After a full day behind the wheel of the 2016 Cadillac CTS-V performance sedan, here’s my assessment: the V-Series has a transcendent split personality. The $85,000 American roadrunner works just as well as a luxurious daily commuter, as it does as a weekend racer.
I drove the ATS-V in the spring, at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Tex.— so I knew what to expect in my recent drive of the CTS-V at the infamous four-mile, 14-turn Road America road course in Plymouth, Wisc. I was not disappointed.
Let’s start with the CTS-V’s motorsports persona. The latest CTS-V delivers 640 horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque. It boasts a 0-60 mph sprint time of just 3.7 seconds. And it is Cadillac’s first factory vehicle to grant a top speed of 200 miles per hour. This performance is provided by an authoritative 6.2-liter supercharged V8, coupled to an 8-speed automatic transmission, controlled by algorithm-based paddle shifters.
Meanwhile, when sitting in the CTS-V, I found an interior dripping with opulence. Consider this impressive list of features: Recaro High Performance Front Seats ($2,300); a Performance Data Recorder ($1,300); 19-inch After Midnight spins ($900) outfitted in specialty Michelin rubber; Magnetic Ride Control; and a Brembo brake package ($595). On the geeky side, the CTS-V’s technological sophistication is evident via a configurable 12.3-inch instrument cluster equipped with Apple CarPlay; 4G LTE WiFi; BOSE audio; and wireless device charging.
Cadillac’s tech is also aimed at safety. The safety-alert seat vibrates when you switch lanes without signaling. The Driver Awareness Package includes Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure Warning, and Side Blind Zone Alert with Lane Change Alert. If you drift out of the lane, the vehicle nudges itself back within the lines. It felt odd for the car to take over some control, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.
The exterior features also serve the CTS-V’s dual functions: performance and style. This Cadillac strikes an absolutely menacing pose—with its carbon fiber hood, sporty chin splitter, rear spoiler, rocker panels, Gurney lips, quad pipes, and a V-Series grille. The carbon fiber package brings 150 pounds more down force than the previous car.
Where the Rubber Hits the Road
Credit for the CTS-V’s motorsports capabilities goes, in no small part, to the 6-piston front and 4-piston rear Brembo brake package with Duralife coated and vented rotors, and fixed Gray calipers. My ride had the red calipers. High-speed traction was provided by Michelin’s vehicle specific Pilot Super Sport 265/35ZR19 front and 295/30ZR19 rear tires. They feature three unique Michelin rubber compounds, a steel belt package borrowed from Michelin’s racing tires, and dual purpose tread for both daily driving and track aggression.
After getting tips from a track instructor, I pranced around Road America to feel the difference between the various levels of the 5-Mode Performance Traction Management system. I dialed through the options—dialing through the stability settings programs, and dumbing it down to allow more slip. We whisked through the slalom and played with launch control—when the engine matches its brute force horsepower and torque, and minimizes wheel hop and tire shredding.
Then, the moment of truth: I unleashed the 640 horses down the backstretch. That was the highlight of my summer.
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