We’ve first heard of a performance-oriented Escalade in 2015, and over the years, General Motors couldn’t give a flying flamingo to confirm or deny such a model. Better late than never, the biggest U.S. automaker has finally started testing the go-faster Escalade with the LT4 small-block V8 mill that you know from the CT5-V Blackwing, Camaro ZL1, and C7 Z06.
Captured by the carparazzi on video and published on YouTube by our friends at Muscle Cars & Trucks, the prototype makes the right small-block sounds and supercharger whines. Gifted with quad exhausts compared to a dual-tipped setup for the regular Cadillac Escalade, the V series will primarily rival unibody alternatives from Germany. The Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 S comes to mind, and even though Jeep hasn’t confirmed it thus far, there’s are very high chances of Hellcat V8-engined variant of the Grand Wagoneer.
Available with wet- and dry-sump lubrication for anything between $15,800 to $17,100 through Chevrolet Performance, the LT4 is a direct-injected mill inspired by the LS9 used in the sixth-generation Corvette ZR1 and LT1 of the seventh-generation Corvette Stingray. Fitted with aluminum cylinder heads, titanium intake valves, forged powder metal steel connecting rods, forged aluminum pistons, aluminum balancer, and stainless-steel exhaust manifolds, the 6.2L plant wouldn’t be an LT4 without a thumpin’ blower.
The 1.7L Eaton TVS unit may be smaller than the 2.3L system of the LS9, but it spins 5,000 revolutions per minute faster, thus producing boost quicker. As for the most exciting application of the LT4, that would be the CT5-V Blackwing in which it makes 668 horsepower and 659 pound-feet (893 Nm) of torque in conjunction with a stick shift or a ten-speed tranny.
The Escalade-V (or is it Escalade-V Blackwing?) may not be as trackable as the mid-size luxury sedan mentioned earlier, but nevertheless, it should be much better in a straight line than the L86 EcoTec3 free-breathing V8.
What’s more, the performance-oriented Caddy opens the door to a few more body-on-frame recipients of the LT4. The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 comes to mind, especially if the biggest of the Big Three in Detroit intends to steal customers away from the Ford F-150 Raptor and mighty Ram 1500 TRX.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News