2015 Cadillac Escalade

2015 Cadillac Escalade

Cadillac will no longer launch a crossover with third-row seats to slot in below its Escalade SUV, according to a new report. Instead, the role will likely be filled by premium versions of the Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia. The information was first reported by Ward’s Auto (subscription required), citing an unnamed source.

Cadillac has been reported to be working on a new crossover with third-row seats for several years now. The vehicle was to sit between the SRX and Escalade in Cadillac’s tall-riding lineup and cater to customers wanting space for seven or eight people but with the car-like dynamics of a unibody crossover instead of a body-on-frame SUV like the Escalade.

The vehicle was to ride on a next-generation version of General Motors Company’s [NYSE:GM] Lambda platform, which will also spawn new versions of the GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave, and was expected to launch on the market in 2017.

The reason for its alleged cancellation are fears it would have cannibalized sales of the Enclave and Acadia as well as Cadillac’s highly profitable Escalade. Stricter fuel economy regulations and increased demand for smaller crossovers are also likely to have been behind the move. In fact, Cadillac is thought to be planning a new compact crossover positioned below the SRX to take on the BMW X1, Lincoln MKC and Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class, and this is likely to have required any spare resources.

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