Cadillac showcased the Escala concept at the Concours d’Elegance, Pebble Beach and the new car is stunning. The Escala is almost unlike any other Cadillac we have seen before but carries the old-school American genes under its skin. Built as a four-door luxury coupe this modern Cadillac will probably share only the luxury with the big Escalade SUV.
The Cadillac Escala has the monolithic sculpted looks. The trapezoidal mesh grille dominates the proceedings with the LED strip for the headlamps. The bumper is busy with the numerous cuts and creases and the chrome strips adding drama while housing the L-shaped DRLs. The profile is rather simple. The shoulder line that emerges from the hood continues straight to the boot lid. The roofline tapers into the deck lid of the boot to form the rear spoiler. The tail looks plain but the underlying contours and chrome treatment makes it look classy. The LED boomerang tail lamps add glam to the rear.
Well, this is a Cadillac – the American definition of luxury and the Escala does it effortlessly. The white leather upholstery is complemented well by the greyish fabric lining. The three-spoke steering and the gear-stick like lever under the wheel reminds us of the classic Cadillacs. The Escala is based on the CT6 sedan but has its wheelbase extended by 4.7 inches and is almost 150mm longer than CT6. Which means better cabin space for the four occupants and a larger boot.
There are hardly any buttons or switches which most interfaces with the car being monitored by touch-panels. The multiple OLED screens on the dash, developed in partnership with LG, will read out a host of information that can be toggled through the rotary control knob. The feature list would certainly encompass all creature comforts that would come standard with a four-door luxury coupe and probably a few more.
The Escala Concept is run by a brand new 4.2-litre petrol V8 engine. While there are no power figures to talk about as yet, it is said that the twin-turbocharged petrol engine is fast and free revving unlike most American V8s and also employs cylinder deactivation to aid fuel economy. All we know is that a twin-turbo 4.2-litre V8 would mean anywhere close to 600 horsepower in modern times and that the power is being sent to the right set of wheels – rear.
Johan de Nysschen, CEO Cadillac, was upbeat about the Escala concept and said that inclusion of the Escala on to the production lines will depend upon how the market for luxury sedans evolves. The Escala, if it goes into production, will go against the Mercedes CLS or the Audi A7 Sportback or the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe.
