Cadillac claims that its forthcoming CTS-V will be the fastest accelerating V8 saloon on the planet, sprinting from 0-60mph in 3.9 seconds. The American brand has announced official performance figures for its heavy-duty muscle car after final testing was completed in Michigan. Powered by a 6.2-litre V8 engine offering 556bhp at 6100rpm and 551lb ft torque at 3800rpm, the CTS-V is said to cover the quarter-mile drag in 12 seconds dead. That’s faster than a BMW M3 or a Mercedes C63 AMG. This range-topping Caddy deploys its power via a mechanical limited-slip differential distributing power between the rear wheels. It’s also fitted with a new version of Cadillac’s Magnetic Ride Control, a similar system to Audi’s, which adjusts the ride to harden or soften the road manners of the CTS-V. The problem is - despite the CTS-V’s promotion as a halo model in the UK and Europe - at the Detroit motor show, Cadillac boss Jim Taylor admitted there was “no business case” for launching a right-hand drive version. The engine bay, bulkhead design and exhaust would take extensive engineering to rework for a UK version. It’s more likely that left-hook models will be imported and sold officially through Cadillac UK.Last month the CTS-V set a blistering laptime of 7 minutes 59 seconds at the Nordschleife, supposedly running in standard set-up and on what the company claimed were ‘factory-spec street tyres’.

Will Powell