It may have only been on sale for a few months, but General Motors is already giving the 2015 Cadillac Escalade a few tweaks.
As if a gigantic, chrome-slathered SUV wasn’t luxurious enough, Cadillac is adding a Platinum Collection model with even more high-end features.
Pushing the Escalade further away from its Chevrolet Tahoe roots, the Platinum Collection includes Nappa semi-aniline leather seats for the first and second rows, plus a hand-stitched leather-wrapped center console.
The front seats also feature 18-way power adjustment, plus heating and cooling. There’s also a massage function for the driver, so don’t be surprised if stories of overly-relaxed Escalade drivers careening off the road start appearing in the news.
Second-row passengers get a pair of 7-inch LCD screens mounted on the backs of the front headrests, and a chilled center console bin for beverages.
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On the outside, the Escalade Platinum Collection is distinguished by 22-inch wheels, extra chrome trim, and a unique grille design. Note that all Escalade models now wear the wreath-less version of Cadillac’s badge first seen on the ATS coupe and Elmiraj concept.
All Escalade models also get GM’s OnStar 4G LTE with built-in Wi-Fi hotspot standard, as well as inductive wireless device charging.
On the mechanical side, the Escalade also gets a new eight-speed automatic transmission. It’s paired with the same 6.2-liter V8 that was available at launch. The new transmission is standard, and buyers still get a choice of rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, the latter with a new two-speed transfer case.
The revised Escalade lineup will launch before the year is out, including the Platinum Collection. The new top model starts at $90,270 (including destination), an eye-watering premium over the $73,695 starting price of a “standard” Escalade.
That must be why they call it the Platinum.
