IL Insider: Cadillac Skips Plans for V-Series Utes

Date posted: 03-21-2006

DETROIT — Cadillac is looking at a variety of upgrades and enhancements for its family of luxury utility vehicles, including the recently redesigned Escalade, but there are no plans to offer the sort of performance modifications it now provides as part of its V-Series.

The first Caddy ute to get a modest makeover is the SRX, which shares its underpinnings with the STS and CTS sedans. As part of a midcycle freshening for model-year 2007, Cadillac will offer a new SRX Sport kit in August that is primarily an appearance package, with unique wheels and tires, grille, rocker panels, and front and rear fascia. With 18-inch wheels and tires, the SRX Sport package will cost $2,500; with 20-inch wheels and tires, the package will be $3,500, Cadillac executives told IL.

The brand will also do a similar appearance package for its long-wheelbase Escalade ESV in model year 2008 or 2008. Called ESV Platinum, the package will borrow styling cues from the V-Series cars, with a leather-wrapped console and pillars, heated and cooled cupholders and a suede headliner. The Escalade ESV Platinum edition will retail for upward of $70,000, according to Cadillac executives.

Cadillac also is considering a special black chrome package on the standard Escalade for '08 or '09 but probably will make it available only on vehicles with black exterior paint.

Sadly, there are no immediate plans to offer an SRX-V or a V-Series variant of the Escalade, executives said.

What this means to you: Cadillac's utes will look hipper but won't necessarily go much faster.

Link: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=109713

I see nothing wrong with an SRX-V to take on the X5 4.4i and Cayenne Turbo S.

Good move.

Save it for cars, no sense diluting the V-Series badge.

Would the SRX-V be able to do 0-60 in under 5 seconds? That seems like it's becoming a trademark of the V-Series, and I'm not sure it could do it, but I suppose it's possible.

Personally, I'd much rather see "Sport" models of the SUVs. Maybe a few extra ponies would be nice, but I don't think most SUV owners are too concerned if the SRX V8 does 0-60 in 6.4 and the Escalade in about 6.2 (judging from the Denali's test).

I could see a V-Series for the SRX, but definitely not the Escalade.

I'm pretty indifferent...

I'd LIKE to see an SRX V-series... But an Escalade V-series would just be overkill IMO.