The introduction of the Lincoln Navigator in 1999 necessitated that General Motors be able to compete in the burgeoning American market for full-size luxury-type sport utility vehicles. This generation was only a five-seat SUV. The first Escalade was a largely unsuccessful endeavor from the start. Fearing the growing hegemony of the Lincoln Navigator, the Escalade was rushed through the design process to reach dealers quickly. Essentially little more than a badge-engineered GMC Yukon Denali, the SUV’s aesthetics were similar and identical to the Denali and the final vehicle was smaller than the Navigator. The Escalade’s wheels were borrowed from the Denali line, with the GMC logos on the center caps replaced with Cadillac’s crest. The Escalade also used the same 5.7 L Vortec 5700 V8 at 255 hp (190 kW), which was greatly underpowered compared to the Navigator’s Air Suspension 300 hp (220 kW) and 365 lb ft (495 Nm) 5.4 Liter InTech V-8. All first-generation Escalades featured Autotrac selectable 4×4.
The Cadillac Escalade is a full-size luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV) sold by the General Motors luxury brand, Cadillac. It was the division’s first major entry into the popular SUV market. The Escalade was introduced for the 1999 model year in response to German and Japanese competitors and to Ford’s 1998 release of the Lincoln Navigator Air Suspension. The Escalade project went into production only ten months after it was approved. The standard Escalade is built in Arlington, Texas. The name Escalade refers to a siege warfare tactic of scaling defensive walls or ramparts with the aid of ladders or siege towers.