The 2015 Cadillac Escalade has just been shown and already there are all of these questions surrounding its powertrain. OK, it still has a six-speed automatic when many other big SUVs have more gears. And while the 6.2-liter V8 has been upgraded, it's hardly headline-grabbing technology.
Jeff Luke, head of GM's big trucks, talked to Automotive News recently and basically said there's nothing to fear, as changes under the hood are on the way, including maybe a diesel engine.
Well GM is at least talking about it, partly because of the new Jeep Grand Cherokee that sports the same 3.0-liter V6 diesel option as the 2014 Ram 1500. The idea of a new hybrid is also reportedly on the table, even though the last Escalade Hybrid was a joke.
Most people think of the Lincoln Navigator as the Escalade's prime competitor, but the reality is that it's also doing battle against the big German SUVs like the Mercedes-Benz GL and Audi Q7. And both of those cars offer V6 diesels and more gears in their transmissions, and the Caddy may catch up with an 8-speed 'box soon, according to Luke.
But GM's eye on what Chrysler's putting out makes us think they're not going to let the Escalade's feature list be its big selling point much longer.
Photo: GM