Hennessey Cadillac Escalade gets 557 hp

The 2015 Cadillac Escalade is about as American as an SUV can be. We didn't find the 420-hp, 6.2-liter V8 lacking in any way, but if you want something with a little more grunt, Hennessey Performance Engineering and its HPE550 upgrade should help.

Hennessey says the HPE550 Escalade package bumps output to 557 hp and 542 lb-ft of torque with the help of a belt-driven supercharger producing 6 psi. Those gains are 32 percent and 18 percent, respectively, over the stock power and torque numbers.

Hennessey also adds an intercooler system, engine management software and all the necessary gaskets, fluids and hardware.

“The new 2015 Cadillac Escalade is the perfect platform for a Hennessey infusion of horsepower,” said founder and president John Hennessey. “It's luxurious, spacious and cries out for personalization and more performance.”

The Escalade is the most glamorous way to get the HPE550 package, but any of the new stock 6.2-liter engines will accept it. That means owners of the 2015 GMC Yukon Denali, 2014-2015 GMC Sierra and 2014-2015 Chevy Silverado can upgrade their trucks and SUVs too.

The HPE550 upgrade costs $15,950, and comes with a three-year/36,000-mile warranty. Hennessey also offers a set of 20-inch forged rims for $6,950, and a handful of other bits.

Get more information at Hennessey Performance.

By Jake Lingeman