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For the last 15 years, Cadillac’s V-Series models have been sticking it to the Germans in the high-performance luxury space, bringing heavy horsepower and dynamite dynamics to bear in the name of bringing honor to America. Yet while the carmakers’ sedans (and one convertible) have benefited from this hi-po largess, Cadillac’s best-known model of the last 25 years, the Escalade, has never been deemed worthy of a V-Series variant.
But if they ever had built one, it probably would have been the spitting image of this one-off, General Motors-assembled custom 2007 Escalade — officially known as the Cadillac Escalade Sport — heading to the auction block at Barrett-Jackson’s 2020 Scottsdale event.
The heart of any V-Series is a potent engine, and this not-an-Escalade-V comes packing the 6.2-liter supercharged V8 found in the second-generation CTS-V, where it made 556 horsepower and 551 pound-feet of torque. There, it came with a choice of six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission; in this Escalade, it comes with the latter. It’s unclear whether that power goes to the rear wheels or all four, but either way, it should be a hoot.
Of course, a real V also needs panache to go with its power; likewise, the Escalade Sport boasts a V-inspired front fascia, including a mesh grille and a deeper, more angular chin, accentuated by the sport suspension that lowers the Caddy two inches closer to the ground than stock. A Corsa cat-back exhaust spits out the V8’s deep rumble, while custom 24-inch wheels make it look just as cool as it (presumably) sounds.
There is, of course, a catch or two. Barrett-Jackson doesn’t list an estimated price for this Escalade; regardless of how much money you spend buying it, however, it still won’t be street-legal. Still, if you’ve got the cash to splurge on a car you can’t take onto public roads without risking impound, this could be one hell of an addition to your car collection.
