An Audi RS6 has 571bhp. A Mecedes-AMG E63 has 585bhp. A BMW M5 has close to 600bhp. So how many horses do you think Cadillac’s take on the super saloon, the CTS-V, is packing? 550bhp? Perhaps 580bhp? Nope, it’s got a frankly ludicrous 640bhp. That’s more powerful than a Ferrari 458 Speciale, Lamborghini Huracan, and Porsche 911 Turbo S. This is a four-door executive sedan remember. Yes, the good old American tradition of excess is still well and truly alive.
That power comes from a new supercharged 6.2-litre V8. The supercharger’s rotors are smaller than its predecessors allowing the engine to reach higher rpms. In short, she’s gonna be a screamer. Torque is rated at 855NM. Power is sent to the rear axle via an 8-speed automatic, with paddle shifters of course. With more power and torque than the Germans, and in fact more than a few supercars, the CTS-V is good for a 0-100 km/h sprint of just 3.7 seconds. Top speed is claimed to be “over 320 km/h”. The best thing about this epic engine is it comes with cylinder de-activation, which is the best justification for getting a supercharged V8 super-sedan.
Don’t think this is an old-fashioned American muscle car. The CTS-V comes with some very modern and impressive tech. It comes with revised Magnetic Ride Control dampers, which are 40% more responsive than before. There’s the obligatory driver mode functions that have four different settings; Tour, Sport, Track, Snow. Six-piston 390mm front discs and four-piston 365mm Brembo brakes are used to bring the CTS-V to a halt while an electronic limited slip diff should help keep up with the Europeans around corners. Surprisingly, for an American, the CTS-V is relatively light. At 1880kg it’s around 85kg less than the Bavarian model and more or less on par with Stuttgart’s beast.
It has the power, the tech, and the heritage. But we can’t ignore the way this looks. Equal parts gangsta bling and gangster scary, this is one very impressive looking thing. Compared to the Teutonic Germans, the Cadillac is very much an American football game full of pomp and ceremony. To some the lashings of bonnet scoop, the side gills, the rear diffuser with quad-exhausts, and carbon-fibre may seem a tad over-the-top but it suits the nature of this brute. Can’t even begin to imagine the noise it’d make. Yes, the Americans have certainly declared war on hallowed (German) grounds. Who’s side will you pick?
[…] This article was originally posted by me on Auto Clique NZ […]