2023 Cadillac Escalade-V First Look: 682 HP for This 3-Ton Sporty SUV

There was a hint in 2007, reports and rumors in 2015, and a peek at just the exterior this January, but now Cadillac has finally released its sporty V-badged Escalade along with full details, and the automaker looks poised to nail it. To the humongous luxury SUV Cadillac has added big six-piston Brembo brakes, adaptive dampers, air springs, and a 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 that pumps out nearly 700 hp to all four wheels. Although the towering 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V won't be as racetrack nimble as any V-badged sport sedan, it surely isn't going to be a slouch by most any other measure.

The Blackwing Heart of the Escalade-V

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Let's get the biggest draw of the 2023 Escalade V out of the way: that V-8 and its 682 hp and 653 lb-ft of torque. At 6.2 liters of displacement (376 cubic inches, if you prefer such measurements) and supercharged, the engine is based on the Blackwing V-8s hand-built at GM's Bowling Green, Kentucky, facility.

The key change involves the liquid-intercooled TVS supercharger, which is the larger 2.65-liter R2650 unit that spins its 160-degree four-lobe rotors to 13,500 rpm to produce 10 pounds of boost. To deal with the higher cylinder pressures of boost plus a 10:1 compression ratio, the engine features a forged-steel crankshaft and connecting rods with a 3.62-inch stroke and are connected to 4.06-inch forged-aluminum pistons. The cylinder heads are made from A356 T6 aluminum but are stronger than standard, non-supercharged applications and use titanium intake valves. It also remains a two-valve OHV engine with variable valve timing (VVT) capability along with direct injection.

It's backed by a 10-speed automatic transmission—calibrated for the 6.2 liter supercharged V-8—which then feeds torque to a full-time AWD system that actively splits torque up to 67 percent to the rear wheels with a 3.23 gear but is otherwise always 50/50. The torque split between the rear wheels is controlled by an electronic limited-slip differential for maximum acceleration and dynamic cornering control.

Keeping Its Feet Planted

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Trying to wrestle the Escalade's bulk around a twisty back road or even a track, Cadillac couldn't rely on just any old suspension system. The Escalade-V uses electronically adjustable Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 dampers on an equally adaptive air spring system. Using a specific tune for the Escalade-V's high-performance V-Mode setting, the suspension drops 0.8 inch for better handling while the magnetically adjustable dampers reactively stiffen to reduce body roll, pitch, and dive. While in V-Mode, the driver is able to adjust suspension settings, steering calibrations, brake pedal feel, the AWD mode, the engine performance mode, and even the loudness of the V-8 with Tour, Sport, and Stealth exhaust modes.

V-Mode also allows the driver to enter Launch Control mode by holding down the brake pedal while also applying full throttle. Thus activated, the system is said to help the Escalade-V accelerate to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds and trip the quarter-mile beams in 12.74 seconds at 110 mph. Not bad for a 6,217-pound luxury SUV on P275/50R22 all-season Bridgestone Alenza A/S 02 tires.

Of course, stopping this huge SUV isn't for the weak, which is why Cadillac installed a Brembo brake package, complete with six-piston front calipers painted in a spicy shade of Edge Red. Both front and rear calipers clamp on to a set of Duralife rotors. With its advanced suspension and power, the Escalade-V is still tow-capable (with an included tow hitch mounted between the quad exhaust pipes) with a 7,000-pound towing capacity. Additionally, a driver can select the "My Modes" mode and select many of the same features in V Mode except for engine and transmission performance settings. These settings also remain active when the driver enters and exits the vehicle.

Long Wheelbase Isn't Left Out

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The Escalade-V isn't limited to the standard-wheelbase Escalade, either, as the extended-wheelbase ESV model can also be ordered in V guise. However, the extra length translates to extra weight (190 pounds more, to be exact, or a total of 6,407), reduced payload (1,330 pounds for the non-ESV, 1,140 for the ESV), and an increased turning circle (39.7 feet vs. 43.4 feet for the ESV). Even so, your third-row passengers will be happy with the extra 1.7 inches of legroom (36.6 in the ESV, 34.9 in the standard wheelbase), and everyone will enjoy the extra cargo room when the third row is laid flat (94.1 cubic feet in the ESV, 72.9 cubic feet in the standard).

High-Tech Cadillac

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All of the high-tech features didn't just go into the engine and suspension. The Escalade-V comes standard with the Escalade's Platinum trim interior with either Black or Dark Auburn materials and Zebra Wood accents. All three rows have aniline leather, and the front seats feature power massage. The "V" accented steering wheel also is also heated for those cold climates and weather conditions. The curved OLED display that debuted in this generation Escalade remains 38 inches diagonal with "twice the pixel density of a 4K TV," according to Cadillac.

The 16.9-inch infotainment and navigation center display is where you'll find your typical connected apps like wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto. The audio from the infotainment and nav is fed through an AKG Studio system. This system features 3-D surround sound thanks to a total of 36 speakers throughout the Escalade V, including in the headrests and roof. The key display is the 14.2-inch digital dash cluster, which is capable of augmented reality to project a live image of what's in front of the Escalade V and the navigational route directions are overlaid on the cluster.

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Finally, GM's exclusive hands-free Super Cruise highway driver assist will be optional on the Escalade-V later in its production run. It's also capable of automatic lane changing to avoid slower traffic and will also be usable while you tow. No exact timeframe has been given on when Super Cruise will be released on the Escalade-V.

Why Release It Now?

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Considering that all of GM is going toward electric vehicles across the board, including Cadillac, why release a V version of the Escalade now? Why not wait until there is an EV version and pull a Hummer EV with an Ultium three-motor system and really go power bonkers with more than 1,400 lb-ft of torque? "We just felt that the timing was just right," Escalade product manager David Schiavone said. "It's an Escalade-V with 682 hp, and it's the industry's most powerful full-size SUV. So this is something to brag about." Fair enough.

That timing coincides with the 120th anniversary of Cadillac and nearly 20 years of the V Series, too. As Global Cadillac Vice President Rory Harvey said: "We do not deploy the V Series designation lightly. The arrival of the 2023 Escalade V is the result of a rigorous development program that allows this highly anticipated model to meet the criteria and capability thresholds established by nearly two decades of inspired V Series performance." The 2023 Cadillac Escalade V will be released this summer starting at $149,990.