Jonathan Welsh at The Wall Street Journal is driving a Cadillac CTS-V  Wagon this week and has a short piece on it here:

Are Station Wagons Cool Again? – Driver’s Seat – WSJ.

The idea of a powerful, great handling station wagon strikes a lot of people as “having your cake and eating it too”.

All automobile designs are compromises:

• Want to go fast?  Get more power and/or less weight.
• Want to carry a lot of stuff?  Get more room (and so more weight) at the expense of better performance
• Want a car that handles great?  Get a tight suspension at the expense of a smooth ride; in some cases forego the better powerplant for better balance and lighter weight

So what does the Cadillac CTS-V Wagon offer?

• Huge power — it has a supercharged 6.2L V8 making 556hp.
• Great storage capacity / carrying capacity — it is a station wagon with the inherent easy to pack easy to pull out space
• Great handling — it has the V-Series magnetic suspension that makes for great handling AND smooth ride together at last

Where’s the compromise?  Well, cash, since the CTS-V Wagon costs over US$60K.  But if you can budget for an amazing vehicle, the Cadillac CTS-V Wagon has all the cards.  And among people who know cars, Respect.

An all-out Sport Wagon that can out-accelerate and out-corner 95% of the cars on the road while providing terrific utility the rest of the time is very appealing…

Release:

DETROIT –The Cadillac CTS-V Wagon will be available at U.S. Cadillac dealers later this year, with pricing from $62,990, including destination. With a 556-horsepower V-8, the 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon accelerates from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.0 seconds.

“The Cadillac CTS-V Wagon is a limited production offering for connoisseurs who are interested in the unique combination of V-Series performance with wagon style and capability,” said Don Butler, vice president, Cadillac marketing.

Like the CTS-V sedan and CTS-V Coupe, the CTS-V Wagon features a supercharged 6.2L V-8 delivering 556 horsepower (415 kW) and 551 lb.-ft of torque (747 Nm). Power is delivered to the rear wheels through either a standard six-speed manual, or a six-speed automatic transmission. Other high-performance features include standard Magnetic Ride Control, Brembo brakes, and 19-inch forged-aluminum wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires.

The CTS-V Wagon combines V-Series performance with the practicality of a wagon and the appointments of a luxury sedan.  The CTS-V Wagon can accommodate up to 58 cubic-feet of cargo, and features a full range of luxury amenities, such as:

• Heated, leather-appointed seats
• In-dash navigation system with 40-gigabyte hard drive
• Xenon HID headlamps with adaptive forward lighting
• Bose 5.1 Cabin Surround audio system
• Cadillac Premium Care Maintenance Service for four years / 50,000 miles

Available options on the CTS-V Wagon include:

• $3,400 Recaro heated and ventilated, high-performance driver and front-passenger seats
• $800 19-inch, polished aluminum wheels
• $600 midnight Sapele Wood trim package
• $300 Suede steering wheel and shifter

The CTS-V Wagon is now available for ordering from Cadillac retailers in limited quantities for 2011.