The Cadillac CTS has been a long running favourite family sedan around the world mostly due to the fact its packed full of technology and comforts. Cadillac introduced the CTS-V in 2004 and since then it's been competing against the best Germany has to offer. It’s pitched against the Audi RS7, Audi S6, Mercedes E63 AMG-S, Lexus GSF and the BMW M5. All of which are extremely good at what they do. Having said that the CTS-V has always had a trick up its sleeve. A monstrous engine packing more power than any of its rivals, in fact the 2016 CTS-V is the most powerful sedan Cadillac have made. Since production began the CTS-V has taken part in and won the SCCA World Challenge in 2005, 2007, 2012 & 2013. It also broke a record for its class around the Nurburgring clocking in 7.59.32.
| Key Features: | |
| Engine | 6.2L Supercharged V8 |
| Transmission | 6 Speed Automatic with Manual Shifting |
| Power | 640hp / 855NM |
| Top Speed | 321km/h |
| Price | AED315,000-325,000 |
Exterior
The most distinctive quality about the CTS-V is the aggressiveness of the body. Cadillac have made sure that you know this car means business. The lines start at the headlights and move straight across the length of the car, giving a distinctive body shape that cannot be misunderstood. The bonnet breaches into the line of sight when driving, probably so that it can consume the huge Supercharged 6.2L V8, and the carbon inlets don't just look great but also provide more air to keep the engine cool.
We were lucky enough to be given the CTS-V with the track package and this means we got a huge carbon spoiler as well as front and rear carbon splitters, and those exhausts, they don't just look great but sound phenomenal.The wheels on this model only come in 19in, wrapped in Michelin Pilot Super Sport’s, the best tires money can buy. The CTS-V’s headlamps are the best i’ve witnessed in a while and are high intensity discharge Xenon’s that automatically adapt to the lighting conditions and the direction the wheel is pointing. And again they don't just function as they should but have been designed to look beautiful and boy do they!
You might also be interested in: Cadillac CT6 2017 Review
Interior
The interior of the CTS-V is classic Cadillac, minimalistic. There is not much inside the cabin to distract you away from the driving experience, however it is fairly well equipped and even though the front racing recaro seats are an optional extra they are well worth the cash. You do get plenty of headroom and legroom in the front and in the back as well. All the finishings are of a high quality and feel great to use however the buttons that control AC and volume on the centre console or touch sensitive and can sometimes be unresponsive. Cadillac have covered the cabin in leather, alcantara and carbon which give a very exclusive yet racey feel. We approve.
Safety & Tech
The 2016 CTS-V comes standard with a large array of safety features all stemming from its 5 Star NHTSA crash test scores. You have airbags in the front, side and rear protecting you from side impacts as well as rollovers. It comes standard with Electronic stability control (ESC), Anti lock braking system (ABS), traction control (TCS)as well as blind spot assist and lane departure assist. My favourite noticeable safety feature was the pre-tension seat belt system which literally tightens you into the seat leaving no slack on the belt. It tightens under harsh braking and severe acceleration.
Cadillac have made sure its not only the engine you should be impressive by in the CTS-V. The speakers are from Bose and don't distort at full volume, always maintaining absolute quality no matter the genre of music. The heads up display system (HUD) is also great, showing RPM, Speed, Radio channel, Bluetooth (Phone / Music) as well as being able to change the brightness or position depending on seating position. Cadillac’s CUE system is at best ok. It's laggy and doesn't provide much in terms of customisation.
One nifty feature the CTS-V comes standard with is the PDR system, this system allows you to use the camera situated above the centre mirror as a lap recorder with an overlay featuring RPM, Speed, 0-60, 0-100, 0-200 and 100-0 timers. It can also be used as a dash cam as you can delete the footage directly from the car with no need for a laptop..
Have a look at: Felix Weller Named Vice President of Cadillac Europe
Drive
Where do I start. The beast under the hood in the CTS-V provides rocketship type numbers with 0-100 km/h dusted off in 3.6 seconds and 0-200 km/h in 11.5 seconds and it wont stop growling until it hits 330 km/h. If those aren't impressive numbers for a 4 door family sedan that you can take your 3 kids to school in, I don't know what are. The massive supercharged 6.2L V8 provides 640 hp and over 800 NM of torque is available at any RPM and will slingshot you into your seat every time you go near the power pedal.
Having said that the CTS-V in my opinion would be annoying to drive as a daily driver due to the extremely aggressive acceleration even with light throttle inputs as well as the 14 MPG fuel consumption for city driving, I had the car for 3 days and brimmed the tank twice. The car is comfortable in tour mode with the electromagnetic suspension dealing with city roads well but in sport and track mode I advise you have a spine practitioner on call as you'll need thier skills in order to stand straight again. The problem is that it feels like a big car, and it is but I would like to have like a more nimble feel, it handles more like a boat than a bee. Unfortunately we didn't have a chance to take it to the track where we would really be able to see what this car is capable of and you just can't get anywhere near the limits on public roads due to the raw speed you get too after a few seconds on the throttle.
The gearbox holds up well with the power numbers but you can feel it struggle slightly when you catch it off guard. Gear changes at normal cruising speed are heavy and clunky, however in manual shifting mode the gearbox comes alive with lightning fast shifts up and down. The CTS-V has a hard job of competing against the like of the BMW M5 and Audi RS7 in this area as the gearbox in both those cars have a lead in terms of reactiveness. One of the biggest disappointments, not that there was loads, was the feedback through the steering wheel, even though tour mode wasn't as bad as the other modes it still provided less feedback than I wanted and didn't give me much confidence in the bends.
The brakes are huge, the biggest cadillac have ever put one one of their cars. The Brembo brakes, 15.4 inch six piston disc’s in the front and 14.4 inch 4 pistons in the rear. Now, I can't tell you how fast they stop the car with numbers but what I can tell you is my eyes were bloodshot after one brake test, ouch.
Competitors
Verdict
The Cadillac CTS-V is the most terrifying 5 door sedan i've ever had the pleasure of driving. However what I can say is that 640 hp and rocketship levels of torque make this car difficult to drive normally, as well as filling the tank full every 2 days. One certainty is, the raw power this car produces gives you a uncontrollable but slightly sinister grin every time you drive it.
Pros:
- Insane power
- Handling
- On board cameras which are intended for recording race laps can double as dash cameras, useful in the UAE
Cons:
- Painful to drive casually
- Steering lacks feedback
- Interior is minimalistic
