Nevada's long roads feel very familiar.
The long strip of asphalt that ran under the Cadillac Ecclid wheels continues in a precise straight line to the horizon and even in the rearview mirror it looks exactly the same.
He must have a name and a number for this road, just as the town that passed will have a name.
It does not really matter, the wilderness around, the sun rises and the long road goes on and on.
That so familiar landscape, which has given background to many iconic scenes, is unmoved and continues on its own.
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The Ascend, suitable for this background, very much.
He too is huge, he is also iconic, he too makes an unexcited impression of nothing.
And what is certain is that he conveys this feeling to his practice.
There is nothing to get excited about, you can relax and unwind, nothing can really get in the way of you.
There is no one specific component that makes you feel this way.
As the cliché goes, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
And Escalade has a lot of parts, big ones in themselves, and they are a tremendous whole component that overshadows everything around it.
In contrast comes a Blackwing version of the CT5V and wants to show the other side.
To sample it we reached a racetrack in the middle of the wilderness.
And there she waited, for all her hundreds of horsepower, her polished chassis, to which were added all the accessories known to a man who was supposed to quickly orbit such a route.
It's a slightly less natural environment when you think of the Cadillac and you could say right now - the blue car felt at home on this track, to say the least.
Icon
Hasklade has earned his name as an icon over the years.
He did it on the big screen, on the small screen, in music videos and in the gossip sections.
Even the design of the new generation, continues to elaborate on those capillaries that can fit into a presidential security convoy, the good life channel, a flagship star or the head of a familiar family.
It's also a matter of dimensions, the kind that dwarf any other "premium large recreational vehicle" produced in the world.
The space available to passengers here is simply unrivaled.
With trying to think of other premium, European brands that can compete with it, the comparison falls already at this point.
They are all just smaller than him.
physically.
But the real surprises Escalade saves for other places.
Much more technological.
Is in fact the only one today that can offer autonomous, full and legal driving in this area.
The Cadillacs are in the midst of a huge three-dimensional map of U.S. roads.
These smart maps give this Cadillac the ability to drive itself.
Without real restrictions.
Cameras and sensors in the cabin actually make sure only one thing - that the driver does not take his eyes off the road.
All the rest this escalator knows how to do alone, as he demonstrated to us along about 20 km of long-distance road.
Of course this is just a small detail, one that shows that Cadillac knows what needs to be done, and she does it in her own way.
The new dashboard, built from huge QLED screens, also shows this.
It is spread across the car, but does so with a new design and submission that is all Cadillac.
The possibilities here are endless of course, whether it is the massage or the cooling and heating of the seats, through the fridge / freezer between the two front seats to the operation of the rear seats and their folding in an electric and easy way.
In general, it seems that this Escalade sets a new standard in everything related to comfort, from the automatic electric opening step to facilitate entry into the passenger compartment to the continuously adjustable suspensions regarding the road condition and respond accordingly.
Their operation is so efficient that even on a wavy dirt path, the Escalade cruises comfortably at speeds for which silence is beautiful.
It seems that in honor of the new Escalade, Cadillac decided to take any option or motoring need and push it to the edge.
The audio system for example is the result of a new collaboration with the Swiss AKG, these are not just the dozens of speakers that surround you from all sides (floor, doors, seats, roof, front and rear).
The sound quality, level of control and tuning, are at the highest levels.
This waiting system also knows how to transmit to the front row the words of those sitting in the third row on demand, and vice versa.
In general, in order to detail every technological component, accessory and system, many long pages are required.
In many ways, the Cadillac Escalade marks a human motor record.
Achievement.
All this ability comes with a price.
In its most expensive versions, the Escalade is an expensive vehicle, even in the United States.
Its enormous dimensions do not really interfere with this huge continent, with each marked parking space also suitable for the average Silverado.
In Israel, it can be expected that this size will obscure the experience while driving on crowded streets or looking for parking in them.
Even the mighty V8 engine will have a hard time producing reasonable fuel consumption under these conditions.
Despite a gearbox with 10 transmission ratios and the ability to disable half the rescue on a leisurely cruise.
The performance, on the other hand, is excellent, with the monster leaping to 100 km / h while being more suitable for a small sports car.
On the winding road it of course offers a lot of confidence and prudent behavior, and it is still a tonage that needs to be considered in fast driving.
The gearbox here, prefers a relaxed ride, and if accelerated in it its operation loses some of its pleasant smoothness.
This is perhaps the time to point out that anyone who for some reason is not satisfied with all the goodness that Escalade offers, will be able to purchase the V version that adds a supercharger and performance from another world to this package.
Cadillac Escalade
Engine:
6,162 cc
Power:
420 hp at 5,600 rpm
Torque:
46.7
kg at 4,100 rpm
Wheelbase:
301 cm
Weight:
2,641 kg
Fuel consumption (average):
7 km / l
From 0 to 100 km / h (unofficial):
5.9 seconds
Maximum speed (unlimited):
245 km / h
Price (estimated):
NIS 900,000
Pros:
Extreme comfort, impressive technology
Cons:
Dimensions, fuel consumption
Bottom line:
the pinnacle of indulgence
another world
The words ‘performance from another world’ lead us right to the second car in her honor we have gathered here.
One can totally expect the new Escalade style shelling from Cadillac.
For what the CT5V Blackwing knows how to do, nothing could have prepared us.
Despite the data sheet, despite the numbers leaping from it, the power or performance in a straight line is pretty much the most uninteresting thing about it.
In fact, it is inaccurate, because the brutal power produced by its V8, is very interesting and can not be ignored.
It would be more accurate to say that this mighty engine, is just one part, within a package that every part of it is equally impressive.
We did not drive one meter on a public road in this vehicle, in fact as part of the launch event the company representatives simply put up two long lines of identical vehicles and sent us to the track.
And understandably, a racetrack thinks of dynamic flaws in a car that do not pop up anywhere else.
Not on an enclosed lot and certainly not on a public road.
For a car designed for driving and the driver, there is no big and difficult test from fast and continuous laps on a demanding track.
And this is a place, where traditionally European (and Japanese) cars shine in it.
Until not so long ago, no car with a Cadillac emblem had anything to look for in a place like this.
But then, someone in Cadillac decided to bring this war to the Europeans back, into their field.
Cadillac V-versions are being tested in the Nurburgring route.
For those who do not know, this is the toughest and most challenging route in the world, very fast and very cruel.
Sarig to the old and unsafe world of racing with the 20 km long cafe.
For German manufacturers for example, this is a second home.
A significant tool in the development of new models.
Kayalk went there to sand to improve and prove their ability.
With the first V they set a record around this track and the car in front of us now, they sent many laps and thousands of miles in order to calibrate it for the not-so-simple task at hand.
The basic recipe here is familiar but not simple.
It starts with the good chassis of the CT5.
She gets reinforcements in the right places.
The suspension components are all redesigned and use lighter metals.
All components are calibrated to withstand the loads that such a machine exerts on a track.
This includes the smart suspensions, the electronic differential and the immense brakes.
And above all this lies a layer of smart electronic systems.
Those who know how to read the condition of the car at any given moment, and pull out the proper algorithm.
For every turn, for every moment that a wheel may be in the air, for every braking and for every acceleration, the systems here know how to identify, respond and work in a homogeneous way.
To make all of these work together, Cadillac engineers once pushed this car onto the famous track.
At the end of their claim, they came to a round and impressive result.
With all the skepticism that a Cadillac emblem drags on a winding track like a swarm and after a few laps dripping with sweat and high G-loads there is nothing left but to agree and even take off the hat.
The first compliment goes to the successful sewing of these components.
The work of all components and systems is completely transparent and can cause even an inexperienced driver to circle a track, any track, at a high pace.
The second compliment comes, after disconnecting all the systems, putting the driving mode selector on the most extreme track mode, and going out, without a safety net, to go around the track.
Thus, without electronic babysitting, one can really understand this machine, and what lies beneath the skin laden with its aerodynamic aids.
And beneath that skin, hides an equally fine driving machine.
The exit to the alignment and the engine thunders its tremendous torque to the rear wheels.
The grip is surprising, also thanks to the tires developed especially for it by Michelin.
The automatic gearbox is currently in manual operation mode, giving full control.
The gears are replaced in the blink of an eye and this engine boom returns to build its mighty power.
A little over 200 km / h at the end of the short straight and the brakes start to talk.
These high-quality components of the Rambo have a lot of power to slow down, but that's not their main story.
They offer surgical-level precision, one that allows a transition from full power to a gentle caress of one toe inside the shoe.
Keep the weight in the right place and allow you to take advantage of the quick and immediate entry that is here for the turn.
The build of power at the exit from the turn is impressive, but what's really surprising here is the continuation.
Despite the tremendous power this car was shot like a bullet flying towards the next turn without unnecessary grip losses.
It is also possible otherwise of course.
This Blackwing is one of those rare machines that let you drive it in any shape and manner.
You can get too fast in front of me, go ahead and exaggerate with the steering command while stroking the brakes, and then it steps across the lane.
Smart power feed with the right foot will produce a long, smoky drift of the rear wheels.
In every type and type of driving, this car does not mark enough, does not raise its hands.
She asks for more and invites the skilled driver to explore the boundaries.
There are not many cars in the modern world that know how to do this.
In this respect, of pleasure and propulsion, the V on the back of this machine, marks a great victory.
Photos: Benny Deutsch, manufacturer
Cadillac
CT
5
V
Blackwing
Engine:
6,162 cc, supercharger
Power:
668 hp at 6,000 rpm
Torque:
91.1
kg at 4,400 rpm
Wheelbase:
294 cm
Weight:
1,879 kg
Fuel consumption (average):
6.3 km / l
From 0 to 100 km / h:
3.4 seconds
Maximum speed:
over 320 km / h
Price:
830,000 thousand shekels
Pros:
On the track
Cons:
Fuel consumption
Bottom line:
in a row for steering wheel patients
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