2023 Cadillac Escalade-V Is America’s Big And Brawny Answer To BMW M And Mercedes-AMG

After decades of sitting on the sidelines, Cadillac is finally throwing their hat into the high-performance SUV ring with the 2023 Escalade-V.

Full details will be released this spring, but the luxury brand said the “V-Series designation is reserved for vehicles that encompass the peak of Cadillac performance, bold, distinguished design, and innovative technology.”

That isn’t much to go on, but the model follows in the footsteps of the Escalade Sport and Sport Platinum by adopting a mesh grille and blacked out accents. However, the Escalade-V goes even further as it adopts a sportier front bumper with a prominent air intake. It’s flanked by triangular intakes that are reminiscent of those found on the CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwings.

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Continuing further back, there’s V-Series badging on the doors and lightweight wheels that are backed up by a high-performance braking system with red calipers. The model has also been equipped with a four-tailpipe sports exhaust system and a modified rear bumper with a discreet diffuser.

The cabin remains more mysterious as Cadillac only released one picture showing a leather-wrapped steering wheel with V-Series badging. However, we can expect to see some special touches as well as a familiar curved OLED display that consists of a 7.2-inch driver information center, a 14.2-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 16.9-inch infotainment system.

Cadillac is keeping specifications under wraps, but the model is expected to use the same supercharged 6.2-liter V8 as the CT5-V Blackwing. It produces 668 hp (498 kW / 677 PS) and 659 lb-ft (893 Nm) of torque in the sedan and, assuming that number carries over to the SUV, it would be a 248 hp (185 kW / 251 PS) and 199 lb-ft (270 Nm) improvement over the Escalade’s naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8.