Unless your grandmother is the Little Old Lady from Pasadena, I don’t think she’ll be driving one of these.

1. Duel (1971): This TV movie featured Dennis Weaver vs. a 1955 Peterbilt truck that doesn’t need an actual driver. So good that a theatrical version was released twelve years later.
2. The Car (1977): “There’s nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, no way to stop…The CAR,” in this James Brolin vehicle (no pun intended) about a possessed car that drives around terrorizing innocent people.
3. Christine (1983): Can anyone top this film? Directed by John Carpenter and based on a novel by American Horror Master Stephen King, Christine is about a 1958 Plymouth Fury with a mind and heart of her own.
4. Speed Demon (2003): Supernatural hot rodders and a muscle car with a demonic hood ornament. What more do you need?
5. Black Cadillac (2004): This movie features a black cadillac with a penchant for tormenting college students. Randy Quaid, as the sheriff, may be the only recognizable name in the cast, though.

This upswing in the SUV market is apparently surprising carmakers as well as the general public. GM has had to authorize overtime at their production plant in Arlington, TX, where the Cadillac Escalade and Chevrolet Tahoe are made, because they have such low inventories of these models. USA Today reports that employees there are working 10 hours a day and on Saturdays to meet demand. As well, both Nissan and Toyota are having difficulties keeping up with the demand for their 2011 QX56 Infiniti and Sequoia, respectively.

So, why are SUVs so popular again? Several news sources are speculating that it might be related to forthcoming regulations that could make these vehicles, if not rare, than at least incredibly expensive to own or operate, because of more stringent Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards. Stable gas prices, currently at $275/gallon may be a factor as well.

Large SUV sales are good for automakers because it’s basically like “printing cash,” says Jim Hall at 2953 Analytics. That’s because traditional body-on-frame SUVS share much of their hardware with full-size pickup trucks.

And how are compact cars faring in this market? Interestingly, not so well. They’ve only seen a 14% growth rate so far this year.

In order to connect, passengers must posses a SIM card with a data plan, or a Bluetooth-enabled phone that is capable of being tethered to the car’s “infotainment” system. Audi is not charging any fees, so the only cost, other than the price to add the accessory, is whatever your wireless carrier charges for the use of data.

Audi has yet to determine availability and pricing for the system here in the United States, but representatives of the company say that the mobile internet option will likely be offered on American models.

For those who feel the Audi A8‘s pricetag is a bit steep, but still want to keep the ‘net at their fingertips while traveling, mobile internet solutions have been built into the latest version of Ford Sync, and are available via dealer-installed accessories in the Cadillac CTS and various Chrysler vehicles.

According to the folks at Audi, details about the system’s U.S. availability and pricing have yet to be determined. However, they say the mobile internet option will very likely be offered on American A8s.

According to GM spokesman Alan Adler, its vehicles either have brakes strong enough to allow a stop within 554 feet when traveling at 60 mph, or have override systems. Models sporting brake overrides already include the Cadillac CTS-V and STS-V, the Chevrolet Corvette, Camaro V8, Malibu L4, Colorado V8, Cobalt and HHR, and the GMC Canyon V8. He also said that adding the overrides to more of his company’s models will require the activation of a GM-developed algorithm that each vehicle’s brake system already includes.

In a statement to the press, GM Vice Chairman Tom Stephens said that installing this technology would give extra reassurance to consumers. Adding brake-overrides will also help GM be better prepared for any regulatory changes that may be caused by the aftermath of Toyota’s issues. Last month, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said that his agency may propose mandatory brake-override systems on all new vehicles. At that time only GM and Honda, among all major auto manufacturers, were without such systems – or firm plans to implement them – in their vehicles.

Automotive News reports that Toyota has issued a statement as well, stating that it will be installing brake-overrides on seven current models, and will introduce the system on all models for the American market by next year. Currently, about one-fifth of the U.S. Toyota vehicles sport this technology.

An unnamed source at General Motors says plans for an electrically-driven luxury Cadillac are still moving forward, though no decision has been made about what that car will ultimately be.

At the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, the Converj concept car was introduced, but it was essentially Cadillac’s version of the Chevy Volt electric car, a compact car already scheduled to go into production late next year. The Volt is plug-in electric with a gasoline engine used to generate electricity for long-range driving, but it can travel up to 40 miles under it’s electric power charge before it must rely on gas.

While the Cadillac electric car in the works is likely to resemble the Converj, it won’t be exactly like the Volt. Why not? In a word, luxury.

Cadillac, it seems, has learned from it’s first hybrid offerings like the 2010 Escalade Hybrid, and what its learned is that customers are generally not willing to sacrifice the comfort, features and performance they’ve come to expect from the brand.

What does Cadillac say about plans for an upcoming electric?

In an interview with CNN Money spokesman David Caldwell put it quite succinctly: “We’re not in a position of announcing anything like that.”

http://www.carseek.com/reviews/cadillac/2010-escalade-hybrid/