1999 Cadillac Escalade | Retro Review
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- Опубліковано 31 січ 2024
- The iconic Escalade is now 25 years old, but lets look back on its debut for the 1999 model year.
Show 1811 | Original Airdate 11-18-1999
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Whoever had the idea of sticking a Cadillac badge on a regular chevy and charging a huge premium for it, was a genius
Honestly , they truly nailed this.
@blairwilliams136 they nailed it in the 2nd Gen the 1st Gen was a dud.
They got it from Lincoln. They did 1-2 years earlier.
It succeeded where the Cimarron and Catera failed.
Of course, timing and a better understanding of its target market helped a lot.
Why are people geniuses for literal monkey brain businessmen tactics.
The beginning of a new era. Rappers, professional athletes, presidents and dignitaries all had to have one!
All are people with more money than sense.
That was the whole point in a luxury vehicle. Luxury vehicles were exclusive. Now, you see newer luxury vehicles being driven by people who drive forklifts at warehouses. Idk how the hell they're getting them but they shouldn't be driving them. This is why poor people will never have nothing because they spend all their money trying to "look" like they have money and live in a rental unit or at home with Mommy.
@@nolimitsnuttbusts4u
People who "drive forklifts", have literally been getting Cadillacs and Lincolns for decades. Where you been?
@@forlergusther9716 That went right over your head didn't it? The ones you're talking about got them used at buy here pay here lots that can't afford to maintain them. Buying and maintaining are two different expenses. I'm talking about the ones who are buying them brand damn new, and those damn Hellcat Chargers and Challengers. Big difference.
@@nolimitsnuttbusts4u "that went right over your head"
Uno reverse card!
I remember when the escalade first came out, I was a caddy (no pun intended) at a very tony golf club outside of Chicago. One of the members bought an escalade and endured merciless ribbing from the other rich guys because of his "lipsticked up tahoe". Fast forward to 2003, every other car in the parking lot was an escalade. It certainly made an impression, especially the second generation.
They were absolutely right about this first gen model though lol. It would have been absurd to pay more for the first gen Escalade than a loaded Tahoe or Yukon.
@@Jay-bw3flI felt the exact same way when these came out new. As a kid/teen the Escalade was cool, but realistically, I would've bought a loaded Yukon or Tahoe.
The second gens were way nicer. I’ve driven and detailed one of these for a customer and it’s definitely more 90s truck than anything
If anybody knows badge engineering, it’s General Motors . I love that with this generation, they didn’t even try. This was the equivalent of writing a 30 page term paper the day before it’s due.
And still getting an a+ on it
@@VelarOW it doesn’t really matter when up until recently, a Cadillac was just a Chevy with a different badge. See cimmaron, this, 80s Seville deville. It hasn’t been the standard of the world for 60 years.
Pretty much this. GM rushed the Escalade development process because they were rattled by Ford's introduction of the Lincoln Navigator
@@2steaksandwiches665Audis are just rebadged Volkswagens and Acuras are just rebadged Hondas. Not sure what your point is.
@@hitek9too255 look at these Sloan rebadges in the early 80s. There’s a picture on a magazine that shows how close they were in the early 80s. Audi Volkswagen always looked pretty different. Look at the Saab 9-7x, the Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Chevy, Buick from the early 80s, they didn’t even try.
The beginning of an icon,the first gen Cadillac Escalade was fine but the second gen really put Cadillac on the map
CROTCH VENT shiii this had everything
Why did they ever stop making the crotch vent in new cars???
@@gedaman with high temps in the future theyre sure to come back. Cooled seats are nice but the itchy sweaty crotch needs attention
I have this in my 1987 Volvo and I loved it. And yes, my balls would get too cold at times.
Little did they know what a revolution this big Caddy would stir up!
Agreed
It was the Lincoln Navigator that started the luxury SUV trend.
Actually range Rover but I digress
Turns out we’re all wrong, it’s was the 91 Olds Bravada that started it all
@@CheezwizzzThe Jeep Grand Wagoneer was the first luxury SUV.
$46,525 base price in 1999 = $84,797 in today's (January 2024) dollars. The current base price of a 2024 Escalade is $81,895.
Stop making excuses for the dollars lack of buying power
Dollar is just worthless and won't be the reserve currency for much longer but what do I know. Random guy on UA-cam lawl
I am just stating facts. The numbers don't lie.
@@TinyTim-wp6jnI think it's interesting. I'd never buy anything other than an economy car anyway though
Those inflation calculators are highly inaccurate. Compare the equipment list on a 1999 Escalade to a 2024 Escalade. Then compare how much it cost to manufacture each. Inflation doesn't add up. Come on now.
Tony Soprano approves.
Haha , came here to post the same thing. Love the Sopranos !
He drove a Suburban.
@@alexkirtelhe later drove the Escalade
@@blairwilliams136that was a second gen Escalade.
WHO CARES
If I ever find one of these I'm buying it YESTERDAY
Surprised GM did not use the 2000 Tahoe/Suburban style immediately with the Escalade in 1999 for a reveal, they waited until 2001 to upgrade.
I’m not real familiar with Escalades, did they go with the 6.0 LS on the redesign? One good thing with those late 350’s, it was absolutely the best iteration of that engine. The difference between the 1995 and 1996 Vortec range is night and day
@@RobertSmith-le8wp 6.0 or 5.3. The vortec 5.7 introduced in 1996 was a great engine compared to the old TB 350. BUT the LS based engine is miles ahead of the old 350. I had a 1996 2500 truck, that I thought was the greatest thing since sliced bread. But the spider injection and the plastic intake gaskets weren't that terrific.
It was a rush job. They couldn't let Lincoln have all the fun. To be fair Cadillac beat Lincoln to the midsize market with the Catera. Took Lincoln a while to drop the LS. GM also offered the Denali too. They got lots of money off the Denali & Escalade. Lincoln just had Navigator. No upscale Mercury version. They should have made one called Grand Mountaineer or Mountaineer XL and priced it inbetween Expedition and Navigator.
honestly the fact that we got to see the gmt400 get the escalade treatment is so cool to me. and you never ever see them these days..
@@LemonProductions09 This kicked it off lol
This is the vehicle that saved Cadillac.
Cadillac Escalade started from the bottom..... now we got a 682 horsepower Escalade V
Even crazier how you can get that 255 HP number in my current XT5 with a turbo 4 cylinder. Back then you needed a V8 for it. Man how GM has come a long way.
@@juanzingarello4005 XT4 uses that same lump of an engine but for whatever reason it's detuned to 237
@@pontiacGXPfan its actually the same 237 HP in the XT5 (not 255) the point I was making is that a 4 cylinder now can achieve the power of that V8. Its actually not as bad on the heavier XT5 and has plenty of pep. Its just not a red light burner like a Model S Plaid. But nobody buys it for that purpose. I’m sure on the smaller XT4 that engine does fine.
I loved those things when they were new. If I could find one in that condition for the right price, I'd drive it like it was a new one now.
0:09 John: YOU CAN’T BE TRUELY SUCCESSFUL IN TODAYS CAR MARKET IF YOU DON’T SELL A SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE!
Even true today John
And nowadays, ev’s
Especially true today.
You say that's a bad thing?
Now we have things like the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, Bentley Bentayga, Ferrari Purosangue, Lamborghini Urus, Porsche Cayenne, and Maserati Levante. Who would’ve guessed 30 years ago that these brands would be making sport utility vehicles?
This is my neighbors daily still, same colour.
Younger folks might not realize but these were a HUGE status symbol in the late 90s. Despite it being a lightly dressed up GMC haha😢
But wasn't the GMC Yukon Denali also a status symbol during that time period?
@@trentpettit6336Yes, it was. The GMC Yukon Denali and Cadillac Escalade were direct responses to the overwhelming success of the 1998 Lincoln Navigator.
There was period of time there where owning just about any newish SUV was a big deal. You were bougie here in the South if you had a Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Blazer/Jimmy. OoooOOooo they have an S -- U -- V how niiiice. Most people still had sedans and minivans.
The Lincoln had this in spades. At least Navigator looked luxurious, this was literally a Denali in every since of the word. Not a bad thing but it wasn't until 2002 when the redesign hit that Cadillac ran away and never looked back.
Funny when describing how large this full-size SUV was it basically matches the dimensions of my '15 Toyota Sienna "mini"van. Shows how portly vehicles have gotten.
If only cadillac knew how far the escalade was gonna go
The navigator was first but wow when they slapped the Cadillac badge on an SUV it really took off.
The 1999 Escalade was 201.2 inches long overall and had a 117.5 inch wheelbase...the 93-96 Fleetwood, a sedan, was 23.8 inches LONGER with a four-inch longer wheelbase!
I drove a couple early Escalades when I worked at Firestone a few years ago. It really was like just putting a bigger engine and leather into a regular Tahoe/Suburban and calling it luxury. The NVH was shocking.
Rappers delight
Cool video.
I love my 99' Yukon Denali, It has most definitely stood the test of time
The only reason I gave it a thumbs up 👍 is because of the Legend himself, John Davis! And that’s it!
Now you don't have to look at Escalade on the same lot as Eldorados and Sevilles, because those cars are long gone and Escalade is still there.
Unfortunately. There's much less variety today on Cadillac dealership lots.
They should bring back the Eldorado as an EV.
@@gedaman Yeah!
“Cadillac Grills, Cadillac Millz, check out the oil my Cadillac Spillz”
@theninethrees8044 Ludacris is trash.
What a sweet rig! These really aged well.
Heated seats in the back in 1999?! That’s crazy never knew that
A friend of mine had one of these; nothing more than a Tahoe with a little extra leather and a Cadillac badge. If you think that was wood on the dashboard then I have a bridge you would love. Motor Week was destroying its credibility with this one. Praising this rush job. Observe the drum brakes.
More accurately, a more upscale GMC Yukon Denali, which it has always been and still is.
@@damilolaakanni except back then the GMC was virtually the same as the Tahoe. This is the GMT400 trucks. Do not be influenced by what came later
1,000% correct. This was a horrible badge job by GM.
The Gen 1 Escalade reminds me of the Lincoln Versailles or the Cadillac Cimarron.
No matter how you gussied it up, there's no doubt what it was... I mean, even the GMC Denali looked fancier.
Very “who run it” looking the first gen Escalade. Like it.
This vehicle single handily saved Cadillac
Had a 99 Tahoe as my first car, god I miss it
The birth of an icon.
imo the 2000 chevy tahoe z71 was the best looking variant but love these also
Perfect cross country vehicle (other than mpg). Nice ride, can sleep in back, all day comfortable seats... plus nobody would try and rob you in fear of you being strapped. Lol
I would love to get one but they are so hard to find
The lack of a 3rd row was an odd choice considered the Navigator got it out the gate
The Navigator was a brand new design while this was based on a platform dating back to the mid 1980’s. Caddy rushed this out to have “something” to take to the market, but what they could do was limited. 2nd gen Escalade was really the winner.
@@tylermacconnell217 but even so, there are videos out there of people adding a 3rd row to their Tahoe or Yukon of the same era. GM engineers couldn't figure that out?
@@JKCougar GM knew a brand new generation was imminent and didn't care. This original Escalade was literally lipstick on the existing Denali.
the 90s 4 door tahoe wasn't gonna be made as a family suv it was just like a blazer but with extra doors so thats why it doesn't have a third row
I think GM expected you to step up to a Suburban to get a 3rd row and I don't think the Escalade ESV was a thing yet.
Navigator was a bit better looking IMHO. I thought these were a lame catch up attempt. The second Gen did a lot more.
Definitely. These were the SUV versions of the Cadillac Cavalier-Cimarron.
I remember seeing one of these at age 5 and thinking how strange it was that the front end didn’t match the Suburban/Tahoe/Yukon.
First the Nova became the Seville. It was a decent car for the time and was different enough that most people didn't notice it's Chevy roots. Then the cimmaron, and later the catera, both of which were not up to Cadillac standard. I feel like this first gen Escalade fits moreso with the latter in that you weren't getting anything near a bespoke GM product, but paid the premium largely for badging. Things were very different a couple years later when the second gen came out but for this first year you were better off just buying a Denali
The older it gets it looks even more like someone just did some badge swapping in thier garage whith a Yukon. Deffinatley for those with money to light cigars with.
25 Years later in 2024 the Cadillac Escalade rules the streets..
Looks like a Tahoe in a tuxedo.
It is.
I like the restrained look of the first gen though the “family resemblance” is much more obvious. It came into its own by the 2nd gen even if it did get a little gaudy..
These had tremendously comfortable seats, unlike modern Escalades with their rock hard cushions and headrests.
In GM's defense this was intended to only be a Yukon Denali, it was put into service as a Cadillac at the last minute after the Lincoln Navigator came out. The 2002 Escalade was the first to be styled as a Cadillac ahead of time. This was to pacify dealers and customers who couldn't wait in the meantime (and to make GM easy money of course).
And with that the legend was born.
what is the best spark plug replacement for these?
Can we get the 96 chevrolet truck. Where you talk about the new vortex injection. Would love to see that one
As a kid I always thought the 2nd Gen 2002 Escalade was the first one. Even to this day, I have never seen a 1st gen Escalade in person. I had no idea it existed and when I first saw it (in Gone in 60 Seconds) I thought it was a custom badge swapped Yukon
Never forget that Juicy J and DJ Paul rode on top of one of these in the video for Who Run It.
I have one! Used it for my most recent music video! I will never sell it. Insurance is like 50 a month.
I know Americans love their Escalade but as an European i was truly shocked when they started selling them over here, i believe it was the 2nd generation. Unbelieveable that for GM it was enough to just take their biggest offroader, put a Cadillac badge on it and sell it fir a premium. Aside from the leather and fake wood the interior was dirt cheap. Hard plastics everywhere and could see the cost cutting in every corner of the car.
I’ll never understand why GM didn’t just wait to introduce this thing on the GMT800 platform. I get they wanted to take early sales from Lincoln with their Navigator but this was already dated by 2000 with the Tahoe/Suburban and Yukon redesigned.
the cell phone antenna on the window 😂
This just shows that most people don’t notice little things like windows switches, door locks, wiper controls, other switches, etc. We do that. Not someone that just wants an Escalade.
This is the beginning of the end of Cadillac
@The_R-n-l_Guy Don’t forget the Cimmaron, that was just a rebadged piece of shit Chevy Cavalier.
Yeah those were the weird 3 model year range where the Yukon Denali and Cadillac Escalade were based on the OBS even though the new body Suburban etc etc came out in 1999 😂
Still a fan of the gmt40s I got a 93 money pit but still like a rock 172k still going strong
The excursion was 10k cheaper. Hard to imagine
The first gen Escalade is so cool imo
Ford used to make $10K profit on each first gen Navigator sold. GM probably made $20K per sale profit on these. It is all mechanically a base Silverado 4x4 truck and 99% a Tahoe for body and frame. They did not need to retool anything sheet metal stamping, frame welding, or even making electrical harnesses. A fortune saved there. A supplier was given the duty to produce the badges, grills, wheels, lamps, interior trim, etc.
What was the difference between the first gen yukon denali vs. the escalade?
A few badges, and the MSRP.
Badging
The Cadillac wreath and crest in the front grill, also Cadillac leather interior with zebrano wood trim. The first generation Cadillac Escalade was rushed to market due to the success of the 1998 Lincoln Navigator.
cadillac doesn't have the two tone interior but has more woodgrain
The first generation Cadillac Escalade & GMC Yukon Denali was nice like GM full size suv design back in 90s.
And yet the 2nd gen Escalade was loved by famous people
The Navigator was clearly the better fullsize luxury SUV of the two (it still is). I wonder how the Escalade still outsells it.
No it's not.
@@harrycolonicjr.2397Yes, it is.
Lincoln doesn't advertise the way Cadillac does.
Cadillac brand carries more weight than Lincoln for some reason. I prefer the new Lincoln Navigator to the bland looking new Cadillac Escalade. I feel like they made the current generation look too much like a Chevrolet Tahoe. They should’ve never gotten rid of the chrome. That’s what really made the Cadillac Escalade stand out.
@@maciejszumny6919i think the 1999 escalade/denali was better because of the step bumper and front and rear seat heating being standard but navigator does have the third row and sunroof option and a 3 knob rear ac instead of 1 knob
The #1 choice of rappers
$10,000 more than a Tahoe and you still get drum brakes in the rear!
And leaf springs, basic shocks, a fixed antenna, and no automatic climate control. Basically a loaded up farm truck.
How you like the Escaladddd?
Yes, I was over at the GMC dealer but decided that I'd come over here to spend more money for the same SUV.
Wasn't this uploaded prior?
I was just thinking the same thing. I’m pretty sure it was.
@@jriley1992 Oddly enough this isn't the first time, there are two 1988 Lincoln Continental episodes, confusing.
One time, the 1999 Mercury Cougar episode got uploaded a 2nd time, but was taken down after a short time and then the 2000 Chevy Monte Carlo episode was uploaded.
MotorWeek should also mention the Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban as well and not just the GMC Yukon! Considering that the GMC Yukon is based on the Chevrolet Tahoe, so the Cadillac Escalade should also be considered based off of the Chevrolet Tahoe as well!
EXCELLENT AND VERY RELIABLE ❤❤❤❤❤ AS OF TODAY
I saw one of these earlier today. I was surprised. 90% of these I see are the Chevy or GMC version.
It’s hilarious this “hulking monster” is now the considered midsized 😂
1st gen escalade was okay. To me id rather have the yukon denali of the time but when the 2nd generation escalade came out ive always wanted one. Since being a kid now in my 20s today
haven’t seen these nowadays
I have and it's a rolling beast
I really wish they would bring the drop down tailgate back
People still give Cadillac crap for badge engineering the Cimmaron, and rightly so, but this first gen Escalade is right up there. The Navigator caught GM with their pants down and they panicked.
John got his voltmeter and oil pressure gauge!
that Walmart-Grade Interior is horrific for a Cadillac, they made zero attempts at styling up to Cadillac Standards, this one wreaks of a quick plastic cladding add-on of a Chevy that wasn't all that great to begin with....
This was the GM that deserved its bankruptcy a decade later.
Rappers and drug dealers surely loved the Escalade.
Oh how the times have changed,🤔
It's the Cadillac of SUVs 😁
I like it.
"Full range of four-wheel-drive configurations"? Note, he did not say all-wheel-drive.
3:25
The 2007-2014 escalade is one of the best ever suvs made
@michaeljackson9125 I don’t know about that… 😬
Never seen this gen on the road ever
Still the flagship.
How many drive byes that vehicle must have been through since this review
This vehicle was already shown as a retro review 9 years ago
Explain yourselves motorweek
Not the 6 cd changer hell yeah
GM was sure desperate to make something to compete with Ford with their Navigator.
Wasn't thus already a video?
This*
I would say, a success
Badge engineering at its finest!!
It's the air jordans of SUVs