Cadillac XTS Virtual Dyno

Cadillac XTS Virtual Dyno -ing was this afternoon’s XTS fun.

I have been experimenting with the Virtual Dyno software from Brad Barnhill.  Since I had the Cadillac XTS out for a weekend test drive, courtesy of Crest Cadillac of Plano, I did some instrumented tests on it.

Cadillac XTS Grill

Cadillac XTS Grill

First, the XTS was hot after our morning out, and it is hot here in Texas.  The 3.6L V6 was running intake temps up in the 150Fs.   On my supercharged Cadillac STS-V I would call that an intercooler cooling challenge, but on the normally aspirated 3.6L it is a normal sort of temperature.

The XTS is advertised at 304 hp at the crank, so we were hoping to see around 240 whp, or hp at the wheels.  Automatics are often characterized as having 20% drive train losses.

Cadillac XTS Virtual Dyno

Cadillac XTS Virtual Dyno

The Cadillac XTS pulled through the heat and put down 233 whp in the max run.  That either means the XTS has drivetrain losses of 23%, or it was hot today.  We know I live at 600 feet above sea level and its hot here, so it is close enough to the expected 240 whp to say that the XTS is putting the rated power down.

 Cadillac XTS Virtual Dyno

Since the XTS is new, Brad doesn’t have a file for it yet.  I created an XML file for Virtual Dyno to use with the XTS:

<?xml version=”1.0″ standalone=”yes”?>
<CarDataset xmlns=”http://tempuri.org/CarDataset.xsd”>
<CarParameters>
<CarMake>Cadillac</CarMake>
<CarModel>XTS</CarModel>
<CarSubModel>FWD</CarSubModel>
<StartYear>2013</StartYear>
<EndYear>2013</EndYear>
<Weight>3995</Weight>
<TransTypeManual>false</TransTypeManual>
<TransGear1>4.48</TransGear1>
<TransGear2>2.87</TransGear2>
<TransGear3>1.84</TransGear3>
<TransGear4>1.41</TransGear4>
<TransGear5>1.00</TransGear5>
<TransGear6>0.74</TransGear6>
<FinalGearRatio>2.77</FinalGearRatio>
<DragCoefficient>0.33</DragCoefficient>
<FrontalArea>24.94</FrontalArea>
<TireDiameter>27.68</TireDiameter>
</CarParameters>
</CarDataset>

The details probably don’t matter to most readers but are included for info in case someone else is repeating this test another day.

Cadillac XTS Virtual Dyno Summary

The 3.6L DOHC, VVT V6 in the Cadillac XTS is performing as expecting, and putting down the rated power.   It revs right up to 6,800+ rpm before shifting at wide open throttle, and is not pulling any punches with the transmission in sport mode.

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