Big trucks need big power, a point capably addressed by the 2007 Cadillac Escalade’s 6.2-liter, 16-valve, aluminum V8 pushing 403 horsepower at 5,700 rpm and 417 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,400 rpm. That’s a lot of muscle, but consider that it’s charged with moving the ‘Slade’s 5,800-lb. curb weight and towing up to 7,400 pounds. A six-speed automatic transmission is mated to the big Vortec engine, and features a tow/haul mode as well as a button for manual shifts – simply drop the column-mounted shifter into M and tap the switch to change gears. The system will allow drivers to downshift or upshift within given parameters, so if you select second gear while motoring along at 80 mph, the transmission won’t accommodate your request until the truck has sufficiently decelerated. And if letting off the gas isn’t enough to slow things down, the four-wheel antilock disc brake setup should do the job.

Those rotors are visible through the standard 18-inch alloy wheels rolling on 265/65 Bridgestone tires. The whole deal is connected to an all-new independent front suspension with forged alloy lower control arms and an automatic load-leveling, multi-link rear setup that has been largely carried over from the 2006 Cadillac Escalade, albeit with a few tweaks. Stabilizer bars and a locking rear differential are standard, as are StabiliTrak stability and traction control systems, hill descent control, and a drive-by-wire throttle feature. A rack-and-pinion steering system replaces the old-school recirculating ball setup of the outgoing truck.

First to hit the streets is the all-wheel-drive 2007 Cadillac Escalade, with rear-wheel-drive versions set to debut in August. The AWD Caddy carries an extra 196 pounds of gear, including the rear-biased drivetrain that distributes power to the wheel with the most grip when traction is compromised. Company officials believe that most Escalade buyers desire the seamless operation of an all-wheel-drive system versus a more rugged four-wheel-drive unit designed for aggressive off-roading. So that means when your neighbor jacks one up with a lift kit, you can laugh even harder.