The definitive modern American muscle car: Cadillac CTS-V
By Straight-Six, published on 27 August 2010
You can’t help but look, can you? Over-sized, bulging muscles, ripped to the core and just as hard, we should be talking about body-builders. Instead, we’re pointing your eyeballs at the Cadillac CTS-V – a car we won’t hesitate to label the ultimate modern US muscle car. And it’s a sedan.
There’s so much history and debate about American muscle cars – which were the standard-bearers, whether they were ever that good and their undisputed impact on the industry and enthusiasts across the globe – that we don’t propose to drag you through it all on a Friday morning.
But given you’re undoubtedly looking forward to the excesses of the weekend, it might interest you to know that America finally delivered a car that could not only monster a straight line but was actually impressive round the twisty parts too. And it’s the latter that has really stunned everyone outside the US, for long have we ridiculed the floaty barges of American yore, with their piss-poor handling, antiquated suspensions, Friday-afternoon build and under-powered brakes.
The CTS-V has put a stop to all that now. With the same supercharged V-8 engine as the Corvette ZR1, this tight, butch sedan pumps out no less than 556 hp and 551 lb/ft of torque. Tying all this down to the asphalt is the impressive MagneRide technology, with magnetorheological fluid-fille dampers that adjust themselves every 1 millisecond. How impressive? Well, in early 2008 the CTS-V broke the production sedan record at the fabled Ring racetrack (Nurburgring Nordschleife for the anoraks) by achieving a lap time of 7:59.32. On road tires. In other words, if you had the stones and the skill, you could take one from the showroom and do the same yourself. And if we’ve understood this properly, then this record was set before the MagneRide technology was fitted…
Alas, this record didn’t stand for long as the bloated monk-fish that is the Porsche Panamera Turbo clocked a time of 7:56. But it costs a shitload more and possess none of the left-field sizzle that the Caddy does. So there!
I guess what we’re struck by is the angular design that Cadillac has been wielding to semi-successful effect of late. Truth be told, we’d say the CTS-V is more intriguing than beautiful. But that’s what we’re looking for in this day and age of mimickery by the Germans, who dominate the performance sedan segment (BMW M5; Audi RS6; M-B E63/C63). And guess what, the interior ain’t half-bad too.
Throw in a far from unreasonable sticker price and surprised accolades from the entire British pres corps (Clarkson, evo and the other droogs) and we think this is the real deal. A bonafide American muscle car that can sock it to the Europeans.
The definitive modern American muscle car: Cadillac CTS-V
You can’t help but look, can you? Over-sized, bulging muscles, ripped to the core and just as hard, we should be talking about body-builders. Instead, we’re pointing your eyeballs at the Cadillac CTS-V – a car we won’t hesitate to label the ultimate modern US muscle car. And it’s a sedan. There’s so much history [...]
7 Responses to “The definitive modern American muscle car: Cadillac CTS-V”
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Straight-Six
27 August 2010
Mike,
You’re obviously a fan and a believer, so thanks for dropping by! While you may very well be right re: the CTS-V being faster than the Panamera with the Sport Chrono Package (what is it, actually?), the Ring is an entirely different test altogether. One I would argue is far more telling about a car’s real performance than mere straight-line acceleration.
I think that’s what I really applaud about the CTS-V more than anything else: finally a US car that is the sum of its parts, not just brute power…
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Give me an M5, an RS6 or a Panamera. Give me a Quattroporte, an XFR or an AMG even. But please, not this monstrosity.
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Straight-Six
6 September 2010
Oh, you’re as daring and explorative as ever, ya old fart!
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I’m not saying it doesn’t have a certain brutish appeal. All I am saying is that they are at least six other cars that you’d buy before you ever seriously considered the Caddy.
Come on, admit it, you’d never – and I mean NEVER – consider spending your own money on one, would you?
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Straight-Six
6 September 2010
All of the other options are seriously expensive and if I were really looking for a 4-door replacement to my trusty E46 M3, well, the Caddy would be my first test-drive.
And what a furious little session that would be: thrashing it within an inch of its life to see if everything holds together…:)
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mike
27 August 2010
The Cadillac CTS-V 2009 Version is actually faster than the Porsche Panamera Turbo with the Sport Chrono Package for faster acceleration. Youtube has the Videos of Panamera Vs. CTS , and CTS wins , it’s the faster car in a straight line. The panamera’s top speed is also only 188mph, where the Cadillac can reach over 190mph+ !!! Cadillac’s have always been top notch Classics.