What makes the Cadillac CTS-V so special?

With the upcoming CTS-V Challenge Event, this may be a good time for a summary of why the current Cadillac CTS-V is such a special car.

Powerplant:  the CTS-V comes with a supercharged and intercooled 6.2L V8 engine making 556 Hp and 551 ft-lbs of torque called the LSA engine.  It is similar to the LS9 engine in the Corvette ZR1.  While the Corvette engines are made by hand, the CTS-V engine is a normal production item.  The Corvette has more forged components, and a 2.3L Supercharger where the CTS-V has a 1.9L Supercharger.

From the product catalog for the powerplant:

The 556-hp 6.2L Supercharged Gen IV V-8 (RPO LSA) is installed longitudinally in the CTS-V, and available with GM’s Hydra-Matic 6L90 six-speed automatic or the twin-disc Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual transmission. This engine is assembled in Silao, Mexico.

With 556 horsepower at 6100 rpm and 551 pound-feet or torque at 3800 rpm, certified by the Society of Automotive Engineers, the supercharged LSA V-8 is the most powerful production engine in Cadillac’s 106-year history. It makes the CTS-V one of the fastest four-door automobiles in the world, with at least 23 percent more horsepower and 24 percent more torque than benchmark competitors such as the Audi RS4, BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, according to published figures.

As significantly, the LSA delivers an excellent balance of low-rev torque and high-rev horsepower, with the smooth, refined operation expected in a luxury brand. The new 6.2L Supercharged LSA takes Cadillac’s tradition of outstanding power, performance and impressive refinement to new levels.

Suspension: The CTS-V uses Magnetic Ride Control with electro-magnetically controlled shocks.  The chassis itself is shared with the non-V CTS, and is called the Sigma II chassis.  As with the original CTS, the chassis was tuned for performance on the road and on the track.

Rubber: P255/40R19 front and P285/35R19 rear, Y-rated  Wheels: 19″ x 9″ (48.3 cm x 22.9 cm) front, 19″ x 9.5″ (48.3 cm x 24.1 cm) rear

Brakes:  Brembo 6-piston front calipers with Vented Disks; 4-piston rear calipers.

Transmission:  The CTS-V is available with a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic.  The CTS-V that set the record at the Nurburgring Performance Sedan record was an automatic.  Both come with a limited slip differential.

Weight: 4,200 lbs for the Manual transmission CTS-V; 4,300 lbs for the Automatic transmission CTS-V

Reviews: Road & Track, Car & Driver, Super Sedan Comparison – Motor Trend


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