Coolcharger
Upfitted with a brake, suspension, and custom wheel/tire package, there's
a lot more to the XS-500 than merely a centrifugal blower. Yet the supercharger
alone has much to offer. Called the Coolcharger, this unit from DPPI ( Dyno-Proven
Products, Inc. ) features a CNC-machined, A-365 aerospace aluminum housing with
ceramic bearings. Its no-maintenance design eliminates the need for any oil
/ lubrication or an intercooler, which means there are no oil lines to connect
to the engine and no potential for oil contamination, heat buildup or heat transfer
to the air supply caused by typical high oil temperatures. Cooler temperatures
allow for a denser oxygen intake and better performance. 
The system also includes high-volume replacement fuel injectors, and a Proprietary
Programmed PCM ( Power Control Module ) that re-maps the air /fuel ratio, ignition
curve and transmission shift points to meet the very different requirements
of a supercharged engine. The company was provided unusual access to GM's engine
division and software codes in order to program the PCM properly.
Relentless
With a boost level at 7.5 pounds, DPPI claims a 0-60 mph time of less than 6.5 seconds with 18-inch wheels ( larger wheels are optional, and 22s are the most popular ).
While those numbers seem attainable in optimum conditions, this premium-grade SUV isn't meant to be a dragster. The virtue of a centrifugal blower is that the power boost comes on smoothly and builds relentlessly from the mid-range to the top end. (In contrast, Roots type and twin-screw superchargers usually supply lots of power off the line, but peak earlier in the powerband.) This particular unit features an internal cog-belt drive that eliminates the typical gear whine of a supercharger.
Due to DPPI's different approach, the power in the XS-500 arrives so seamlessly
and noiselessly that it feels like a factory install. We found ourselves looking
down at the speedometer and suddenly realizing that we were cruising at 80 or
90 mph, and didn't realize how we got there so easily. ( A radar detector should
be included with this package! ) 
Installing a blower on an SUV is not the big news here, however. The performance
aftermarket has been doing this upgrade for years. What's different is that
this performance package is now available on the Escalade and EXT models through
more than 65 Cadillac dealers nationwide, and the number is growing daily. Apparently
that debatable message about high-powered SUVs being unpatriotic never got through
to these dealers and their customers.Beyond the obvious appeal of a hard-charging
luxury SUV, there's supplemental warranty coverage that mirrors the original
factory warranty for these vehicles. Underwritten by American Reinsurance, this
warranty program enables new car dealers to sell our supercharged ultimate performance
vehicles with the same warranty coverage as stock vehicles," notes Peter
Bayer, President of Dyno-Proven Products, Inc.
PowrPak
For those who just don't want all that much more power ( or maybe have some
compunction about it ), DPPI offers a milder upgrade (separate from the XS-500
package) called the PowrPak, consisting of a high-flow replacement air filtration
system, a Dyno-Proven stainless steel Cat-Back exhaust system and re-programmed
PCM ( computer ). The PowrPak is said to add 42 hp to the 5.3 liter V-8, and
60 hp to the HO 6.0 liter. The interesting thing is that this modification actually
improves fuel economy by as much as 10 percent, so it's not as politically incorrect
as some might think. 
In addition to these power choices, DPPI offers suspension package on the XS-500
that lowers the AWD ( All Wheel Drive ) models two to three inches, depending
on the progressive-rate springs used. It not only provides easier entry and
exit, but also reduces body roll, improves steering response and provides the
ride quality associated with a European luxury sports sedan. During our test
drive, we found that the vehicle cornered without that queasy lean we've come
to expect of tall SUVs. Yet the taut suspension delivered a comfortable ride
at the same time.
As for the brake options, those classy Boyd Coddington custom wheels come to a clenching halt thanks to a set of StopTech brakes. In before-and-after testing on a Tahoe ( a close cousin to the Escalade ), these binders reduced stopping distances from highway speeds by nearly half a vehicle length. This improvement is
due in part to a stiffening bridge in the four-piston calipers, which produces a higher net effective clamping force. Moreover, the extra ventilation provided by the Aerorotor design improves thermal efficiency by as much as 100 percent for greater resistance to fade.
Buyers can also opt for the Baer six-piston brakes with slotted and cross-drilled rotors, and a range of wheel and tire sizes. Depending on those selections, the up-charge
for the XS-500 goes for something in the low $20K range.
In addition to the Escalade, DPPI offers similar performance packages for full-size Chevrolet/GMC SUVs with 4.8-, 5.3-, 5.7-, and 6.0-liter engines. The bottom
line is that a DPPI Coolcharger achieves big-block performance with the fuel consumption of a small-block V-8. Which means you can attain politically
correct high performance on virtually any GM SUV.
Resource
Dyno-Proven Products, Inc., 570 Mamaroneck Avenue, Mamaroneck, NY 10543, (888) 781-6968, email: info@dyno-proven.com.
4225 Mission Bay Drive, San Diego, CA 92109
TOLL FREE ( 877 ) 490-4967 - ( 858 ) 490-1130 - ( 858 ) 272-3679 FAX
Monday - Friday 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
E-mail Xtreme Motor Sports