Cadillac Escalade 2007 $27,300

Prices reflect amount financed after $3500 down. To qualify for pricing a minimum of 80% of vehicle must be financed through dealership. Internet price subject to primary lender approval. All pricing subject to change without notice. All advertised prices exclude government fees and taxes, any finance charges, any dealer added accessories and/or fees. Not responsible for typos or emissions. Vehicle Overview In its brief history, the full-size Cadillac Escalade sport utility vehicle has brought Cadillac's youngest buyers into its fold. In particular, the second generation's 2001 debut saw celebrities and affluent 20-somethings alike declare General Motors' luxury division the new icon of urban style. It's no surprise, then, that the 2007 redesign continues to court that group. Case in point: While Cadillac's DTS sedan features colors like Glacier White and Green Silk, the Escalade prefers White Diamond and Red E terms that suggest a hip-hop artist, not an SUV. In the spirit of excess, the 2007 Escalade boasts available 22-inch wheels and a 6.2-liter V-8 with more than 400 horsepower. Also, the new model is even less efficient than its predecessor: Though it's slightly bigger and much more powerful, cargo volume and towing capacity both shrink. Perhaps wastefulness is a sign of opulence. The Escalade, which can be configured to seat eight people, will be available in March 2006 with two- or all-wheel drive, starting at $53,850 without the destination charge. It competes with other full-size, luxury SUVs such as the Lincoln Navigator, Lexus LX 470 and Infiniti QX56. As with the previous Escalade, extended-wheelbase ESV and pickup-truck EXT versions will be available in mid-2006. Exterior Up front, narrower three-tier headlights and a larger crisscrossed grille give the Escalade a closer resemblance to Cadillac's other vehicles. The front-end elements also differentiate the Escalade from the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon, whose platform it shares. Chrome applications throughout emphasize the vehicle's luxury status. The 2007 Escalade is a few inches longer than the previous version, with roughly equal height and width. Upscale touches include xenon high-intensity-discharge headlights etched with Cadillac logos, rain-sensing windshield wipers and side mirrors with integrated turn signals. Eighteen-inch wheels are standard, and 22-inch wheels are optional. Interior Inside, the Escalade further differentiates itself from its GM platform-mates with unique climate controls, an LED-backlit instrument panel and a center stack that seamlessly flows into the floor console rather than being a separate unit. Standard seating configurations include two rows of captain's chairs and a three-seat bench in back an optional second-row bench ups seating capacity to eight. Other standard items include tri-zone automatic climate control and leather seats with power adjustments in front and seat heaters in the first two rows. Air-conditioned seats are an option, as are a heated steering wheel, a navigation system and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system. Removing the third-row seat and flipping the second row forward, either manually or with an optional power-operated mechanism, allows a maximum cargo capacity of 108.9 cubic feet, which is smaller than the previous Escalade's 121 cubic feet. Under the Hood An all-aluminum 6.2-liter V-8 is the sole power plant. That engine is also available in the Yukon, but in the Escalade it's tuned for 402 hp (versus 380 hp) and 417 pounds-feet of torque (versus 415 pounds feet). It works through a six-speed-automatic transmission. Permanent all-wheel drive is available. Although the 6.2-liter engine substantially outguns the 345-hp, 6.0-liter in the previous Escalade, maximum towing capacity shrinks from 8,100 pounds to 7,400 pounds. Safety Standard safety equipment includes four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and a StabiliTrak electronic stability system that includes new rollover mitigatio

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