These days, automotive manufacturers look at SUVs the same way that prospectors looked at Sutter Creek in 1849: There's gold in them thar vehicles. No longer simply pickup trucks with enclosed cargo areas and extra seats, SUVs have replaced sports cars in some households. In others, these vehicles now occupy garage space next to expensive foreign jobs.
Recently, GM figured out what Lexus and other manufacturers have known for a few years: Just as they will come to the field of dreams once it's built, many people will pay premium prices for upscale SUVs. Following this line of thinking, Cadillac introduced Escalade, its first SUV, for the 1999 model year. That vehicle was basically a GMC Yukon with Caddy wreaths and crests, but it satisfied dealer demand for an SUV in the Cadillac portfolio.
Now in its second generation, the Escalade finally has its own personality. Although it shares a platform and many parts with the Yukon Denali and (to a lesser extent) Chevy Tahoe, Escalade now goes above and beyond its sister ships' offerings. In other words, it gets the cream of the assembly-line crop.
Author: Tom Morr
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