In the rarified air of mega-priced Super Sport Sedans, Cadillac’s high-velocity ‘V’ kicks ass and takes names!
Here comes trouble!
By now there’s hardly an enthusiast around who doesn’t know that the CTS-V and a generation of C6 Corvettes have spent development time at Nurburgring’s legendary Nordschleife. Racer and retired GM engineer and head of its Performance Division, John Heinricy with support from Vice-Chairman Robert “Maximum Bob” Lutz, have lead the charge to create world-class performance vehicles. GM, following in the tire tracks of Europe’s luxury-performance carmakers, has been using the ‘Ring for sorting out its specialty models for a few years.
The CTS-V earned its bragging rights after Heinricy set a 7.59-minute lap record for production sedans at Nurburgring. Certainly impressive. But how well does it perform in the real world? Can it cut it on the street or a drag strip? Hey, just look at the V’s stats: O to 60 mph in the mid-4s, 0 to 100 in under 10 seconds and low-to-mid 12-second quarters with trap speeds between 112-115 mph. Thanks to sophisticated engine management and limited slip rear, maximum torque distribution to the pavement is ultra smooth without traces of wheel hop.
On a skid pad it’ll generate just under 0.95 Gs lateral acceleration thanks to its taut platform, magnetic ride control and sticky Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 shoes on 9.5X19-inch alloy wheels. Its four-wheel 14-inch Brembos can stop a runaway freight train! With an underhood “Monte Carlo” bar connecting front shock towers, Stabilitrak and 54/46% (FR) weight distribution, the almost 4,300 pound CTS-V is capable of blowing some six-figure imports into the weeds on track days. And if running top end turns you on, a CTS-V would be right at home on the Maxton Mile (North Carolina) where its speedo needle could be pegged at just over 190 mph. It’s the real deal!
Blown Corvette small-block generates 1.48 hp per cubic inch!
Powered by a 376-inch (6.2 liter) small-block topped off with a positive displacement Roots puffer, the V’s 9.0-to-1 Corvette-family engine generates 556 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and an mind-numbing 551 foot pounds of torque at 3,800 rpm. Max torque, which is what really matters, comes in at a very usable 3,800 rpm. It’s backed up by a choice of six-speed manual or six-speed 6L90 paddle-shifted automatic. With the 3.23 limited slip rear you can cruise at 60 mph and not see 2,000 rpm on the tach. The hard part, of course, is keeping it at 60 mph. At 60 mph the V feels likes it’s idling!
It was love at first shift for Ron Ciaravella who vintage races a Spice GTP car and flies a Lear (0.82 Mach) 25D. He knows fast.
To get some additional feedback I turned our V over to Dolphin Aviation’s Ron Ciaravella who races an ex-Pratt & Miller GTP Spice powered by a 6.3 liter Katech small-block and daily drives an Aston Martin Vantage. I figured he would not be as easily impressed as I. Wrong!
With Ron at the paddles we did what he calls One Lap Of SRQ (Sarasota Bradenton Airport) and if there had been an established record, he would have decimated it.
“When you run the engine up against the limiter at 6,200 rpm the CTS-V does not feel or sound like a passenger sedan. It hunkers down; screams and goes where you point it like a prepped track car. The adjustable Recaro seats ($3,400) and Alcantara covered steering wheel ($300) add to the racecar feel. Best of all it’s powered by a GM pushrod small-block, not some 32 or 48-valve, multi-cam mixmaster,” said Ron.
Priced at tens of thousands of dollars less than import competition and with fit and finish to match, the CTS-V represents an incredible value. With an MSRP of $60,720 and an as tested price of $69,440 (including $2,600 gas guzzler tax), the V showcases luxurious interior appointments and the performance (acceleration, ride & handing and stopping power) to back up its edgy, aggressive styling.
Bottomline: The 2010 CTS-V delivers a First Class performance experience at Coach pricing!
For more information about 2010 Cadillac vehicles,
please visit http://www.cadillac.com/model-lineup/