Cadillac Escalade-V adds 682 hp to the super-sized SUV

High-performance SUVs defy physics and logic. Big bulky SUVs are not made to go fast but that has not stopped car makers from plonking in some bangers under their hood. Especially when people buy them without a second thought. Cadillac has now taken interest in this trend and enters the ring with maybe the most bonkers of them all, the 682 hp Cadillac Escalade-V, and the extended Cadillac Escalade ESV.

The Escalade is a behemoth, a mountain. It is not shaped to be fast nor does it go round corners like a Gazelle. But it is a very popular luxury SUV from the brand and the SUV-hungry crowd will love to see a high-performance engine powering it. That is exactly what they get with the Cadillac Escalade-V. This fast-moving block gets its poison from a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 borrowed from the CT5-V Blackwing.

Additional tweaks to this engine have squeezed out 14 hp more than the output of the Blackwing, at 682 hp, now made at a lower rpm. It is accompanied by 885 Nm of torque, enough to propel this SUV from 0 to 100 kph in just over 4.5 seconds. It can run through a quarter-mile in 12.7 seconds. The power flows through all four wheels, with a 66 percent bias towards the rear in Sport mode. In all other situations, the power is split 50:50 between the axles. The transmission is a 10-speed automatic.

To stop the Escalade-V quickly, Cadillac upgrades the brakes. At the front, six-piston Brembo brakes sit for added bite. To combat body-roll that is inherent to large, tall-riding SUVs, the air ride suspension with Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 gains stiffer springs.

In the Cadillac Escalade-V, the driver gets to adjust different parameters including steering feel, suspension stiffness, brake pressure, exhaust note, etc via multiple drive modes. The latter of the bunch comes courtesy of an active exhaust system. To let the hell break loose, the Cadillac Escalade-V gets a V-mode as well as a launch control feature.

The Cadillac Escalade-V, despite its supercharged V8, still functions as a luxury SUV. The interior still gets all the comfort features available with the Platinum trim of the SUV. The V gets special trim and race-inspired seats for some added character. Super Cruise is provided as an option.

It is not the supercharger or the V8 or the 682 hp that has triggered the most discussions about the Cadillac Escalade-V. It is its price. In the US, it starts at $149,990 (AED 550,000+). The massive increment over the current range-topping Escalade can fetch you a CT5 sedan in that market. It may not make sense to us but Cadillac believes that there is a portion of Escalade buyers willing to pay for the most expensive Escalade they can get.

Check out the latest Cadillac prices and updates in the buyer guide.