Cadillac CTS-V review
Cadillac CTS 6.2 V8 V First Drive
Test date 28 August 2009
Price as tested £65,766
What is it?
A year after we first tried it in the US, Cadillac’s monster saloon has now arrived in the UK.
To recap, the CTS-V is powered by a supercharged 6.2-litre V8, a detuned version of the Corvette ZR1 engine. Even with the wick turned down, the CTS-V’s 556bhp tops both BMW’s M5 and Jaguar’s XFR; only Audi’s RS6 offers more power.
Cadillac CTS-V hi-res picture gallery
What's it like?
Let’s start with the aspects of the CTS-V that won’t come as a huge surprise.
First, it’s incredibly quick. Cadillac claims 0-60mph in 3.9sec, which is going some for a car weighing nearly two tonnes. We tried a few starts at Bruntingthorpe, where the surface isn’t brilliant, and it did a 4.4sec, so sub-4.0sec seems credible on the right track.
A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, but there’s an automatic option, also a six-speeder and fitted to our test car. While it isn’t the sharpest or quickest auto, it does make accessing the CTS-V’s considerable pace exceptionally easy.
Nor will it be a huge shock to learn that the CTS-V isn’t especially economical. Expect around 11mpg, or single figures if you’re trying.
But the Cadillac does confound a few preconceptions on a cross-country blast. With its magnetically self-adjusting dampers, the CTS-V copes well even on our poorly surfaced roads.
As you would expect of a car capable of 191mph in manual trim, the ride is firm, but the movements are nicely damped. And over crests and through compressions the body control is impressive.
There’s no hiding from the fact that the CTS-V is a large car with a big, front-mounted engine, but it does feel well tied down, with good grip and accurate steering.
There are a few aspects that could be improved – the brakes could bite with more reassurance, the automatic gearbox could be faster to react in manual mode and I’d prefer the steering to be a touch quicker –but the CTS-V doesn’t do anything particularly badly.
Should I buy one?
Stupendously rapid when you want to go quickly, refined and relaxed when you don’t, it comes from the same mould as the Jaguar XFR.
The Jag is still the better car, but the Cadillac is a compelling proposition in its own right.
Jamie Corstorphine
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