every 2023 Canyon gets 310 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque. This ties the V-6 in Nissan's Frontier for horsepower and smashes it in torque; GMC (and Chevy) likewise crush all comers in the torque department, out-twisting the 2.3-liter turbo I-4 in Ford's Ranger (which produces 310 lb-ft) by an astonishing amount. Even the Canyon's outgoing 2.8-liter Duramax diesel engine managed to produce "just" 369 lb-ft.While fuel economy is still unknown, and likely will be for some time, GMC officials have been quoted as saying that the new 2.7-liter engine is expected to return figures better than the outgoing 2.5-liter engine. While your mileage will certainly vary, the outgoing base engine was rated as high as 26 mpg highway. And with the 2.7-liter-powered GMC Sierra 1500 sporting a highway rating as high as 22 mpg, we don't think 26 is out of the question.Where capability is concerned, the new 2.7-liter engine has that covered as well. The 2023 GMC Canyon will have a maximum payload rating of 1,640 pounds in the two-wheel drive Elevation version. Selecting an AT4 drops that to 1,550 pounds while the upscale Denali carries a payload rating of 1,360 pounds. AT4X chews through its payload with its off-road extras, limiting its hauling capability to 1,250 pounds; the even more kitted-out AT4X Edition 1 Package drops that figure to 1,010 pounds. To put that last figure into perspective, with all five seats filled with some average joes, you'll be left with just enough payload reserve to toss a cooler in the bed.Trailer towing prowess remains respectable, with Elevation, AT4, and Denali all carrying a 7,700-pound maximum rating. The top towing spec drops to 6,000 pounds for AT4X models and 5,500 pounds for the heavier AT4X Edition 1 Package.Introducing The Rugged AT4XIn really what should come as a surprise to no one, GMC is expanding the popular AT4 trim to include a new, higher-performance AT4X off-road model. Building on the lessons learned from the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, the new 2023 Canyon AT4X will feature an impressive slate of off-road hardware, starting with the latest generation of Multimatic's Dynamic Spool Valve (DSSV) frequency selective dampers. The truck is also equipped with unique cast iron control arms and 17-inch aluminum wheels with 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires.Fun fact, the Canyon AT4X's tires are a 285/70R17, which measures a touch taller and a full inch wider than the 265/70R18 Wrangler DuraTrac tires that come on the one-size-up 2022 Sierra 1500 AT4X. The Canyon AT4X also comes fitted with front and rear electronically locking differentials, a modified rear axle for increased durability, and 3.42:1 axle gears. Keeping rock rash at bay are aluminum skid plates below the radiator, engine oil pan, and transfercase. The truck also comes fitted with steel rock rails. No, we can't wait to line this up with Ford's Ranger Raptor, a Colorado ZR2, and a Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro and hit the dirt.Hurry Up, the AT4X Edition 1 Package Is LimitedFor those customers looking for the ultimate midsize off-roader with all the bells and whistles, GMC is going to be offering an extremely limited run of 2023 Canyon AT4X First Edition pickups. In addition to all of the gear that comes standard on the new Canyon AT4X, the First Edition adds 17-inch beadlock capable wheels and a unique off-road bumper to the front of the truck complete with an LED light bar. Most interesting, however is the standard 10,000-pound recovery winch, which comes integrated behind the front bumper. The hardware is being sourced from a relative newcomer to the U.S. market, COMEUP, and is fitted with synthetic rope. The truck will also receive unique First Edition badging.Get Your 2023 Canyon Now!The all-new 2023 GMC Canyon is slated to begin production at GM's Wentzville assembly plant in the spring of 2023 and will kick off with the AT4X model. Starting today, reservations are open for the exclusive 2023 GMC Canyon AT4X Edition 1 package, which comes with a starting MSRP of $63,350, not including destination and delivery. The rest of the Canyon lineup will follow, with the Elevation trim starting at $40,000. Though pricing for the 2023 Colorado is forthcoming, forty grand is big money for the midsize truck segment—the GMC's entry-level MSRP sits in the upper realm of most of its competitors' price ladders. Again, though, given it only comes in high-output, up-market forms, the sub-AT4X GMCs might end up costing only slightly more than equivalent Colorados.2023 GMC Canyon Specifications BASE PRICE $40,000-$63,350 LAYOUT Front engine, 2WD or 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door truck ENGINE 2.7L/310-hp/430-lb-ft turbo DOHC 16-valve I-4 TRANSMISSION 8-speed auto CURB WEIGHT 4,400-5,200 lbs WHEELBASE 131.4 in L x W x H 213.2-217.9 x 84.4 x 79.8-81.7 in 0-60 7.0 - 7.5 (MT est) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON TBD ON SALE Spring 2023 Show All
You've got a Tesla orbiting the sun, you've got Rivian-investing Jeff Bezos blasting into the upper atmosphere in an incongruous cowboy hat, and now there are Space Bentleys? Thankfully, not quite. No one's strapping a Bentayga super luxury SUV to a Delta Heavy anytime soon, given our back-of-napkin orbital payload cost calculations (using the common rough estimate of $10,000 to get a pound of anything into low Earth orbit). Instead, you've got a very earthbound Bentayga worked over by Mulliner that is inspired by space. This one is destined for Florida's Space Coast, which puts its theme in a whole new light. The vehicle was commissioned by Bentley Orlando for a customer whose enthusiasm for space is equalled by pockets deep enough to have Mulliner work over a Bentayga Speed with their favorite frontier in mind. Cheap compared to spaceflight, surely, but not chump change by any standards.Mulliner started off with a coat of Cypress green accented with Blackline Specification blacked-out brightwork and Orange Flame accents. Inside, custom sill plates provide a slice of the Solar System, while the rest of the interior is done up in Beluga and Porpoise—colors, thankfully, not exotic leather made out of highly intelligent cetaceans. Orange accents brighten up what is otherwise a dusky cabin.This is just one of many commissions Mulliner has taken on lately. In 2022 alone, Mulliner has done 100 of these one-offs, and last year the division marked its 1,000th bespoke creation in its seven years of operation. With this sort of income, perhaps in a few years Mulliner will be able to do a custom New Glenn interior for some grossly wealthy Blue Origin customer willing to front $28 million just to experience microgravity for a few minutes.
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