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Escalade Platinum is the New King of Bling

If you're out looking for the King of Bling, than look no further than Cadillac's

Roll in style: Escalade Platinum features a new grille and standard 22-inch alloy wheels. (Photo: Cadillac)

Escalade. Forget your Range Rovers, Navigators and G-Classes, the Escalade has them beat in volumes when it comes to owning the ultimate tricked out neighborhood ride on super-sized wheels. Cadillac tuned into the fact that the market for Escalades isn't just middle aged folks who want to tow their boats or Airstream trailers. No, this behemoth of an SUV has tons and tons of street cred. Therefore it made sense for Cadillac to choose Miami as the right place to introduce its ultimate Escalade, the Platinum model.

The Platinum features a different nose from all other regular Escalades. It's quite clearly influenced by the CTS as well as the new STS, featuring the precise grid grille that's outlined in chrome. Below the main bumper beam, the grille pattern continues, which is something that doesn't happen in the regular Escalade. If you've got a keen eye, you might also have noticed that the Platinum model's headlamps look a little different, and indeed they are. Inside the bezels are LEDs, which assist the main HID beam, allowing the Escalade to

Cut 'n Sew French Stitching on the dash makes a big difference. (Photo: Cadillac)

take the title of the world's first SUV with LED headlights.

Mechanically, the Escalade Platinum receives no changes. The big 6.2-liter V8 engine still churns out 403 horsepower and 417 lb-ft of torque. What has changed is the suspension. For the Platinum model, Cadillac has fitted the brand's Magnetic Ride Control, which has been featured in a number of high-end GM products such as the STS, XLR and the Corvette. This will be the first mainstream SUV to feature such a system, which boasts magnetically charged iron particles in a synthetic fluid that alter the viscosity of the fluid and therefore change the truck's damping abilities. The results have been fantastic on other GM cars and we can't see why it wouldn't make a noteworthy difference with the Escalade, especially considering the massive 22-inch wheels these vehicles come standard with.

HID headlamps and magnetic damping are two SUV firsts. (Photo: Cadillac)

For its Platinum debut, the Escalade's interior also sees special treatment to boost its luxury quotient. The dashboard is finished using the Cut 'n Sew technique made famous by the SRX, STS and now the new CTS. As you might expect, the Platinum model comes with all the goodies that are otherwise an option on the regular Escalade, including a power liftgate, heated and ventilated first row seats, and not one or two, but three LCD display screens for the rear entertainment system. Two are mounted in the backs of the headrests, and a third flips down from the roof.

Platinum represents the best that Cadillac has to offer in luxury in many of its models. The STS, DTS and XLR all feature this treatment. As the brand's halo SUV, we don't see why the Escalade should be exempt from this VIP version.

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