Platinum Motorsport of Los Angeles, California has posted photos to its Instagram account of a 2021 Cadillac Escalade ESV that it had customized for a famous client – socialite and reality TV star Kim Kardashian.
The base vehicle is described as an Escalade Platinum ESV. The ESV reference – short for Escalade Stretch Vehicle – shows that this is the extended-wheelbase Escalade, which is 15 inches longer than the regular model. However, neither version has a trim level called Platinum. What is available is either Sport Platinum or Premium Luxury Platinum. It is unclear which of the two trims the company used for the vehicle in question.
Whatever the answer to that mystery may be, Kim Kardashian’s Escalade has been lowered, painted in KK Silver and fitted with 26-inch wheels of Platinum Motorsport’s own design. The wheel design is a matter of taste, but we reckon the silver paintwork works very well. It isn’t too flashy, and it contrasts nicely with the darker elements on the vehicle.
Although the photos show that Platinum Motorsport is capable of very high-quality work, there may be another reason why it was given the commission. The company was founded in 1997 by brothers George and Jack Keshishyan, an Armenian name. Perhaps this is at least partly why Kim Kardashian approached Platinum, since her surname is also Armenian. If not, it’s a nice coincidence.
The Cadillac Escalade is currently in the first model year of its fifth generation. At launch, it was available only with the naturally-aspirated 6.2L V8 gasoline engine (production code L87), which produces 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. However, production of the turbodiesel version has recently started. This one is powered by the 3.0 I6 engine rated at 277 horsepower and the same 460 pound-feet of torque. Both engines are mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission.
The Escalade is currently the fourth fastest-selling new vehicle in the U.S. In February, it spent an average of 16.6 days sitting on dealer lots between arrival and sale, well ahead of the industry average of 48.9 days. That’s likely the reason that Cadillac is not offering any incentives on it in April.
In the United States, the Escalade nameplate has been associated with famous and wealthy people for many years. Cadillac recently emphasized the connection by asking celebrities Tiffany Haddish, Sofia Vergara, Joe Manganiello, Allison Holker Boss, Stephen Boss and Kevin and Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers to take part in a promotional video for the Escalade’s Super Cruise semi-autonomous driver assistance system.
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