2009 Cadillac CTS-V

Cadillac's awesome new CTS-V is faster from zero to 60 than Mercedes' E63 AMG and BMW's M5. It also costs many thousands less

By Thane Peterson

Editor's Rating:

The Good: Price, speed, magnetic ride control, available automatic transmission

The Bad: Poor fuel economy, doubts about GM's future

The Bottom Line: The fastest regular-production luxury sedan ever

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Up Front

It breaks my heart as a car reviewer to see General Motors (GM) so near bankruptcy. Contrary to popular perceptions, the company's financial woes have little to do with problems in its product lineup. Sure, GM's offerings at the low end—such as the Chevy Cobalt and Aveo—are notoriously poor. But the low end isn't where car companies make most of their profits, and GM's large pickup trucks (Chevy Silverado), SUVs (Buick Enclave, Chevy Traverse), midrange cars (Chevy Malibu, Saturn Aura) and luxury cars (Cadillac CTS and STS) are all far more competitive than they have been in years.

An example of how strong GM is at the high end is the sizzling new Cadillac CTS-V, a souped-up and ultraspeedy version of the CTS small luxury sedan. Obviously, a gas-guzzling niche product like the CTS-V isn't going to help much in GM's struggle to survive financially. But most of Cadillac's toughest competitors have similar models: Mercedes (DAI) has its E63 AMG and C63 AMG, BMW (BMWG) its M3 and M5, Toyota (TM) its Lexus IS F, and Audi its RS4 and S6. By improving the CTS-V, GM has become competitive with the best companies in the world in the performance segment, which is a good thing.

The '09 CTS-V is a hell of a machine. The previous-generation CTS-V, which was sold through 2007, was fast; this one is justifiably billed as the fastest luxury sedan ever made. Last May a production '09 CTS-V clad in regular street tires ran Germany's Nürburgring race course in 7 minutes, 59.3 seconds, a record for a production luxury sedan.

If ever a car was a wolf in sheep's clothing, it's the CTS-V. Aside from the discreet bulge in the hood (to accommodate the engine's supercharger), the CTS-V resembles the regular CTS sedan, except that under the V's hood is a 6.2-liter, 556-horsepower supercharged V8 similar to the one in the Corvette ZR1 supercar. The CTS-V also comes standard with a marvelous new Magnetic Ride Control suspension system that dramatically improves handling. And there's now a choice of two six-speed transmissions: the stick shift that until now has been standard in the V, or a lightning-quick new automatic with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

The CTS-V isn't cheap, except by comparison with German competitors that can easily top $100,000. The '09 CTS-V starts at $60,700, including a $1,300 gas-guzzler tax (the automatic transmission doesn't cost extra but raises the guzzler tax to $2,600). Standard equipment includes such comfort features as rain-sensitive windshield wipers, rear parking assist, and adaptive headlights that swivel to light the way around corners.