New Technology Included in the Redesigned Cadillac Escalade

2021 Escalade maintains Cadillac’s signature vertical lighting element, but the new interpretation adds a horizontal headlamp to reinforce a broad, confident stance.

The Cadillac Escalade has been redesigned to include first-to-market technology advances, including a curved Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) screen, the first AKG automotive audio system and the fourth generation of Magnetic Ride Control, allowing for greater responsiveness and enhanced isolation from road imperfections.

“The 2021 Escalade takes its leadership into a new era of mobility, with comprehensive upgrades that are transformative to the driving experience,” said Steve Carlisle, Cadillac president.

Launching in the third quarter of this year in North America, the 2021 Escalade’s curved OLED screen offers 38 inches of display area, with the largest color range of any automotive display in production today. The curve allows for optimal visibility.

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The Escalade also incorporates augmented reality-enabled navigation, which uses live street views to enhance driving directions; surround vision, providing four extra cameras to provide a bird’s-eye view of the scene around the vehicle; trailering integration package that provides nine camera views to make hitching easier; night vision, using infrared technology to enhance forward visibility; and a new rear-seat entertainment system, so passengers can play games, music and videos through HDMI and USB inputs.

The Magnetic Ride Control uses electromagnets paired with magnetorheological fluid within the shock absorbers to vary their damping rate, giving the vehicle a better response to varying road surfaces and sharp turns, creating a smoother ride for passengers.

The look of the vehicle continues to be a bold, confident appearance, with layers of detail having been added to the grill and trim areas.

“Escalade has always made a bold statement that says you’ve arrived,” said Therese Pinazzo, exterior design manager. “We have updated that statement for a new era, adding layers of sophistication. The goal was to create a new Escalade that is unmistakable at a glance, and then rewards you with greater details on the second or even third read.”

The interior has adopted a high-performance, high-fashion look with no less than eight color and trim choices, including unique seat designs with custom perforation and quilting patterns.

And the AKG audio technology heightens the sound experience, with 36 speakers powered by three amplifiers that deliver crisp and immersive sound. By having the AKG technology in the vehicle, communication from the front and rear passengers is made easier, because voices are captured by embedded microphones and reproduced in the designated zone using the speaker system. The front seat passenger can also take control of his or her personal audio experience with a dedicated volume control for each front seat.

The Escalade also offers an expanded interior space, offering 40% more third-row legroom and a 68% increase in maximum cargo space behind the third row in the standard-length model. The increase in passenger and cargo space is due to a longer wheelbase and overall vehicle length compared to the previous model. In addition, a new independent rear suspension system enables a lower interior floor, expanding the room and comfort of the second and third rows.

The 2021 Escalade comes with a new 6.2-liter V-8 engine and, for the first time ever, is also offered with a 3.0-liter turbo-diesel engine. Both engines are matched with a 10-speed automatic transmission with electronic shift control; and a trailering package comes standard on all models.

The Cadillac Escalade is built at GM’s plant in Arlington, Texas. The plant employs close to 5,000 workers creating 1,200 vehicles daily.

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