Here's Why Cadillac Fears The New Lincoln Navigator

For the first time in a decade the Navigator is competitive.

For years it was the Cadillac Escalade that defined SUV bling and did so splendidly. But it was the Lincoln Navigator, when it first debuted way back in 1997, that kicked off this whole luxury large SUV segment. Cadillac quickly caught up and while Lincoln made do with the occasional Navigator refresh, the Escalade was regularly redesigned. But things are different today with the arrival of an entirely new Navigator. As it turns out, Cadillac is kind of worried about it.

Bloomberg has learned that GM is now offering a $5,000 discount on new Cadillac Escalades in an effort to seduce potential Navigator buyers – but it’s only for current Lincoln owners. For this month, any current Lincoln owner who trades in a 1999 or newer model will benefit from Cadillac’s discount. Yes, the Escalade has extremely loyal buyers who trade them in regularly for the redesigned model, but now Cadillac wants those Navigator owners too. Remember, this is the first time the Navigator has been completely redesigned in 15 years, so naturally current Navigator owners are going to be curious about what’s new. Cadillac wants to eliminate that curiosity by dangling a $5,000 discount.

Of course, $5k really isn’t all that much considering the base price for the Escalade is already over $75,000. This segment of buyers isn’t particularly concerned about money, but everyone loves getting a good deal. Those who’ve driven the new Navigator are reporting that it’ll definitely give the Escalade a run for its money, so it won’t be all that long until it’s redesigned once again. But for now, Cadillac is concerned about the Navigator’s arrival. It'll be interesting to see if the discount works.