The
Escalade from Cadillac is undoubtedly the preferred car of rock stars, professional
athletes and Hollywood's red carpet elite, at Hennessey they have just tweaked
it a wee bit more. Hennessey Performance (HPE) has put in overtime developing a
supercharger upgrade for its new 6.2-litre direct-injected V8 engine. It's all
the better for sneaking up on the unsuspecting Mercedes GL63 AMG or Range Rover
Sport...that is, until the roar of the exhaust and subtle Hennessey branding
give you away!
"Our HPE550 Supercharged Escalade is the
perfect balance of attitude, performance and luxury. It's fast and versatile,
and proudly American," said Hennessey CEO and partner Don Goldman, a
statement issued to the media.
The HPE550 package serves up an impressive 557bhp
and 542 lb-ft of torque (735 Nm approx.) from the belt-driven supercharger
producing 6 psi of boost pressure, gains of 32pc and 18pc, respectively, over
stock. Extra power is nothing without reliability, so an air-to-water
intercooler system keeps charge temperatures low, and Hennessey's recalibrated
engine management computer optimises the air/fuel ratio throughout the rev
range. HPE is proud to back its HPE550 upgrade ($15,950 –Rs 9.74 lakh approx.--installed)
with a 3 year/36,000 mile powertrain warranty.
Further upgrades available include a set of
lightweight Hennessey H10 forged monoblock wheels ($6950---Rs 4.24 lakh approx.),
whose 20-in. diameter accepts the Escalade's factory tyres. The H10 wheels'
reduced rotating mass allows even more power to reach the tires-less energy spent
accelerating the wheel means more energy pushing the vehicle down the road.
"The new 2015 Cadillac Escalade is the
perfect platform for a Hennessey infusion of horsepower," said founder and
president John Hennessey, adding that, "It's luxurious, spacious and cries
out for personalisation and more performance.
I plan on making this our next family hauler for our five teenagers and
four Labrador Retrievers."
Source & Picture: Hennessey