Next gen Escalade to go on Lambda?

Confirmed: Cadillac to get Lambda CUV in 2012 — potential Escalade replacement!

http://www.leftlanenews.com/confirmed-cadillac-to-get-lambda-cuv-in-2012-potential-escalade-replacement.html

There was something in the news last week about all future Tahoes, Yukons and Escalades being downsided and moved over to Lambda.

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080619/FREE/527788727/1530/FREE

Why would it not be an SRX replacement? That would make the most sense to me.

Why would it not be an SRX replacement? That would make the most sense to me.

Because the SRX is going on another architecture. Smaller than Lambda.

So now there will be 5 GM lambdas?
Traverse, Enclave, Outlook, Acadia & now Escalade. :eek:

Should go on Zeta a la the GMC Denali XT show vehicle (with a roof over the cargo box of course).

Why would it not be an SRX replacement? That would make the most sense to me.

The Escalade has better brand recognition. It makes more sense to kill off the SRX instead of the Escalade.

The Escalade has better brand recognition. It makes more sense to kill off the SRX instead of the Escalade.The Escalade is essentially a Tahoe with added bells and whistles. My daily driver is a Tahoe, yet I had the opportunity to rent a SRX while I was in LA last month. If I were buying a Cadilliac SUV today, I would take the SRX over the Escalade. Too me it better fits Cadillac's image and target audience, and for me it would be a better fit. (The wife loved it and she loves her Tahoe so much she won't part with it despite gas being $4.75/gal in these parts.) But then I'm now an empty nester. If I had kids, I might want the extra room the Escalade has to offer, but then if they downsize the Tahoe, Yukon and Escalade down to Lambda, who knows? :D

The Escalade has better brand recognition. It makes more sense to kill off the SRX instead of the Escalade.

The Escalade also has the reputation of large rims and guzzling gas. Not exactly great when gas is $4 and looking like it is going up.


For the guys saying the Tahoe might be on lambda in a few years, do they plan on making the platform larger? The lambdas are already quite large. They don't have the near the towing capacity of the GMT900s. I don't think a crossover is going to save anyone gas if it gets any bigger than the lambda or more towing capacity etc.

My question is, Why? What will this accomplish? Save in mileage?

I would like to see some figures. What I suspect will happen is that Lambda will grow, there will be a potent 6-cylinder engine stuffed in there that will barely move the barge and will suck gas same as a small V8. Then you will be given an optional V8, since it's an Escalade, and it will probably not be any more fuel efficient than the current, traditional GMT900 Escalade.

I also think it's an overreaction by GM.

Don't forget the 9-passenger Tahoe evolved from a two door full size Blazer and essentially replaced the full sized station wagon. Tomorrow's crossovers are essentially the next evolution.

I don't see them making Lambda bigger. I see SUVs gettings smaller and eventually being replaced by the crossover. Will a small number of people still desire a bigger vehicle? Yes, but it won't be the volume seller the Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade has been over the last 10+ years.

My question is, Why? What will this accomplish? Save in mileage?



Why?

Skyrocketing gas costs. Changes in market demand. CAFE.

I don't know about dumping the whole line up. People will still need a heavy duty type SUV to haul/tow stuff with. Sales have slacked off because people are looking else where for a family hauler. But people with boats and other big toys will still need SUVs or trucks to haul them with, and if they can afford boats, etc. then they can afford the gas that goes in them.

I don't know about dumping the whole line up. People will still need a heavy duty type SUV to haul/tow stuff with. Sales have slacked off because people are looking else where for a family hauler. But people with boats and other big toys will still need SUVs or trucks to haul them with, and if they can afford boats, etc. then they can afford the gas that goes in them.And those people will purchase trucks and large SUVs like the Suburban and Yukon XL. Heck who's to say a properly equipped Lambda crossover won't be able to haul a small trailer/boat and be enough for 50% of those buyers? The point is soccermoms and weekend warriors are already looking elsewhere; the drop in sales of large SUVs and trucks says this. There just isn't the demand for them anymore.

Don't get me wrong, I love my 9-passenger Tahoe. As its paid off, I wouldn't trade it for any money in the world. And in the late 1970's I'm sure my dad loved his 1970 Kingswood Estate wagon as well. However there comes a time when such vehicles are no longer practical for a majority of consumers. When they stop buying, the manufacturers shift gears and build what the people want. Right now its crossovers. Ten years from now, it will probably be something else.

Why?

Skyrocketing gas costs. Changes in market demand. CAFE.

Maybe you missed his points about a lambda to replace large SUV's wouldn't save gas. That wouldn't help with gas prices, changes in market demand, or CAFE.

The lambda's are big vehicles, almost the size of the tahoe/yukon/escalade. I don't see how you can replace these vehicles with lambdas when you already have the traverse coming and the acadia already there. I think GM should keep the large SUV's around, but scale production down. Small efficient cars is where the market is going. How many people need 7-8 seats on a daily/weekly basis? The lambda's are great vehicles, but the May sales numbers were down for them. There isn't much of a need to work on larger vehicles than the current lambdas.

All that money they spent developing the GM9k chassis and it's being shut down after only a few years.

keep the escalade flavor alive and you will retain the world class status of the product, loosen anything that makes it a star against competitors and you will lose the one true pillar Cadillac has. Escalade succeeds on the basis of its design more than anything, it's an elegant rugged attack all paths of life bold ostentatious yet still refined and sophisticated machine. lose any of that with lambda, or don't improve on that formula with lambda and you can kiss any equity cadillac has goodbye. yes the cadillac brand is in danger of losing relevance as it is now since their one true calling card is the Cadillac SUV. No, the sedans aren't enough at this point. they will need to hope the upcoming big sedan, CTS wagon and coupe are enough to keep them in the news. the SRX replacement on Theta-Epsilon looks weak, not something you should associate with a Cadillac and not something a large segment of luxury SUV owners want. the cheaper rigs can pull off the girly, less muscular look and still get away with some segment of the pie, but the real leaders have a lot of power to thier look. my opinion may change on that upon seeing it in person.

Escalade will need to retain that powerful look, with the unmistakable Cadillac fascia and presence, and retain elements of ride/handling and power that have helped Escalade succeed in the past. Escalade should go for the bank, modify the existing platform to include all aluminum construction, make it truly deserving of the Cadillac name, go for supreme handling prowess. If they want to truly take on the BMW name that's what they must do. IF they want to be a slightly better Lincoln, go on and do exactly what Lincoln will be doing, rebadge a FWD/AWD platform with some meaningful style changes and absolutely no enhancement to the underlying driving experience that defines a product and brand.

Cadillac used to be the star of the GM fold, the one that was actually being managed to compete with the best offered in America and abroad. So far they've had little success, measurable but small compared to how far the other brands have come through successful product introductions. The brand has been left behind, and GM's money problems have as much to do with it now as incompetence had to do with it in 2001-2006.

Ultimately, I'd rather them keep the existing Escalade longer, rack up the profits elsewhere, and revisit the Escalade brand when resources are plentiful and Cadillac can be restored to dignity, Escalade and CTS aside.

Does this smack of the Mustang II to anyone? Moving the Escalade to Lambda will emasculate it. And it's not even certain that the Lambda's are efficient enough to sell in this economy.

For the price the Escalade sells for, why can't GM just make it a rolling platform of efficiency technology? Cylinder shut-off, dual mode, and any other gizmos they can come up with.

This is the best move they could do and something that should have been done instead of the current GMT900.

I do wish that GM worked on a unibody SUV larger then Lambda, something that could cary both V6 and V8 as well as have 4wd and independent suspension front and rear.

The MB GL550 is exactly what the Escalade should be. Escalade has no point in having a BOF since its not designed to be any type of off roading monster, but it could have plenty of electronic assitance things that many luxury SUV's have now a days.

A unibody SUV would be perfect for Caddy. I would also shut down the ESV and EXT models as well. Leave the big luxury SUV's to GMC.
Id like to see a Lambda Caddy to make an R-Class fighter, a low slung, AWD V6 8 person hauler.

I do wish that GM worked on a unibody SUV larger then Lambda, something that could cary both V6 and V8 as well as have 4wd and independent suspension front and rear.




Who says that Lambda wasn't designed for a V8?

I should state that it should have a longitudally (sp?) set up, as well as allow for more suspension travel, as well as overall higher ground clearance.


What Escalade should be. GL550 is still a big SUV and seats 7.

http://images.quickblogcast.com/70636-64131/2008_mercedes_benz_gl_class_20136704_E.jpg

Probably a very good move. I hope they invest some money to make it look very different from the others. Lambda is about the same size as the GMT-900s anyways. Escalades high price means they can make 2 mode standard.

SRX is the name for what was expected to be called 2010 BRX (aka Provoq)

http://www.tuningnews.net/news/080108/cadillac-provoq-concept-hr-01.jpg

Expect Cadillac to make new product announcement at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elelgance this summer. GM's centenial is one of the featured marques.

Don't know if it's been mentioned, but I don't think anybody buying an Escalade gives a flying f*** about gas prices.

Escalades high price means they can make 2 mode standard.

Lets hope.

In 2012 gasoline will be at least $7 a gallon, if not closer to $10. BOF SUVs will be out of style. What works in the 90's/2000's isn't going to be what works in the 2010's. The only thing that will stop gas hitting that level is a global recession. If that happens I don't expect Escalade or any lux SUV sales to be great no matter what platform they are on.