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Cadillac preps for 2015 Escalade reveal

The model that defined Cadillac at the turn of the century braces for its first major update in nearly a decade.

Antuan Goodwin Reviews Editor / Cars
Antuan Goodwin gained his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. From drivetrain tech and electrification to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable.
Expertise Reviewing cars and car technology since 2008 focusing on electrification, driver assistance and infotainment Credentials
  • North American Car, Truck and SUV of the Year (NACTOY) Awards Juror
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Antuan Goodwin
2 min read
Cadillac/GM

2015 Cadillac Escalade interior
So far, we've seen the new interior, but Caddy's holding the rest of the details until next week's reveal. Cadillac/GM

Cadillac may have been all about sports sedans and electrified coupes for the past few years, but spin the clock back a decade and the Escalade luxury SUV was the model that defined the brand. On October 7, Cadillac will unveil the first major update to the marquee since 2006 when it debuts the 2015 Cadillac Escalade.

So far, the only official peek that we have of this updated model is a shot of the cabin and dashboard released by the automaker today along with the promise of "state-of-the-art advanced technology" and "luxurious handcrafted elements." Reading between the lines and taking a close look at the pic lets us know that the new Escalade will certainly be packing a version of Cadillac's CUE infotainment system. After our experiences with this system while in the driver's seat of the Cadillac ATS, we're hoping the silicon and software behind the dashboard tech will get a moderate performance bump, but most likely the experience will be a similar one. At the very least, we're hoping to see major leaps in convenience and safety tech offered, which is a very good thing.

2015 GMC Yukon
Expect the 2015 Escalade to look and perform a lot like the recently revealed 2015 GMC Yukon. General Motors

What we know of the vehicle that will be surrounding that cabin is that GM will still be building the Yukon-based Escalade with body-over-frame, truck construction and not switching over to a monocoque construction like we've seen with Ford and Land Rover's newest large SUVs. So expect the next Escalade to look a lot like the recently revealed 2015 GMC Yukon, but with sheet metal that better fits with the Cadillac's Art and Science design language. Expect a similar array of engine options as well; possibly a 5.3-liter, 350 horsepower V-8 and most certainly an option like the Yukon Denali's 6.2-liter V-8 that delivers 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque.

But Cadillac could still have a surprise or two for us, so you'll have to tune in to our coverage of the 2015 Cadillac Escalade launch on Monday evening to find out the rest. See you there.