Cadillac Goes All-In On Lake Of The Ozarks Shootout, With A Mystery Car On Display Saturday

It's Shootout week, and in addition to all the flashy boats, a luxury car brand is showing up this year in a big way: Cadillac.

Chris Wilson, owner of Van Chevrolet Cadillac Subaru in Kansas City, says he convinced Cadillac to give the Lake a look.

"I just started cold calling executives at Cadillac," he said. "I said, 'You guys have to get down here. You have to see what this is.'"

Once the luxury car brand realized the Shootout was exactly "their people," Wilson says they decided to show up.

Last year, Cadillac sent 40 Escalades that largely served as VIP shuttles for attendees traveling around the Shootout sites. This year, Wilson says, not only has Cadillac doubled that number, they're also holding an exhibition event for Shootout attendees.

Several elite Cadillac vehicles will be arrayed at a specially built display area at Oasis at Lake of the Ozarks. Oasis developer Fred Ross funded a dedicated slab to be poured specifically for this event, Wilson said. There will also be areas to mingle, grab a beverage, and get some shade, he added, calling the event a must-see for anyone into high-end cars.

The Cadillacs Coming To Lake Of The Ozarks

• Cadillac Escalade-V — the 682-horsepower performance version of Cadillac’s flagship SUV.

• Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing — Wilson described the high-performance sedan as a rare car, with a manual-transmission version among the vehicles coming to the Lake.

• Cadillac Celestiq — Cadillac’s ultra-exclusive, hand-built electric flagship, which Wilson said can reach the $400,000–$600,000 range depending on configuration. Among the bougie options: leather flooring.

Attendees at the Performance Boat Center party on Thursday night got a peek at those vehicles. But one was absent from the mix. Wilson called it "a car I've never seen," but said he's not allowed to share any more details before Saturday.

"It’s something that you'll see that has this global connection with the brand of Cadillac," he said. And for those who come to see it, he said, "Instantaneously you'll understand what I'm talking about."

That car will be on display Saturday, along with the rest.

The event will be open to the public, with more than 100 dock slips available at Oasis for those arriving by water and shuttles running between Dog Days and Oasis for those arriving by land.

So yes, the Shootout is about fast boats. But this year, the fast cars deserve some attention too.