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Cadillac: Models boast style, luxury, performance and comfort
Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Cadillac's on a roll big time.

Just in the next year or two, you'll see an absolutely gorgeous CTS Coupe, a sexy CTS Wagon, am all-new SRX, a new prestigious sedan to replace the STS and the DTS. And maybe, just maybe, a CTS Convertible -- or at least that is what some of my sources tell me.

And perhaps the biggest -- and fastest -- new Cadillac of all you won't even have to wait to see. It's here now -- and the line forms to the left, please. No fighting.

I'm talking about the 2009 Cadillac CTS-V four door sedan. Buff magazines say its simply an indescribable car, and having driven it for a day, I would have to agree with them. After all, it's faster than the M5 and the M3, has far better styling than either one of those cars, and it costs thousands of dollars less than both of them.

The CTS-V is powered by a 556 horsepower, 6.2 liter supercharged V-8 that hits 60 in 3.9 seconds. Fuel economy is 14/20. Top speed? A breath-taking 191 miles per hour.

The CTS-V, by the way, is now the fastest production sedan ever to be tested at Germany's famous Nurburgring race track, doing a lap of the track in 7:59.32.

"The eight-minute mark has long been recognized as a major Nurburgring milestone, reserved for race cars and the fastest exotic cars," a company official said.

Like all CTS models, the CTS-V is styled to the gills. It has sharp lines, wheels that fill out the wells nicely, and subtle blisters over the tires. In other words, you'll always know what it is. It doesn't look like anything else on the road.

The best news, however, is the price: Base price is $59,990 with your choice of either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic-- no charge.

Now take a look inside. Before this car even hit the pavement, the precedent had already been set by the standard CTS. But the CTS-V takes everything to a new level.

The juxtaposition of the chrome, cool, sleek aluminum, warm wood and interesting, eye-catching angles and curves to everything makes this interior stand out. And of course, there's handcrafted interior trim everywhere. The center stack comes with your choice of a satin metallic finish or genuine Sapele Pommele wood. You can get heated and ventilated sets, and the gear shift is a short thrown design for plenty of excitement.

The CTS-V is icing on the cake. You start with a 6.2-liter, 556-horsepower V-8 that has a top speed of more than 191 mph with a six-speed manual transmission, and 175 mph with the all-new six-speed automatic with paddle shifters. There's 551 pounds per foot of torque to move you along, too. The CTS-V will hit 60 mph in about 3.9 seconds. Fuel mileage figures aren't yet available.

But don't be fooled by the performance. This is still a Cadillac, which means that you're swathed in luxury and comfort. The CTS-V is smooth and comfortable. It's quite pleased to be anything you want it to be -- a daily cruiser on city streets or a weekend barnstormer on the racetrack.

You'll know a CTS-V by its satin-finish grille, rear-end fascia design, big tires, subtle hood bulge and intricate wheels.

You'll notice I haven't said a thing about handling. I thought I would save the best for last. It's terrific. It holds on to the road like glue, and responds instantly when prompted by a gentle push on the accelerator pedal.

Don Hammonds can be reached at dhammonds@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1928.
First published on October 22, 2008 at 12:00 am