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Mercedes leads in US luxury car thefts

Mercedes-Benz makes some fine automobiles. The Silver Arrow'd cars are so good, apparently, that thieves can't help but try to steal them. The German brand is at the top of the charts for luxury car thefts in the US, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, with New York City leading the way. (And those New Yorkers complain about Detroit being bad!)
The C-Class was the most stolen model, with 485 ganked between 2009 and 2012 in NYC alone, while the E-Class and S-Class (which also boasted the worst recovery rate, at 59 percent) both finished in the top ten. Following the C-Class was the BMW 3 Series and Infiniti G. Not surprisingly, each of these were the most common models in their respective lineups. Los Angeles and Miami are also prime hotspots for luxury car thefts, according to the Detroit News report.
While getting your car stolen is pretty awful, there was one inspiring statistic compiled by the NICB - the average recovery rate across the board was 84 percent, with the Cadillac CTS getting recovered 91 percent of the time.

Chinese-made Cadillac CT6 Plug-In starts US sales

General Motors has started US sales of the Cadillac CT6 Plug-In after taking its first domestic deliveries of the China-produced sedan last month. The model is GM's first new plug-in hybrid in the US since the automaker discontinued sales of the ELR extended-range plug-in last year. The arrival and sales, first reported by InsideEVs, were confirmed by Cadillac spokesman Andrew Lipman. Not surprisingly, the sedan isn't cheap, as the CT6 Plug-In is priced at $75,095, or almost $12,000 more than the gas-powered variant, though that figure doesn't include federal and state tax credits for electric vehicles. For that tab, buyers get a 335-horsepower luxury car that can go 31 miles on electricity alone, and 0-60 miles per hour in a little over 5 seconds. The model gives GM three plug-in vehicles to sell to the American public, or the same number US competitor Ford offers. InsideEVs estimates that about 100 of the sedans have been delivered to US dealers, so the car remains a relatively low-volume affair. By comparison, GM's Chevrolet division has sold 5,563 Volt extended-range plug-ins and 3,092 Bolt electric vehicles through March. Cadillac sold 534 units of the ELR in 2016 after moving 1,024 the previous year. GM opted to produce the plug-in hybrid in China because of that country's receptiveness to new models that feature alternative and environmentally friendlier powertrains. Additionally, such production shortens the distance to the CT6's battery maker LG Chem, which is producing the car's battery packs in South Korea. On that note, GM has previously estimated that the Cadillac CT6 Plug-In will move more units in China than in the US. Related Video:

2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV Drivers' Notes Review | Old, but not antiquated

When the Cadillac Escalade debuted 20 years ago, car-based crossovers were just getting their start. The Escalade was and still is basically a Chevy Tahoe with new styling and a nicer interior. That's especially true today, as our test car has an interior that looks like it was lifted straight from a Cadillac CTS rather than a Chevy Silverado. Crossovers may be more comfortable and fuel efficient, but they can't hold a candle to towing and payload capabilities of a body-on-frame SUV. If you need to haul seven people and a full-size Airstream in quiet comfort, few options are better than the Escalade. This week, our tester was a long-wheelbase Escalade ESV. That means substantially more room both behind the third row and with the seats folded. The Premium Luxury trim sits in the middle of the lineup, but it still comes with a lot of goodies. Features include a Bose audio system, a digital instrument cluster, a heads-up display, heated and cooled leather seats, a heated steering wheel, tri-zone climate control, Magnetic Ride Control and a stout 6.2-liter V8. Options include upgraded leather for $2,000 and polished 22-inch wheels for $600. All in, this Escalade was just shy of $100,000. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: The Escalade is arguably Cadillac's best vehicle. It's a bold, body-on-frame SUV that feels decadently all-American. The Escalade is still contemporary even though it's been years since the ute has had a major redesign. I enjoyed a couple nights in this luxury bruiser. The V8 is powerful, and the 10-speed is a smart improvement. The command seating position is always welcome for me. The interior is nicely laid out, and the materials all look and feel upscale. Not a huge fan of Cadillac's touchscreen (no longer officially called CUE), but it seems to be getting better or I'm getting used to it. Love the Escalade's exterior design. It's dramatic, imposing and gives Cadillac something that's a true style-leader. All that being said, I'll be interested to see how Caddy iterates the Escalade. The Lincoln Navigator is an excellent product and a worthy adversary. Cadillac would be wise to keep its SUV flagship fresh. Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder: I was not excited to get into the Escalade. This is really not my cup of tea. I used to love the Chevy Suburban, but that fondness has languished as my tastes evolved as these huge vehicles have modernized, losing the charm that drew me to them when I was younger.