2005 Cadillac Escalade ESV Test Drive

This Escalade's a Stretch

What do you get for the rap star who has everything?

Sure, Ford Motor's Lincoln Navigator and Nissan Motor's Infiniti QX56 are fine competitors, but General Motors' Escalade is different. It's a Detroit icon. The only other icons with premium prices coming out of Detroit these days are Chevrolet's Corvette, DaimlerChrysler's Dodge Viper SRT-10 and Hummer's H1.

How expensive are we talking? At $71,025, the Escalade ESV Platinum Edition, which is the subject of this review, is one of the priciest U.S.-made SUVs on the market. While this version is a limited edition, it is further evidence that the Escalade is one of the primary reasons behind Cadillac's astonishing rebirth as an automotive powerhouse in terms of both sales and innovation. Since its bold new look was introduced in 2002, the Escalade, which has a base MSRP of $53,155, has been one of the most popular marques on the market. In 2003, sales were 48,487 and increased 9% to 52,612 (excluding the EXT pickup) last year.

To honor the celebrities, athletes and rap stars who have made the Escalade a cultural institution (some such customers buy every Escalade model GM offers, year after year), Cadillac recently introduced the Escalade ESV Platinum Edition. The non-Platinum ESV is a stretched version of the Escalade, and the Platinum model is the new flagship of the range. It features chrome and platinum everywhere you look.

The overkill begins as you approach the vehicle, which sits slightly lower than the regular Escalade ESV (this makes it look more menacing). The Platinum model has a handsome chrome grille, 20-inch chrome wheels and tires, and high-intensity headlights. But the pampering begins when you get in the vehicle. Read on...