Cadillac Considering Ultra-Exclusive Escalade

2016 Cadillac Escalade (Credit: Cadillac)

Cadillac is on a serious quest to take on the German luxury brands in just about every way possible, and that will include selling a ludicrously-priced sport utility model. According to a report from Automotive News, the brand is looking to create a version of the Escalade that would be priced well above $100,000. This comes after big players like Bentley and Rolls-Royce have announced SUV models.

As of right now, Cadillac says that it has no official plans to move forward with an ultra-lux version of the Escalade. Doing so would make sense, considering that luxury SUVs have become incredibly popular worldwide once more. The Escalade is a huge profit-generator for Cadillac, and the brand is going to need more cash if it wants to continue the kind of model onslaught it will need to take on Mercedes, Audi and BMW in more market segments.

While the Escalade has been an object of ridicule in the past, with its unfortunate association with tacky bling instead of sophisticated luxury, the SUV has turned a corner with the launch of the current generation. Cadillac has pushed the vehicle more upscale and toned down some of the more gaudy design elements. Consumers have responded well, with year-to-date sales through August exceeding those from 2014 by 25 percent.

According to the report, a Cadillac spokesman says that the brand has actually been actively gauging how shoppers would respond to an even more luxurious version of the Escalade. Such a model would likely also be more powerful, perhaps like how Mercedes produces an AMG version of the GL.

Right now, the priciest version of the Escalade is the ESV Premium. When loaded up with every available feature, it tops out at $95,870, including shipping costs. Taking that into account, it wouldn’t be too difficult for Cadillac to tack on another $30,000 or more to the price tag with interior upgrades and a more powerful engine.

Likely Cadillac is dangling this possibility out to the public to see what kind of a response it gets, so if you’re interested It’s best to let the company know.