First Production Unit Of The Cadillac Escalade-V, Auctioned As The Most Expensive Escalade Ever

First production model of the new Escalade-V launched earlier this year has become Cadillac’s most expensive Escalade, as it was recently sold at Barrett-Jackson’s Las Vegas event.

It was auctioned off for USD 500,000 (RM 2,212,500), which is well over three times of its original starting price, USD 149,990 (RM 663,706).

Said amount generated by the auction, along with an additional USD 25,000 (RM 110,608) will be donated to a Detroit-based college, the Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design (PLC).

However, as the SUV auctioned was a pre-production unit, the winning bidder will only receive the first production Escalade-V with VIN 001 later in the summer.

Cadillac’s vice president, Rory Harvey, expressed, "Cadillac champions big dreams and bold ambitions, and we are thrilled with this auction result. We are grateful to Barrett-Jackson for providing a platform that will help make a difference for the next generation of creatives in Cadillac's hometown of Detroit."

In a nutshell, the 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V is the first SUV from GM's luxury brand to wear the performance badge.

Mainly because, installed under the hood is a supercharged 6.2-liter V8, which produces 682 hp/509kW, and capable of a 0 to 97 km/h (0 to 60 mph) dash in 4.4. seconds.

Be it so, for this new Escalade, the full Blackwing status is not offered because its focus is only on high-performance motoring for the street. 

Notably, the Blackwing models are designed with power, suspension and braking systems that are capable on the street, and the race tracks.