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Cadillac Escalade
The Escalade is a large
sport utility vehicle (or SUV) sold by the
General Motors luxury brand, Cadillac. It
was the division's first major entry into
the popular SUV market. The Escalade was introduced
for the 1999 model year in response to German
and Japanese competitors and to Ford's 1998
release of the Lincoln Navigator. The Escalade
project went into production only 10 months
after it was approved. The standard Escalade
is built in Arlington, Texas.
TThe Escalade was originally
based on sister company GMC's Yukon Denali,
but was redesigned for the 2002 model year
to make its appearance fall more in line with
Cadillac's new design theme. The Escalade
was not the first Chevrolet-based Cadillac:
the first-generation Seville and mid-1980s
Cimarron were based on entry-level Chevrolet
vehicles. As of today, the Escalade ESV (a
luxurious Chevrolet Suburban), especially
the Escalade EXT pickup are, together with
the Cadillac BLS, the only Cadillac vehicles
made outside of the United States, since the
demise of the German-built Cadillac Catera
in 2001. Both the Escalade ESV and Escalade
EXT are made in Silao, Mexico.
The
Escalade line has proven very popular with
after-market tuners, who personalize vehicles
for usually affluent customers. While such
work is not done by the Cadillac factory,
much can be ordered through a Cadillac dealer
and done by third-party companies. Popular
modifications include larger wheels, increased
engine performance and custom paint. Due
to its expensive parts and exposure from
celebrity ownership, the Escalade has also
been proven to be popular with car thieves
as well, becoming the most frequently stolen
vehicle from 2001-2003 according to the
Highway Loss Data Institute.
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