2006 Cadillac Escalade EXT

ESCALADE EXT: CADILLAC BOLDNESS REDEFINED

When it was first introduced, the Escalade EXT represented Cadillac's vision in a number of ways: a luxury division willing to take risks, explore uncharted territory and break from tradition to launch an entirely unexpected, expressive vehicle.

Indeed, the vision has been achieved. A sport utility truck, with elements of a luxury SÚV and pickup truck, the Escalade EXT is Cadillac's interpretation of the genre, and a bold, brash symbol of Cadillac's re naissance .

The Escalade EXT has exposed Cadillac to new generations and categories of buyers who might not have considered the marque in the past. Like its sibling, Escalade, the EXT has appeared in music videos and custom wheel advertisements and is often found in the garages of professional athletes and celebrities.

For 2006, two refinements improve the Escalade EXT. First, an optional power sliding tonneau cover opens and closes at a touch of a button. It covers the bed and replaces the three rigid manual tonneau covers.

Also new is a sliding load floor, which holds about 1,000 pounds (453.6 kg) of cargo. The sliding load floor is attached to the truck bed, and slides out over and past the reclined tailgate so owners can easily and smoothly load their cargo without needing to reach over the tailgate (late introduction).

Powertrains
The best-in-class Vortec 6000 6.0L V-8 cranks out 345 horsepower (257 kw) at 5200 rpm and 380 lb.-ft. of torque (515 Nm) at 4000 rpm. The engine links to the Hydra-Matic 4L65-E heavy-duty electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive. Electronic throttle control provides precise throttle progression.

Safety features

The Escalade EXT also has dual-stage frontal air bags, providing supplemental protection for front-seat passengers. Dual-stage frontal air bags are designed to help reduce the risk of air bag-induced injury. When the air bag system's control unit detects an impact, it determines whether the crash is severe enough to trigger a deployment, and whether the primary amount of inflation is sufficient. The primary stage alone will deploy in most frontal impacts requiring the supplemental protection of an air bag, while a secondary stage is designed to deploy in more severe frontal collisions.

Driver confidence is assured in unpredictable weather conditions with Escalade's full-time all-wheel drive system, four-channel StabiliTrak system and Borg-Warner one-speed full-time open-differential transfer case. Any of the four wheels can be independently controlled with the four-channel system, offering more stable, controlled ABS stops, improved fuel economy, reliability and serviceability, and greater yaw-stability control. Benefits include reduced understeer and proper brake pressure for traction and yaw stability control at all times.

Exterior


The Escalade EXT is unmistakably a Cadillac with its sheer, chiseled forms and bold styling. In its standard configuration, EXT offers a roomy, luxurious, comfortable five-passenger cab and a 5-foot, 3-inch (1.6 m) long cargo bed. Luxury customers requiring more cargo room can easily convert the reconfigurable Midgate system in a few minutes without any tools, extending the bed to a full 8-foot, 1-inch (2.46 m).

The Midgate folds into the interior of the cab to create a 4-foot by 8-foot (1.2 m by 2.4 m) cargo area to transport large items, from art to a large-screen TV.

Items are protected from the elements and theft by a standard three-piece cargo cover and lockable tailgate. The cargo bed also offers protection for items secured inside. The sides of the cargo box, along with the Midgate and tailgate, are constructed of Pro-Tec composite material. The rear window is removable to allow for additional cargo space or for added air circulation.

Interior

For audio/visual aficionados, Escalade EXT has an available DVD rear-seat entertainment system with a 7-inch (178-mm) flip-down screen. It also includes a DVD navigation system, standard XM Satellite Radio (continental Ú.S. only) and a premium seven-speaker Bose sound system with an in-dash six-disc changer and digital signal processing for superb imaging, stage and spectral response. The navigation system uses an onboard computer and vehicle sensors to interact with the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the DVD map database to provide precise vehicle location and to calculate a driving route to a destination. It can help locate and provide routes to addresses, intersections, and points of interest such as ATMs, restaurants, hospitals and museums – all with visual and voice guided directions.

XM Satellite Radio provides more than 120 coast-to-coast, digital-quality channels of original commercial-free music and premier news, sports and talk as well as advanced traffic and weather information for select major metropolitan areas nationwide. Consumers can subscribe to the basic service for $12.99 a month. In addition, GM customers with GMAC financing can choose to include the XM subscription in their car payments.

All 2006 Cadillac owners will receive 12 months of complimentary access to Cadillac Virtual Advisor by OnStar. Cadillac Virtual Advisor service begins at activation of OnStar Hands-Free Calling. Cadillac Virtual Advisor provides three-day weather forecasts and traffic reports within pre-selected ranges of 5, 10 or 15 miles of the vehicle's location in most major markets. Cadillac Virtual Advisor also monitors traffic for up to three personalized routes and reports information on up to 10 selected stocks on the DJI and NASDAQ markets – all at the touch of a single button.

OnStar-equipped EXT models will feature OnStar dual-mode (analog-digital) equipment. OnStar's digital equipment also includes enhanced hands-free voice recognition capabilities including more intuitive continuous digit dialing and improved voice recognition accuracy. OnStar is the leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and information services in the Únited States and Canada . Úsing the GPS satellite network and wireless technology, OnStar features core safety services and OnStar Hands-Free Calling that allows drivers to make and receive voice-activated phone calls using an externally mounted antenna for greater reception.

Source - GM Media