Best Cadillac skidpad results ever?

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I suppose the new CTS-V with magnetic ride suspension is the current Cadillac record holder for ‘official’ 200 foot skidpad performance at 0.92g (as measured by Edmund’s)

The previous CTS-V, XLR-V, STS-V as I have mentioned tended to top at 0.87g on a 200ft skidpad, although Motor Trend did manage to record a 0.90g with a 2005 CTS-V.

In a report on the 2006 XLR-V, Car & Driver notes that although they only measured a skidpad of 0.87g, Cadillac claimed a skidpad of 0.94g was attainable.  Since Cadillac and Car&Driver measure in different places (surfaces and atmosphere and method matter), then not a surprise that they might achieve different results.  But Cadillac’s claim would make the XLR-V the skidpad champion, and not the new CTS-V.

In a 2005 report, Road & Track summarized several V Series and non-V series models performance numbers:

2004 CTS 0.83 g
2004 CTS-V 0.87g
2005 STS 0.81g
2006 STS-V 0.88g (estimated)
2006 XLR 0.87g

In a model update 6/2006, Road & Track noted that the XLR-V would do 0.87g on the skidpad.

So, what we need is a no-holds barred V-Series face off, to determine who the best Cadillac corner carver is.   The test data seems to give the new CTS-V the nod, but until the Cadillac Sedan with the Cadillac Chassis and Corvette engine has gone head to head with the Cadillac Roadster with the Corvette Chassis and Cadillac engine, we just won’t know for sure.

CTS Suspension upgrade components

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Initially for upgrading the suspension in my 2005 Cadillac CTS I wanted to go with the suspension from the CTS-V.  This stikes me as a setup that is already tested and validated by Cadillac on the chassis, and is an all-Cadillac solution.  After studying the various solutions available from Hotchkis and Eibach, I was leaning toward one of those, and looking at prices and shipping cost (suspension parts tend to be heavy).

Luckily I was able to win an Ebay auction for a few useful items — basically the complete FE4 suspension off of a 2005 Cadillac CTS-V:

Cadillac CTS-V Front and Rear Swaybars

Cadillac CTS-V Front and Rear Swaybars

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Cadillac CTS-V springs

Cadillac CTS-V springs

The auction also appears to include CTS-V shocks, although these likely will need fresh examples:

Cadillac CTS-V FE4 Shocks

Cadillac CTS-V FE4 Shocks

Hopefully everything is as described.  At a total of $61 with free shipping it makes a nice purchase.

Next I need to nail down the testing methodology to be used to test at each step, then test my current FE1 base soft ride CTS suspension a couple of times to show consistency of results.

I think our first suspension mod step will be to swap to the CTS-V sway bars alone, then test.  Based on my reading, sway bars can have the greatest single impact on handling.  Swapping the sway bars should only take a couple of hours in the driveway, but we’ll see.

UPDATE — Hmm; not so fast.  Apparently the seller is claiming that the auction was only for ‘free shipping’, not for the components themselves!!?  So, this may turn out to be a ‘dry hole’ after all.   If this does not work out, I’m back to deciding whether to go with a new Eibach or Hotchkis kit designed for the base CTS or to look for another CTS-V take-off set.  The Eibach kit from AutoAnything with Free Shipping looks like a nice choice.

UPDATE 2 — Okay, I think we may be settling on a price for the CTS-V sway bars and bushings from a 2005 CTS-V, which were the parts that I wanted to try first.  So, back to figuring out the best test setup to use.