I grabbed my ponytail and dragged it down to the nape of my neck before pulling on the black head sock. Then I plunked a medium helmet on my head. I hate wearing a helmet, but I was more than willing to follow the track rules for a chance to take the all-new 2009 Cadillac CTS-V for a spin on the members-only track at the Monticello Motor Club in Monticello, N.Y.
After my first lap, all I had to say was: Wow.
That “wow” was punched into place by a 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 engine that delivers 556 horsepower and 551 pounds to feet of torque. This is the most powerful engine that has ever graced the Cadillac lineup in its 106-year history.
Sure those are nice numbers that might force a manly grunt from your throat, but what does that mean exactly? For you and me, it means a 0-to-60-mph time of 3.9 seconds. For professional racing driver John Heinricy on the Nordschleife (north track) of the famed Nurburgring racetrack in Nurburg, Germany, that means a lap time of 7:59:32.
Think about that a minute: That’s a little more than 14 miles in just less than eight minutes. Coincidentally, that appears to be the fastest publicly documented lap time for a production sedan.
And you can own it.
I fell in love with the CTS when it was launched for the 2008 model year, and it quickly fell into the running for favorite-car status. It drove phenomenally well, was comfortable, fast and technologically savvy. In essence, it was everything I could possibly want in a car.
The CTS-V is that times 10. Times 100. And I’d love to see the car that can top it on my favorite list for 2009. I’m not sure it’s possible.
In fact, I’d go so far as to say the rear-wheel drive CTS-V is the be-everything car. It could be a family car you can take on a road trip, comfortable certainly for four. It has 13.6 cubic feet of cargo volume in the trunk and for the first time is offered with an available Hydra-Matic 6L90 six-speed automatic transmission. But, with a quarter-mile time of 12 seconds at 118 mph, this is, without a doubt, a car that is perfectly at home on a racetrack. Then again, it’s a functional car, full of class that you can drive to work on Monday.
Of course, “be-everything” comes with a price. Though official pricing hasn’t been released, Cadillac execs hinted that the base price would ring in around $60,000, and a fully loaded CTS-V would top out around $70,000. This is about an $8,000 increase over the 2007 model year. Is it worth it? Oh, yeah.
In addition to that power-packed V-8 engine, there are several technical enhancements that aid the overall performance of this phenomenal vehicle. First and foremost, the magnetic ride control gives excellent connection to the road during aggressive driving. It uses electro-magnets rather than mechanical valves in the shocks and electric sensors at all four wheels.
With incredible force and capability, it’s nice to know the CTS-V also has incredible stopping power. The Brembo brakes at all four wheels have six-piston calipers in the front and four-piston calipers in the rear. The tires backing the 19-inch tires are specially developed Michelin Pilot Sport 2 summer tires.
All of this combines to form one heck of a ride.
The track at the Monticello Motor Club was four miles long and had 22 turns. Not your average oval by a long shot. But it was the perfect place to see what the CTS-V could do.
At the start the instant punch of acceleration goes right to your gut, and the power in this vehicle is almost startling. Going into the first curve, you can feel that the ride is smooth yet sporty. I tend to be a conservative driver on a track, but I managed to get the CTS-V up to 125 mph on one of the straightaways before backing it down, and I did have a couple of tire-squealing corners that brought a flip to my stomach and a smile to my face.
But to get a real sense of what the CTS-V could do, I spent some time in the passenger seat with lead development engineer Chris Berube behind the wheel. We flew around the track, squealing around corners and hitting speeds around 140 mph. We had a couple of rear-end sliding moments but no lack of control. Then again, Berube knew what he was doing and had spent countless hours behind the wheel of this car – on and off the track. It was a beautiful thing to see, actually. A man and his creation pushing the limits of what a midsize luxury sedan can do.
We were able to test both the six-speed automatic transmission and the new TR6060 six-speed manual transmission. Both did very well, with quick starts and nice acceleration. I played with the sport mode on the automatic and found it to be really well geared. However, while the automatic transmission was nice, I have to say the manual transmission was brilliant. The short throw was smooth and easy, and though the clutch is a bit stiff, you get used to it.
My one disappointment with the CTS-V’s performance was the quiet, quiet engine. Even though we’re talking about Cadillac, when you have 556 horses under the hood, you want to hear it.
The CTS-V carries on the new design styling introduced with the 2008 CTS, but adds some performance-laden accents that cue the “V.” On the outside, you’ll notice the grille is larger and features a satin finish, the hood is raised to fit the supercharged engine, and the vehicle sits on 19-inch wheels. Inside, aside from the V badging, the CTS-V has Obsidian material on the center stack, center console and door trim. Optional features on the CTS-V include Recaro performance driving seats and microfiber material added to the steering wheel, seats and shifter.
I spent some time in the Recaro seats, and they were really comfortable, except for the side bolsters. I was too thin for them to do me any good, though the concept is brilliant. You can adjust the bolsters to fit your body both at the thighs and the ribs for support during aggressive driving.
Off the track, we spent a couple hours in normal driving situations, and I found the CTS-V to be just as suited to daily driving as it was to the racetrack. It was comfortable and fun, elegant and sporty. I liked the pop-up navigation screen and analog clock on the center stack, and the gearshift was in the perfect place to rest your hand between shifts.
After a day in the CTS-V, if I had to pick just one word to describe it, that word would be eloquent. Eloquently powered. Eloquently styled. Well, done Cadillac.
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