Review: 2010 Cadillac CTS-V, King of the Super-sedans
2010 Cadillac CTS-V – Click above for high-res image gallery
BMW launched the era of the modern high-performance luxury sedan a quarter century ago with the M5. Blending the twin-cam 3.5-liter inline-six from the defunct M1 supercar with the mid-size 5 series body shell created a whole new segment. Since then numerous other automakers have joined the fray with the likes of the Jaguar XFR, Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG and Audi RS6.
When Cadillac introduced the original CTS it was meant to directly take on the likes of the E-Class and 5 series. In order to be taken completely seriously it was decided to create a similar high performance variant which was dubbed the CTS-V. The first generation CTS-V featured a 400 horsepower small-block V8 from the Corvette. This car was quick but still not as sophisticated as its European counterparts. This is a market segment that doesn't stand still and the European incumbents were approaching 500 hp and beyond with their entries. For its second generation, Cadillac intended to place the CTS-V firmly at the top of the super-sedan heap. Read on to find out if they succeeded.
Photos Copyright ©2010 Sam Abuelsamid / Max Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
The second generation Cadillac CTS-V debuted at 2008 Detroit Auto Show and this time around the engineers held nothing back as they aimed to be number one. The new high-performance model was built on the very solid foundation of the second generation CTS sedan. This time around the development crew did much more than simply drop in a bigger engine with bigger tires and brakes and stiffer suspension. This CTS-V is a thoroughly re-engineered car meant to be the best in the world.
The heart of any great automobile is the engine and the new V has the heart of a lion. It gets its own version of the fabulous supercharged V8 used in the Corvette ZR1. Compared to the 634 horsepower LS9 in the Vette, the Cadillac's LSA retains the same 6.2-liter displacement but uses a smaller version of the sixth-generation Eaton supercharger. The supercharger is belt driven so there is never any lag in response as there often is with turbocharged engines. Compared to earlier superchargers the lobes on the two rotors are now twisted around 160 degrees which keeps them in constant contact. In combination with more precise surface finish and tolerances, the new blower absorbs 35 percent less power than before while also being quieter.
The supercharger and an air to liquid inter-cooler are nestled in the valley between the two banks of the aluminum block. The bottom line is 556 horsepower and 551 pound-feet of torque with much of that torque available at just 1,500 rpm. By way of comparison the current M5 uses a normally aspirated 5.0-liter V10 that revs like crazy, but only produces 500 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque. More importantly for day to day driveability, the Cadillac's torque peaks at just 3,800, tops the BMW's maximum at 1,200 rpm and stays over 500 through much of its operating range.
While automotive snobs may deride this engine for its push-rod architecture and its heritage than can be traced back to the original Chevrolet small block V8 of 1955, it is thoroughly modern. It may not have fancy overhead cams or multiple valves but you can't argue with results. Plus this architecture makes the LSA more compact and lighter weight than many of its competitors.
Visually, the V builds on the successes of second generation CTS which introduced a more sophisticated and advanced iteration of the brand's "Art & Science" design language. This is a handsome mid-size sedan with muscular proportions. The design is much better integrated than the first generation CTS with its smooth bulging wheel well flares. It features all the elements that Cadillac design chief Clay Dean identifies as signatures of the brand. That includes the stacked, upright headlamps, the chiseled, vertical tail-lamps that evoke the classic Cadillac tail-fins and the sharp crease that runs the length of the body from the front air dam to the rear bumper. As described by Dean, that crease is meant to evoke the same upscale look as a good pair of pressed, tailored slacks.
The visual transformation of a CTS into a V occurs primarily in the front. Like previous V models from Cadillac, the CTS gets a mesh grille that hearkens back to Le Mans Bentleys of the 1930s. Engines that produce as much power as the LSA need plenty of air for both breathing and cooling. This is accommodated with a larger air intake below the bumper. Additional air intakes at the lower front corners share space with the fog lamps and duct cooling air to the front brakes. At the rear, the high mounted center stop lamp along the upper edge of the trunk lid is enlarged and acts as a spoiler to add some down-force.
One of the complaints leveled against the original CTS was that even though the interior was expensive to produce, it didn't look like it. The current edition is both far more attractive and befitting of the class this car is meant to compete in. Even in standard CTS models, the dashboard, door panels and seats are covered in hand-sewn leather. The horizontal trim strips that bisect the dash, doors run along the edges of the console are available in either high-grade woods or carbon fiber. Our test CTS-V featured the $600 Midnight Sapele wood option.
The standard leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob were replaced with examples trimmed in the same black suede that also adorns the center inserts of all CTS-V front seats. The standard front seat in the CTS-V is the same unit used in the base models and while it is a very nice and comfortable unit, it simply isn't up to the performance capabilities of the V. We recommend that anyone considering a V should definitely check off the optional $3,400 Recaro seats. These seats are both supremely comfortable and very supportive. When we first drove a CTS-V at the launch drive in August 2008 at the Monticello Motor Club in New York we found these seats be perfect for high-speed driving where it is critical to keep the driver in front of the steering wheel.
The same longitudinal crease that adorns the outer skin is echoed down the center of the interior. The navigation touch screen pops up from the top of the center stack when needed for directions. Even when retracted the top part of the screen remains visible for the audio system. The rear seat is comfortable for two adults but a bit snug for three. The CTS-V is available with either a manual or automatic six-speed transmission.
The automatic has manual control available either by tapping the shift lever or through a pair of switches on the back side of the steering wheel spokes. Because of their small size the steering wheel switches are far less useful than the larger paddles found on other vehicles. Those that prefer to manage the gearbox on their own will likely prefer the slick shifting manual gearbox. Thanks to the prodigious torque of the LSA, you can actually get by with only a minimal amount of shifting when driving around town and a dual plate clutch keeps pedal effort to comfortable levels.
Traditionally creating high performance cars like the CTS-V necessitating using very stiff springs and dampers to reach the desired handling levels. The counterpoint to this was punishing ride quality which depending on where you live can make a car totally undesirable. The CTS-V marks the brand's first performance application of Magnetic-Ride damping. This system originally developed by Delphi uses shock absorbers filled with magneto-rheological fluid. That's a fancy way of saying hydraulic oil with magnetically sensitive iron particles. By passing an electric current through the fluid the viscosity (resistance to flowing) can be changed instantly.
What this really means is that the shocks can be changed from soft and comfy to rock hard in milliseconds. Driving around on the crater pocked roads of Michigan, the CTS-V remains totally composed and comfortable without sending shock-waves through your spine. Bend the CTS-V into a corner and the dampers instantly tighten up to keep the body comparatively level and the tires in contact with the pavement. Putting the kinds of power produced by the LSA to the ground also benefits from this suspension system. The V is further enhanced by a new asymmetrical rear axle design that virtually eliminates axle hop.
When the time comes to slow down, the V is also totally up to the task. At the front corners, the same six-piston Brembo calipers used on the ZR1 are standard equipment although they have been paired with iron rotors rather than the carbon-ceramic units found on the sports car. The mono-block calipers are light and stiff and provide excellent pedal feel. There is absolutely no slop or sponginess in the brake pedal when slowing down adjustments to how hard the pedal is pressed translate perfectly into changes in deceleration.
All of this translates into some amazing numbers with 0-60 mph acceleration in just 3.9 seconds and quarter mile trap speeds of 118 mph. During final development GM spent a lot time running the CTS-V at the legendary Nurburgring in Germany where the likes of Porsche, Audi, Mercedes and BMW test on a regular basis. Now retired GM performance engineering chief John Heinricy drove a CTS-V to an all-time lap record for a production sedan of 7 minutes 59.32 seconds.
The second generation CTS-V has everything it needs to compete with the best high-performance sedans in the world and can show its tail-pipes to them at will. At the same time the materials and build quality are at least as good as anything from Europe. While accelerating the CTS-V has a note that combines the distinctive V8 growl with an air of sophistication that says "don't mess with me because you will lose" without sounding like something out of an old J.C. Whitney catalog. No one should be embarrassed to be seen in a CTS-V.
The base price on the 2010 CTS-V sedan is $60,720 with our test unit stickering at $68,445 including a $2,600 gas guzzler tax. That as-tested price is some $17,000 less than the base price of either the M5 or the Mercedes E63. It's a bargain without sacrifice. Later this year, Cadillac will add a V edition to both the Sport Wagon that debuted last year and the upcoming Coupe.
Photos Copyright ©2010 Sam Abuelsamid / Max Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
