The Cadillac Escalade was first introduced in 1999. The first generation Escalade, also known as the GMT 400, was Cadillac's first entry into the luxury SUV market, and was almost entirely based on the GMC Yukon Denali. This initial generation of Escalade was fitted with a 5.7L V8 engine, and was built until 2000, when it was replaced by the Second Generation Cadillac Escalade.