You’re looking at General Motor’s planned answer to the BMW M5, Mercedes E63 AMG and Audi RS6; this is the new and improved CTS-V, which is arriving at a showroom near you in 2009.These exclusive spy photographs show that a serious refresh of Cadillac’s firebrand executive saloon is part of GM’s new European future for the brand. GM has recently taken back control of Cadillac’s European sales and distribution from Dutch outfit Kroymans, in the hope of boosting the brand’s presence and sales. By the time the new, improved CTS arrives on sale in Europe in 2008, a new, GM-owned network of showrooms should be in place.The new CTS, revealed at the Detroit motor show earlier this year, is larger than the last one, gets a better-quality cabin and, for the first time, an all-important multi-cylinder diesel engine that will be crucial to it's European sales. Both 2.8- and 3.6-litre V6, and 4.6- and 5.7-litre V8 petrol versions are also likely, but this will be the flagship CTS-V – a 7.0-litre, 500bhp V8 version that should rocket to 62mph in under 5.0 seconds, and could go on to an unrestricted 180mph-plus top speed.Changes over the standard CTS will include wider tracks, flared front and rear wheelarches, a new front bumper with a more aggressive-looking air dam. For the first time on a CTS, there will also be a power bulge in the bonnet, hinting at the behemoth 7.0-litre lump beneath.And we’ve got spy video of the car undergoing demanding chassis development work on the Nurburgring Nordschleife, which proves that it’ll handle with the best of them.
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