First Drive Review
The pieces just keep falling into place at Cadillac. Two years ago, the division unveiled the CTS, a distinctive-looking luxury car with a capable chassis. Earlier this year, we took our first drive in the SRX, a luxury crossover SUV that combines performance with three-row seating. Three months ago, we were charmed by the XLR luxury roadster. Now we've had a crack at the division's first dedicated high-performance model, the CTS- V, and Cadillac has really wowed us this time.
At its essence, the V-series is a CTS energized by the LS6 V-8, which normally resides in the Z06 Corvette. Rated at 400 horsepower—82 percent more than the current V-6—the pushrod V-8 transforms the CTS into a completely different animal. And as you might expect, there's more to the V-series than just a powerful engine.
In addition to exterior cues, such as a Bentleylike wire-mesh grille, a new front fascia with additional air intakes, low-slung bodywork all around, stainless-steel exhaust tips, and numerous interior alterations, the CTS has been thoroughly reengineered to properly harness the V-8's 400 ponies and 390 pound-feet of torque.
By the way, these figures, which are 5 ponies and 10 pound-feet down from the Z06 application, seem pessimistic. With more room for free-flowing intake and exhaust components in the CTS than in the Corvette, it's hard to see why the LS6 would lose any output.
Shoehorning the 5.7-liter pushrod V-8 into the CTS engine compartment wasn't terribly difficult, but it did require a new accessory-drive package, dedicated engine-mount brackets, new exhaust manifolds, and several other minor changes. The engine is coupled to a Tremec six-speed manual transmission that has the guts of the Corvette's close-ratio Z06 gearbox in a new housing. This was necessary because the CTS doesn't share the Corvette's transaxle layout.
An enlarged driveshaft 70 millimeters in diameter, fitted with heavy-duty constant-velocity joints, transmits the powertrain output to a limited-slip differential with 3.73 gears, oil baffles, and extra cooling fins cast into its housing.
To cope with the massive power, the V-series gets hefty Brembo disc brakes with four-piston calipers at all corners. The front rotors measure 14.0 inches across and 1.3 inches thick—2.1 inches bigger in diameter than the discs on the standard CTS. Along with the heroic brakes, the CTS- V gets tauter monotube shocks that have grown from 36mm to 46mm in diameter, 27-percent-stiffer springs, and a larger front anti-roll bar.
Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 245/ 45ZR-18 96W run-flat tires mounted on 8.5-inch-wide aluminum wheels provide additional grip for the muscular CTS. A host of subtle modifications ranging from a shock-tower brace in the engine compartment to heavier-gauge metal in the rear powertrain cradle ensures that the V-series body doesn't flex excessively under the increased acceleration, braking, and cornering loads it must bear.
