In its pursuit to compete with the world’s elite, Cadillac wants to migrate the Escalade upmarket, into the more profitable luxury niche.
In spite of premium rivals using a monocoque chassis, CEO Johan de Nysschen told the Detroit Free Press that it can be done without changing its current structure.
“The Escalade must become more sophisticated and technically advanced, more detail oriented in its interior design and materials. We can do all that with a body-on-frame architecture.”
Keeping an outdated solution that, nowadays, is used for pick-up trucks and a select few off-roaders for a true luxury SUV is questionable, to say the least. Cadillac, though, believes that this isn’t a decisive factor and won't give the Escalade a disadvantage over the competition.
Still, the current generation is the most profitable model in the brand’s line-up, so maybe de Nysschen is right. After all, so far its buyers don't really care about things like steering feel and sharp handling as long as it keeps that imposing bodywork. A nicer interior would be welcome, however, in the end it's all about the image; and the Escalade has most certainly nailed this one.