What we have here is a pipe-dream version of the biggest Caddy of them all; the new 2021 Escalade. Now, calling any ride measuring up to 18.7-feet long (224.3 in. or a hair under 5.7 meters) and weighing as much as a pregnant African forest elephant a “Sports Utility Vehicle” (emphasis on “Sports”), sounds silly when you think about it, yet here we are.

And as much as some gearheads might scoff at the idea of a hot Escalade, truth to be told, for bean counters, the market’s insatiable appetite for SUVs of all kinds of looks, sizes and features, means there may actually be a pocket niche to fill.

Aptly named the Cadillac Escalade V, it depicts the 2021 model with a sportier body kit that comprises of a reworked front bumper with bigger lower air intake, side skirts and diffuser, and a more muscular hood complete with a scoop. XTomi completed the styling with a few blacked out elements, as well as the black roof and wheels.

In order to bring the thunder to the likes of the Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 and BMW X7 M50i, which boast 603 HP and 523 HP respectively, the Escalade V would need a powerful engine. The current lineup includes a 3.0-liter turbodiesel for those putting many miles on the odo daily, rated at 277 HP, and a 6.2-liter V8 that makes 420 HP. While the latter is definitely the more interesting choice, it’s not the 4.2-liter twin-turbo V8 Blackwing that some were hoping to see in the new Escalade.

And this brings us to our question: what if Caddy decides to give the latter power unit a shot? It definitely has numbers on its side, with 550 HP and 627 lb-ft (850 Nm) of torque produced in its maxed out form. In the CT6 and CT6 V-Series, it’s paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission that channels power to both axles, so it would be possible, in theory, to add it under the hood of the 2021 Escalade.

What do you think?