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Wednesday, September 22, 1999 T H E O A K V IL L E B E A V E R C3 AUTOMOTIVE Escalade helps redefine image o f Cadillac (Continued from page C2) modes as traction permits. It is so slick, it is impossible to detect. The 4WD front axle has an actuator that engages and disengages the front axle electronically. This happens in two seconds or less. At the rear, there is a locking differential. Take this and plug in the Vortec 5700 V8 with 255 hp and 330 lb/ft of torque and there are few places on the planet where you cannot drive - and in blissful comfort. At the front, twin A-arms are bol­ stered by a massive anti-sway bar and honking great 46-mm Bilstein gas shocks. The rear gets the same set of Bilsteins coupled to traditional GM truck heavy duty two-stage leaf springs. All o f this lets the Escalade ride 218 mm (8.6 inches) above the road on P265/70R16 all-season, all- terrain tires. At 2527 kg (5,572 lb) the Escalade is in the super heavy-weight class without doubt. It is fitted with a 114- litre (25 Imperial gallon) gas tank and you'll need it because Transport Canada rates the Escalade at 19.2L/100 km (15 mpg) city, 13.5L/100 km (21 mpg) highway. Presumably people who can afford the $64,095 price tag can also afford the gas. And when you think about it, all the big trucks, including the full-size pick­ ups are in the same league. No Cadillac is not planning a diesel ver­ sion soon, but it wouldn't be hard to drop the GMC 6.2 turbo diesel in as an option. Cadillac has, and continues to be, a leader in luxury interiors and the Escalade is no exception. The leathers are warm and supple and real Zebrano wood is used as trim. It doesn't take a trained eye to tell the real thing from virtualwood, and that makes a major difference to buyers in this category. The individual front seats have 10- way power adjust. The rear seats can fold individually or together to create 3,347 litres (118.2 cu ft) or cargo space. With the back seats up, there is still 1,895 litres (66.9 cu ft) o f cargo area. And if this is not enough, the Escalade can tow 2,948 kg (6,500 lb) without breaking a sweat. The sound system is the Acoustimass from BOSE. Wow! I'm no opera fan, but I happened to have the CBC on with a soprano warbling up into the high notes with such clari­ ty that I took off my sunglasses in case the lenses shattered. My test Escalade was fitted with GM's OnStar system. Unlike robotic navigation systems that depend on CDs, OnStar uses GPS satellite tech­ nology that plots your position and feeds it to a live person at OnStar cen­ tral. Call them up with the push of a ceiling console-mounted button and you're connected by onboard tele­ phone. Ask for directions to a certain address and the OnStar person can give you directions, or stay on the line and guide you live to your destination. With some 3.2 million North American entries, you can (and I did) ask the OnStar person to direct you to the closest Italian restaurant to your position. In addition to talk, there is a button with a red cross. Push it and*emer- gency services are dispatched to your location. If an air bag goes off, OnStar will phone to see if you are all right. If you do not respond, they immediately send help. On the road, other SUV drivers seemed to know what I was driving almost immediately. Some even cut across three lanes to get a closer look. In black on black with blacked out side windows, it was certainly imposing. I was amazed at how many people on my street wanted to get inside and look around. Several suggested it was about time Cadillac built a luxury truck. One suggested he would consid­ er switching to GM if Caddy built a extended cab, long-box 4X4 pickup truck. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if this isn't already being tested some­ where based on the unquenchable North American thirst for pickup trucks. There is no question Cadillac had to build the Escalade and no one should be surprised if it doesn't swiftly become one of, or the, most popular vehicles the division builds. With the Evoq super sports coupe now in the works and the Escalade on the ground, Cadillac is redefining itself as a maker of contemporary premium vehicles instead of a long line of simi­ lar riding and handling big boats for a group of buyers who, quite literally, are passing on. It's vehicles like the Escalade that Cadillac needs. Now if we could only get them to build a small, V6, two-seat roadster, then we really would be get­ ting somewhere. Brake check warning signs The following are warning signs to check your vehi­ cle's brakes. □ Pull: If, when you apply your brakes, your car pulls to one side, this indicates a "pulling" problem. This may be caused by an underinflated tire, misadjusted brakes, brakes that are in need of repair or a faulty steering component □ Grab: 'Touchy" brakes that grab with the least pressure. This may indicate a problem as simple as grease or oil- contaminated lin­ ings -- or as seri­ ous as a loose or broken component ready to fail in an emergency. □ Drag: You are driving and experi­ ence sticking brakes, hot wheels or an engine that seems to have lost power. This may indicate the brakes may be failing to release. The danger is the condition can reverse itself and leave the driver with no brakes at all. □ Squeal: Brakes should operate with a min­ imal amount of noise. Some noise is normal, but excessive squeal, screech, grinding, groaning, chatter, clatter or banging means the brakes need immediate attention. □ Low pedal: This occurs when the pedal nearly touches the floor­ board before the brakes function. The solution to the problem could be an adjustment or could indicate something much more serious. □ Hard pedal: If the pedal requires extreme pressure to make the brakes function, you are are suffering from "hard pedal." This can indicate power brake trouble, restricted hydraulic lines, frozen calipers or wheel cylinders, or dam­ aged brake linings. B ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT DURING CANADA-WIDE CLEARANCE v A M *. f * IS | - s r 4 x ****** ' "GOSH, WE'D BETTER GET A CAR," 1999 P o ntiac S u n fire C oupe 1999 P o ntiac G ran d Am 0 ) 19 99 B uick C en tu ry PURCHASE FINANCING UP TO 48 MONTHS ON ALL THESE GREAT VEHICLES AND MORE. 1999 P o ntiac Trans S p ort FIVE STAR SAFETY RATING Pontiac TVarts Sport has been awarded five stars (top safety rating) tot D o tn driver ana ■in m r r> if nacciwinor in ~8~ln Im nirt ln«ili»Mi *' r c d p j c d i p d a M i n y c r IS i S N W V n | ) a C t u u i r i j ^ Side im pact air bags are standard on Pontiac lYans Sport. 1999 G M C J im m y 4 -d o o r 119 99 G M C S ie rra R e g u la r C ab AJAC " B est N e w P ickup Truck" ASK ABOUT FACTORY-TO-DEALER INCENTIVES AT YOUR PONTIAC*BUICK*GMC DEALER. AUTO INSURANCE DISCOUNTS I FOR ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, AIR BAGS AND ANTI-THEFT DEVICES FROM MOTORS INSURANCE CORPORATION - THE INSURANCE PEOPLE FROM GENERAL MOTORS l ________________________________Visit your Pontiac»Bulck«GMC Dealer and call M IC for a fast, no obligation auto Insurance quote.A a t 2 ***«#►* HURRY. OFFER ENDS SEPTEMBER 30,1999. W e'd like you to know m ore: C om e vis it us a t your local dealer, on our website at w w w .gm canada.com o r call us a t 1-800-G M -D R IV E. F inancing on approved G M AC cred it only. Exam ple: $10 ,000 at 1.9% APR, the m onth ly paym ent is $216.52 fo r 48 m onths. C ost o f borrow ing is $392.96. Total ob liga tion is $10,392.96. Down paym ent, trade and /o r security deposit m ay be required. M onth ly paym ent and cost o f borrow ing w ill vary depend ing on am ount borrow ed and dow n paym ent/trade. O ffers app ly to se lect 1999 new o r dem onstra tor m odels, and to qua lified reta il custom ers in O ntario on ly (exc lud ing N orthw estern O ntario). D ea ler trade m ay be necessary. Dealers are free to se t ind iv idua l prices. Lim ited tim e offers w h ich m ay not be com bined w ith o ther offers. See your dea ler(s) fo r cond itions o r details. "T e s t in g conducted by the National H ighw ay Traffic Safety A dm in is tra tion (N H TSA). AYour GM D ealer is not licensed as an insurance agent o r broker, and is not acting as an agent o r b roker o r in any o the r capacity on behalf o f M otors Insurance C o rporation. A va ilab le to residents o f O ntario only. i f http://www.gmcanada.com AUTOMOTIVE B ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT DURING CANADA-WIDE CLEARANCE ASK ABOUT FACTORY-TO-DEALER INCENTIVES AT YOUR PONTIAC*BUICK*GMC DEALER. AUTO INSURANCE DISCOUNTS HURRY. OFFER ENDS SEPTEMBER 30,1999.