The New Cadillac CTS-V - Cheating off Einstein

Cadillac has done what any good student would do if they sat next to Einstein, they conscionable cheated off their schoolfellow. And the Einstein in this tale is the greatest American Muscle car; the Corvette ZR-1!

Let's quickly get to the meat of the new CTS-V. The 6.2-liter LSA engine is a detuned version of the Corvette ZR-1 LS9 which is supercharged. The Cadillac CTS-V engine keeps the same Eaton roots type supercharger. The air is cooled via an air-to-air intercooler before being crammed into the engine. So how many ponies does this rocket create? 556 horsepower and 550 rubber shredding lb-ft of torque! 0-60 mph times are at 3.9 seconds which is faster than a ton of much more expensive supercars including a few Lamborghini’s and Ferrari’s.

And how overpriced is the CTS-V? Priced at $60,000 the 2009 Cadillac CTS-V is the uncompromising performing luxury car that money can buy. This Cadillac broke the record for a saloon car on factory tires at the noted Nurburgring. With a sub 8-minute lap minute this car is shoulder to shoulder with the heavyweights in the automobile business. The CTS-V ran lap times close to the cream of the crop: Corvette, Viper, Lamborghini, Porsche, and Ferrari. And yes this car does have 4-doors and a luxury interior.

The Cadillac CTS-V also gets some more goodies from the Corvette parts bin. The CTS-V transmission come equipped with either a 6-speed manual or an automatic also from the Corvette. The Caddy rolling stock consists of 19-inch rims with Michelin high performance tires, and Brembo brakes. The driver is held in place by 14-way adjustable Recaro racing designed for those spirited drives.

Cadillac aims to dethrone the BMW M5 and Mercedes E63 AMG which are both some $25,000 more expensive. Many dear to the BMW name cannot accept the CTS-V's superior performance for less. They also complain about the CTS-V’s exterior design, but looks are in the eye of the beholder, and the proof is in the pudding concerning the performance numbers.

So does the new 2009 Cadillac CTS-V have enough to become the top of the luxury car pile? Well, for $25k less, the overwhelming answer should be yes!

By Thomas Rosquin. See a information and a video of the Cadillac CTS-V at the Chicagoland Cadillac Dealers website.