The Escalade Hybrid is here and I want one. It’s almost as good as the Prius. It’s like conservation without the sacrifice. (Do you sense the sarcasm?)
The 2009 Cadillac Escalade is the biggest and priciest of GM’s luxury sport utility vehicles to be fitted with the thrifty gas-electric power combination.
“In a changing marketplace emphasizing fuel economy technology, Cadillac is proud to be the only luxury brand offering a hybrid in this segment,” Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager, said in a statement marking the launch.
Escalade’s hybrid edition carries a $71,685 price tag, $3,600 more than the conventional V-8 model that’s been on the road since 1999. Four-wheel drive and power running boards are available, but cost extra.
The company said the EPA gave its three-ton Escalade hybrid a fuel rating of 20 miles per gallon in town and 21 on the highway. That compares with 12/19 mpg for the non-hybrid model, which carries a 31-gallon tank.
Limousine liberals like myself all over the world are going to jump at the chance to be both mack daddy and green consumer. P. Diddy will want one. You know 50 Cent will get one. Maybe even Al Gore and Barack Obama will sport some 20-inch Escalade chrome rims. You wanna stop foreign oil dependence? Forget drilling and get the Escalade (plus it might help boost the economy)
