Cadillac today announced numerous enhancements to the just-launched
2015 Escalade, including the new range-topping Platinum Collection model
launching in the fourth quarter this year.
Escalade Platinum features elegant, hand-crafted luxury additions to
both the exterior and interior while the entire Escalade range gets new
technical features, highlighted by the addition of 4G LTE connectivity, a
new 8-speed automatic transmission and a Surround View camera system to
help increase visibility.
“Since the launch just a few months ago, the next-generation Escalade
has proved exceptionally desirable among luxury SUV buyers,” said Uwe
Ellinghaus, chief marketing officer, Cadillac. “Now, within the same
year we are able to elevate the Escalade line with the Platinum
Collection, as well as deliver enhancements through the entire Escalade
range.”
The 2015 Escalade Platinum extends and upgrades the use of premium
materials within the Escalade’s cut and sewn interior. First- and
second-row seats are wrapped in Nappa semi-aniline leather, while the
dashboard, upper door panels and center console are clad in
hand-stitched and hand-wrapped leather. Customers can choose between two
distinct interior environments, each paired with sueded microfiber
headliner trim and unique exotic wood accents.
Escalade Platinum Collection is also designed to provide passengers with
unsurpassed comfort and convenience. Heated and cooled 18-way power
front seats are standard, and include a massaging function on the
driver’s seat. A pair of seven-inch LCD screens, embedded in the front
head rests, supplement the overhead 9-inch screen, while a cooled center
console compartment can keep chilled beverages handy. Platinum models
also include premium floor mats and Platinum-branded door sill plates.
Escalade Platinum models ride on 22-inch wheels and the model is
distinguished by chrome accents, Platinum exterior badging, and a unique
grille mesh design. All Escalade models wear the new, streamlined
Cadillac Crest.
In addition, all Escalade models – from the standard Collection
through to the Platinum – feature a host of technology upgrades. Vehicle
performance is aided by the new eight-speed automatic transmission that
is standard on all models, as well as a two-speed transfer case
standard on four-wheel drive models. An electronic hands-free liftgate
already standard on Escalade will also feature hands-free closing
capability.
Like the new ATS sport sedan, Escalade includes OnStar with 4G LTE
connectivity with a WiFi hotspot capable of connecting up to seven
devices and inductive wireless device charging. Surround View, which
provides a bird’s eye view of the area immediately surrounding the
vehicle.
The enhancements add just $1275 to Escalade’s starting price in the U.S., for a total of $73,965, including destination.
The top-of-the-range 2015 Escalade Platinum is priced from $90,270, including $995 in destination.
Compatible smartphones can charge wirelessly in models with CUE system
Reducing clutter
and adding function, Cadillac will add wireless charging of smartphones
in the 2015 model ATS sport sedan and coupe launching this fall.
Compatible with Powermat and other in-phone wireless charging
technologies, the feature eliminates the need for cords on board.
“A
recent survey from IHS revealed that 70 percent of consumers charge
their mobile phone at least once per day, with 30 percent charging more
than once,” said Ryan Sanderson, associate director, Power Supply &
Storage Components at IHS Technology.
“This is driving demand
for charging access in multiple locations throughout the day, something
wireless charging can address in a more convenient way than the consumer
having to carry one or more wired chargers around with them on a daily
basis.”
Following its introduction into the 2015 ATS, wireless
charging technology will be added to the CTS sport sedan this fall and
to the Escalade SUV at the end of 2014.
”With 4G LTE capability
and now wireless charging, Cadillac is embedding conveniences that have
quickly become essential customer needs,” said Ken Kornas, ATS global
product manager.
Cadillac’s
U.S. sales showed continued growth with an increase of 6.4 percent in
May, the best May since 2007. More than half of Cadillac buyers in May
were new to the brand, not trading in a Cadillac vehicle.
The
SRX crossover continues to sell at a record pace through the first five
months of 2014, increasing 27 percent year over year. May also marked
the best May ever in total and retail sales for the SRX.
With
the next-generation 2015 Escalade on sale for a full month, total sales
increased 30.3 percent year over year. The Escalade recorded its best
May in total sales since 2008 and best May retail sales since 2007.
The
2014 Cadillac CTS sport sedan sales increased 39 percent year over year
in May. The brand estimates the CTS has gained an additional 1
percentage point of market share in its midsize luxury car segment. The
2014 CTS has been named Motor Trend Car of the Year, one of Car and
Driver’s 10 Best, Road & Track’s 2013 Luxury Car, an Edmunds.com Top
Rated Vehicle and an Automobile Magazine 2014 All-Star.
“Cadillac’s
elevated product portfolio continues to drive growth and attract new
buyers to the brand,” said Bill Peffer, Cadillac U.S. vice president for
sales and service. “And our continued growth last month marks our best
May since 2007.”
For the 2015 ATS
Coupe, Cadillac engineers and designers made a number of changes from
the award-winning ATS Sedan to deliver the performance and styling
traits luxury coupe buyers expect. When the ATS Coupe goes on sale at
the end of this summer, it will start at $38,990, including a $995
destination charge.
To create a more personal expression of the
brand’s compact luxury car, the 2015 ATS Coupe rides on the same
109.3-inch wheelbase as the sedan, but features its own bodywork, longer
vehicle length, lower height and wider front/rear tracks.
The
roof, doors, rear fenders and trunk lid are unique to the Coupe, along
with a specific front fascia and front fenders to accommodate the wider
track. 18-inch wheels are standard on the Coupe.
“All of the
surface development unique to the ATS Coupe was done with aerodynamics
in mind,” said David Masch, ATS chief engineer. “We are able to achieve
lift and downforce requirements to insure, at top speed, we retain
handling without having to add a rear spoiler.”
The Cadillac ATS
Coupe is intended to be a more personal addition to the award-winning
ATS product line. Designed to be lighter, more agile and more engaging
than its competitors, it extends Cadillac’s product-driven growth and
the brand’s tradition of dynamic luxury Coupes. The 2015 ATS Coupe goes
on sale this summer, offering drivers the choice of rear-wheel drive or
all-wheel drive, and the power from a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder or
a 3.6L six-cylinder.
Designers drew inspiration from Manhattan skyscrapers
The all-new 2015
Cadillac Escalade’s exterior design uses architecture-influenced
approaches to take its unmistakable appearance to a new level of
sophistication while the brand’s heritage and the powerful appearance of
modern urban buildings inspired a bold new interpretation of Cadillac’s
vertical light signature.
“The 2015 Escalade exterior light
signature draws inspiration from a variety of sources, beginning with
Cadillac’s heritage of vertical exterior lamps and extending into
architecture,” said Exterior Lighting Design Manager Martin Davis.
“Iconic buildings, like the Hearst Tower in New York City, were a big
inspiration due to the interplay of glass and metal.”
Vertical
lighting, a Cadillac signature since 1948, remains a vital and
ever-evolving theme for designers today. Davis and his team studied
Cadillacs from history, especially the 1967 Eldorado and Deville models.
The strong relationship between glass and metal of Manhattan
skyscrapers especially influenced the Escalade’s designers. The
combination of the materials suggest the lighting elements are floating
in space. Each of the five rectangular parabolas separated by metal
accents in the headlamp appear to float within the lamp. Together, they
give the lens the look of fine-cut crystal.
“Combining metal and
glass elements also allows for a uniformity of appearance,” said Davis.
“We wanted something that conveys an artistic integration of technology
for the front daytime running lights and the taillights.”
In
particular, the tail lamps emphasize the technical dimension of using
light-emitting diodes, or LEDs. At approximately one meter tall, the
tail lamps are “neo-tailfins,” recreating the drama from the 1960s in a
modern interpretation. Edge-lit blade technology is the only one that
would make the light look like it was floating in space. The Cadillac
Crest is also laser etched into the glass light blade. It catches the
light as it passes through the blade.
A total of 142 LEDs make
up the front and rear lights of the 2015 Escalade. Forty-eight LEDs – 17
for each headlamp and seven for each lower fascia lamp – fully enable
the desired appearance and functionality of the front lamps. The
remaining 94 LEDs create the provocative appearance and technical
functionality of the rear lamps. Each taillamp uses 29 LEDs with 36 in
the center high-mount stop light.
The 2015 Escalade is an
entirely new design yet instantly recognizable. Much of the story of
Cadillac’s redesigned flagship SUV focuses on the artistic craftsmanship
that went into the vehicle’s creation, from the refined and detailed
exterior to the luxurious cut-and-sew interior.
Green Car Journal praises Cadillac ELR-exclusive technology.
Green Car Journal today awarded the Cadillac ELR electrified luxury coupe its 2014 Green Car Technology Award for the Regen on Demand system, which allows the driver to use paddle shifters on the steering wheel to temporarily regenerate energy and store it as electricity in the battery pack for later use.
The award was announced Wednesday at The Washington Auto Show in Washington, D.C.
“Regen on Demand is one of the key systems enabling the Cadillac ELR to merge performance with efficiency in a dynamic new way,” said Jim Vurpillat, director of emerging markets at Cadillac. “Putting regenerative braking at the driver’s fingertips supports the ELR’s 340-mile total driving range while also adding a fun-to-drive element to the premium luxury coupe.”
Traditional performance vehicles allow drivers to upshift and downshift the mechanical transmission through steering wheel-mounted paddles. ELR’s Regen on Demand feature is unique to the vehicle and builds on Cadillac’s performance-bred heritage.
“Cadillac has cleverly evolved a common electric-drive efficiency system into an intriguing feature that adds a new dimension to the driving experience,” said Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of Green Car Journal and CarsOfChange.com.
“Ever-increasing efficiency is crucial to our driving future, yet efficiency itself is not an attraction for a great many car buyers,” he said. “Cadillac’s Regen on Demand is an inspired example of how technology can increase efficiency while connecting with a driver, enhancing driving dynamics along the way.”
Beyond the exclusive Regen on Demand system, the ELR comes equipped with standard advanced technology features such as Cadillac CUE with Navigation, light-emitting diode, or LED, front and rear exterior lighting, Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Alert, and the Safety Alert Seat.
The ELR interior features handcrafted leather complemented by authentic wood grain and chrome trim. Powering the ELR is a combination of pure electric drive and an efficient, range-extending 1.4L gasoline-powered electric generator. A T-shaped, 16.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack is located along the centerline of the vehicle, between the front and rear wheels to make the most of weight distribution. The pack supplies energy to an advanced electric drive unit to propel the vehicle.
Nationwide sales of the 2014 Cadillac ELR began earlier this month.
1. The Blues Brothers (1980)
2. To Live and Die in LA (1985)
3. The French Connection (1971)
4. Bullitt (1968)
5. Ronin (1998)
