2012 Cadillac Escalade gets New Security Features to Prevent Thefts

In late August, General Motors announced that it is preparing a raft of upgrades to improve the security of its Cadillac Escalade for the 2012 model year.

Today, GM released full details on the changes it has made and which the company claims will prevent the luxury SUV from a being a "pushover for push-away or towing thieves".

We'll remind you that a recent study from the Highway Loss Data Institute found that the Cadillac Escalade is more than six times as likely to be stolen by thieves compared to the average vehicle not only due to its popularity but also because it was easier to steal than other vehicles.

“The goal is to make the Escalade a very difficult target for thieves without any added inconvenience for customers,” said Bill Biondo, General Motors’ global leader for vehicle theft prevention. “The new systems work in the background and few people realize they are there, but they are strong added protections.”

The key security enhancements for the 2012 Escalade are listed below (from GM press release):

• PASS Key 3+, a sophisticated encryption system for the key, key cylinder and ignition system (Deters: Drive-away thefts)


• A more-robust steering column-lock system that makes it nearly impossible to maneuver the Escalade onto a flatbed. (Deters: “push-away” thefts)


• An available inclination sensor that sets off an alarm when the system senses an unwarranted change of the angle of the vehicle, such as would occur with towing, flat-bedding or lifting the vehicle. (Deters: towing, push-away, and wheel thefts)


• An available shock sensor intended to reduce content theft and push-away theft by sounding the alarm when the vehicle is “shocked,” such as by breaking window glass. (Deters: Property theft)


• An available new wheel lock system to help prevent the theft of Escalade’s wheels and tires.

GM says that along with these improvements, OnStar provides standard additional security with a remote ignition lock that can prevent the vehicle from starting if a break-in is detected, while if a thief manages to steal the SUV, it can remotely slow the vehicle down to help law enforcement in vehicle recovery.

“Combined, these technologies comprise one of the most-extensive sets of theft-deterrent measures available for this type of vehicle and meet or exceed security specifications among global vehicle security analysts,” said Biondo.

The Detroit automaker says that owners should also use some common sense when it comes to their vehicle following some simple rules:

 

 

Protecting Yourself Against Grand Theft Auto [From GM Press Release]

• Do not leave valuables unattended in unlocked cars, or in plain sight


• Park vehicles in well-lit areas or inside locked garages


• Don’t leave cars running with the keys in the ignition.


• Do not defeat the ignition/key cylinder immobilizers with aftermarket remote- start systems


• Always lock your vehicle with the key fob, which also sets the alarm system


• Use wheel locks with premium wheels


• Do not leave driver’s license, registration or insurance certificate in your car


• Purchase a vehicle with OnStar or the aftermarket OnStar FMV mirror, which will enable your vehicle to be tracked if stolen.

 

PHOTO GALLERY

Read More

Cadillac Challenges Mercedes-Benz by Pitting the Escalade Against the C-Class

We think most of you will agree with us when we say that, for the same reasons the Cadillac Escalade is extremely profitable, it also doesn't quite fit the brand's current image being sort of a throwback to the glory days of the classic American cruiserships.

But this didn't stop General Motors from raising the ante in yet another provocative commercial for Cadillac that follows the CTS-V spot featuring the Ferrari 458 Italia.

This time, the General took the Escalade and pointed its ammo towards Mercedes-Benz and its C-Class sedan. The video spot shows the big Caddy V8 beating the C300 on a straight line duel, and then…hauling back the Merc.

We're not going to say that we didn't enjoy the video nor that we don't get Cadillac's point, but it's somewhat an unfair comparo when the Escalade starts at $63,200, or about $25k more than the C300. Heck, even the almighty C63 AMG with is 451HP V8 is $5k cheaper than the basic Escalade…

 

VIDEO

Read More

Cadillac Claims to Have Made the 2012 Escalade More Difficult to Steal

In America, the Cadillac Escalade is the favorite choice of thieves, according to the latest study from Highway Loss Data Institute, which we told you about on Thursday. In fact, Cadillac's larger than life SUV has topped the list for several years now.

The problem is that- as you may remember from previous reports- the Escalade is popular amongst thieves not only because stars of all sorts have immortalized it, but also because some security flaws made certain model year versions easy to steal.

Shortly after the release of the findings from HLI's study, GM issued a statement listing a series of changes made to the 2012MY Cadillac Escalade to address the high rate of theft.

“We are currently implementing four new pieces of ‘armor’ on Escalade intended to reduce vehicle thefts, particularly those called push away,” said Bill Biondo, GM’s global lead, vehicle theft prevention.

“We are committed to beating the thieves and expect these new theft deterrent systems to greatly reduce the Escalade’s rate of theft and lower its position on HLDI’s list,” Biondo added.

Along with the new steering column lock system that was re-introduced in 2010 after some cost cutting genius removed the feature in 2006 and improved for the 2012MY, GM offers additional optional theft protection systems such as the inclination sensor that sets off an alarm when the vehicle is lifted.

 

 

New for 2012, the Escalade includes:

• A new and more robust steering column lock system that makes it nearly impossible to maneuver the Escalade onto a flatbed tow vehicle


• An available inclination sensor that sets off an alarm when the system senses a change of the angle of the vehicle, such that would occur with towing, flatbedding or jacking up the vehicle.


• An available shock sensor intended to reduce content theft and push away theft by sounding the alarm when the vehicle is “shocked” such as breaking the glass.


• A new wheel lock system is available to help prevent the theft of Escalade’s wheels and tires.

 

2011MY CADILLAC ESCALADE RANGE

Read More

Video: Hennessey beats 2011 Nissan GT-R again, this time with twin-turbo Escalade

The problem with being the standard-bearer for world-class performance is that you’re saddled with the burden of defending your crown at every turn. Take the 2011 Nissan GT-R, for example. This vehicle has the proud distinction of offering one of the highest performance-per-dollar ratios of any car on the planet, and as such, it’s the go-to challenger for any high-horsepower machine looking to make a name for itself.

Those would-be stars are typically low-slung tuner creations, but the team from Hennessey chose to line the big-bad Nissan up against something a little less traditional: its HPE1000 Cadillac Escalade. Whereas the 485-horsepower 2011 GT-R can dash to 60 mph in as little as 3.4 seconds, the big SUV packs two turbos, over 1,000 horsepower and 0-60 sprint of 3.3 seconds.

To be fair, the Godzilla in the video after the jump isn’t the new-and-improved 2012 model (stop us if you’veheard this one before…), and the Caddy gets a massive jump on the Nissan, but the fact that a 6,000-pound SUV can manage to keep up with anything from the GT-R bloodline is an impressive enough feat. Click past the jump to check it out for yourself, and remember to keep your fender-to-fender shenanigans off the street.

Read More