The minds at Hennessey are constantly working on something new, and its latest is a potent upgrade for the Cadillac Escalade. The H650 tune is available for the luxury SUV and any another other L87-powered SUV from General Motors, for that matter. The kit increases the engine’s output ratings, improving the vehicle’s real-world performance capabilities.
The tuned Cadillac makes a brutish 650 horsepower (484 kilowatts) and 659 pound-feet (893 Newton-meters) of torque. The Escalade-V delivers 682 hp (508 kW) and 653 lb-ft (885 Nm) of torque from its 2.7-liter supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine. The stock Cadillac engine churns out just 420 hp (313 KW) and 460 lb-ft (623 Nm) of twist, seeing a 55 percent increase in output. On the dynamometer, the tuned Escalade puts 520 hp (387 kW) and 536 lb-ft (726 Nm) of torque to its wheels.
Gallery: 2023 Cadillac Escalade H650 By Hennessey
The increased power can send the Cadillac to 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour) in 5.3 seconds, which is better than the 6.1 seconds needed for the stock Escalade. The tuned SUV can also complete the quarter-mile in 13.5 seconds, a full second quicker than the standard model.
Hennessey ekes out an extra 230 hp (171 kW) from the 6.2-liter L87 V8 by adding a 2.9-liter supercharger, an intercooler, and a stainless steel cat-back exhaust system. The company also enhanced the engine management software and added crankcase ventilation, leaving the suspension, drive, and all-wheel-drive modes unaltered.
“Our team is very excited about this supercharging development for GM’s 6.2-liter V8,” said company founder and CEO John Hennessey, adding that it offers GM SUV owners the ability to increase their vehicle’s output.
Hennessey’s engine upgrade is available for any L87-powered General Motors vehicle, including the Chevrolet Suburban, Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and others from 2021 onward. The upgrade costs $27,950, excluding the cost of the SUV. It’s available with a three-year, 36,000-mile warranty from the aftermarket specialist, and each example receives a serial-numbered engine plaque. Each vehicle undergoes a final performance assessment that tests it on the track and dyno before Hennessey delivers it to the customer.
