Lewis Shaw
New 2015 Cadillac CTS-V is a Caddy for the racetrack not the golf course.
Cadillac has revealed its new super saloon weapon to take on the autobahn storming Germans and it’s packing some serious firepower. Set to be unveiled at next month’s Detroit auto show, the new model will of course be powered by a big American V8. But unlike the last CTS-V which had a supercharged V8 from the Camaro ZL1, the new model gets the fire-breathing LT4 6.2-litre supercharged V8 from the new Corvette Z06 and makes a whopping 640hp and 640lb-ft.
The motor is a total monster and easily out-classes its German rivals in terms of outright grunt. The most powerful BMW M5 to date develops 600hp, while the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG makes do with 585hp and both cars take more than four seconds to reach 60mph. The new Caddy takes just 3.7 seconds. And where the German cars are all fitted with speed-limiters, the American car does without and can top 200mph. This thing should be an absolute weapon.
Power goes through the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox which is hooked up to an electronic rear limited slip differential. The car is also fitted with adaptive dampers, while a monster brake package has been fitted to support the 200mph top speed claim. Front discs are 390mm and clamped by six-piston calipers with 19-inch alloys fitted as standard. Cadillac claim torsional rigidity of the sports model is up 25 per cent compared to the standard sedan while curb weight is 1880kg.
Visually the performance model gets new front and rear bumpers which are more aggressive than standard while an agro carbon fibre bonnet with power bulge and ventilation has also been fitted.
Indoors the new CTS-V can be optioned with Recaro sports seats and a Performance Data Recorder to provide telemetry and video from track days.
