It’s hard to overstate how big a deal the 2003 CTS was for Cadillac. The angular, aggressive styling was much more memorable than the forgettable Catera it replaced, and its sport-tuned suspension made it a legitimate alternative to the BMW 3 Series. Cadillac could have stopped there, but it didn’t. The next year, it gave the CTS a 400-hp V-8 and the kind of handling that quickly had people calling it the four-door Corvette Z06. With that, the V Series was born. Cadillac is now celebrating 15 years of the V badge, and with the recent introduction of the CT4-V and CT5-V, the brand has signaled a shift in strategy for the V Series. The V-Sport line is gone, which instantly promotes all performance Cadillacs to full-blown V model status. Until we drive the CT4-V and CT5-V, we can’t know if they’re worthy of the badge, but it’s hard to imagine they are just looking at on-paper specs. However, Cadillac has promised there will be more track-oriented versions of both cars, though it hasn’t said what those models would be called. Given all the changes taking place with the V Series, we thought it would be a good time to take a look back at all the Cadillac V cars we’ve driven through the years.
2004 Cadillac CTS-V
Even with a 400-hp V-8 and a six-speed manual transmission, it was hard to believe Cadillac could build a car that could hang with the BMW M5 and Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG. And yet, our initial impression was that it could. The cabin might not have been as luxurious as the Mercedes, but the engine pulled hard, the upgraded suspension meant it was right at home on the Nurburgring, and the steering was even communicative. On public roads, the ride was comfortable and far from harsh. It wasn’t perfect, but it also didn’t match the Germans’ price tag. With a base price that was about 30-percent lower, it was clear the super-sport sedan segment had just gotten way more competitive.
In Comparison Tests
The CTS-V’s first challenger was the Jaguar S-Type R, a comparison test it lost by the slimmest of margins. Later, it took on the Chrysler 300C SRT8 and the Pontiac GTO in a battle of American muscle. That time, it took home the first place trophy. Later, we put the CTS-V up against the brilliant Audi RS4. Even though you could buy a new Mini Cooper with the money you’d save buying the Cadillac, it wasn’t enough for us to get past the obvious cost-cutting. Cadillac had built a great car, but it was clear that if it wanted to truly compete with the Germans, the next generation would have to step up its luxury game.
2006 Cadillac XLR-V
Cadillac’s attempt to sell a more luxurious Corvette didn’t last long, but it did last long enough for it to introduce the XLR-V. The supercharged Northstar V-8 made 440 hp and could launch the XLR-V to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. Thanks to a magnetic suspension, it actually handled well, too. But even though it made a pleasant, powerful grand tourer, the cabin materials didn’t feel luxurious enough to justify the XLR-V’s six-figure price tag.
In Comparison Tests
As short-lived as the XLR-V was, we only got the chance to put it into one comparison test. Its competitor was also obvious: the Mercedes-Benz SL. But instead of putting the V up against an AMG, we chose the regular SL550. Even without AMG’s help, though, the SL proved to be the superior $100,000 power-hardtop grand tourer. But if acceleration was your top priority, the lighter, more powerful Cadillac was the one to get.
2006 Cadillac STS-V
With the CTS-V priced to compete more directly with the BMW M3, Cadillac decided it needed a car to take on the M5s of the world. So it took the same supercharged V-8 it used for the XLR-V and dropped it into the larger STS. Only this time, it was tuned to make 469 hp, up from the 440 hp Cadillac originally quoted. That was enough to get it to 60 mph in under 5 seconds, but due to its larger size, Cadillac designed it to be quieter, more comfortable, and more restrained than the smaller CTS-V.
In Comparison Tests
Like the XLR-V, we only tested the STS-V once. Its competition? The stylish Mercedes-Benz CLS55 AMG. The Cadillac’s powerful engine, smooth six-speed automatic transmission, and lower base price kept the competition closer than the badge on its hood would suggest, but in the end, the quality and refinement of the CLS won out. Even though we preferred the CLS, we noted that the STS-V performed well enough to confirm that it really did belong in the competition. A few years earlier, the idea that a Cadillac could hang with an AMG would have been laughable.
2009 Cadillac CTS-V
The second time around, Cadillac truly made the CTS-V better in every way. Its new supercharged V-8 made 556 hp, trumping both the M5 and E63 even though size-wise it was still a bit of a tweener. Interior materials and cabin design took a huge leap forward. Oh, and Cadillac decided to add both a coupe and a wagon to the lineup. Even better, all three variants could be ordered with a manual transmission. Our manual-equipped 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon is among our favorite, and most missed, long-term test vehicles.
In Comparison Tests
With three types of CTS-V to choose from, we made sure to enter it in as many comparison tests as we could. When the sedan took on the BMW M5, it won. The same thing happened when we lined it up against the Jaguar XFR. But it wasn’t unstoppable. The Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG edged out a win in a Head to Head comparison, and when we put the coupe up against the Audi RS5 and the BMW M3, it came in third. And while the wagon beat out the BMW X6 M, it was no match for the mighty Porsche Panamera Turbo.
2016 Cadillac ATS-V
Because of its size, the CTS-V was never truly a direct competitor for either the M5 or the M3. But when Cadillac introduced the ATS-V coupe and sedan for 2016, it clearly had the BMW M3 in its sights. A 464-hp twin-turbo V-6 and a standard magnetic suspension made it look good on paper, and on the track, it ended up being fantastic to drive. As we discovered in our First Test, the ATS-V was happy to hang its tail out any time you wanted. The BMW M3 had officially been put on notice.
In Comparison Tests
It didn’t take long for us to get our hands on both a BMW M3 and a Cadillac ATS-V. But instead of a direct comparison, we added a Mercedes-AMG C63 S to make things interesting. Surprisingly, the M3 came in last, with the ATS-V placing second. With a more refined powertrain and a better exhaust note, it could have dethroned the AMG. But interestingly, when we brought all three sedans back to take on the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, we found we actually liked the ATS-V better than the C63 S. The Caddy may have its flaws, but its superb handling almost makes up for them.
2016 Cadillac CTS-V
For its third pass at the CTS-V, Cadillac decided to really go for it. The 2016 CTS-V got a 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 that made 640 hp and could launch the rear-drive super-sedan from 0–60 mph in a mere 3.8 seconds. But as quick as it was, it somehow handled even better. In fact, we thought it might even be a little too easy to drive. Once you were done with the track, though, the CTS-V’s drive settings allowed you to turn it back into a comfortable luxury sedan at the push of a button. It really was like having two cars in one.
In Comparison Tests
Despite the CTS-V’s most obvious competitors being German, the first car we tested it against was actually Japanese. And while the Lexus GS F showed up with a naturally aspirated V-8, the Cadillac absolutely wiped the floor with it. According to Randy Pobst, it was just better in every way. Later, when the CTS-V took on the Mercedes-AMG E63 S, the competition was much closer. The two cars posted nearly identical lap times, but ultimately, the Cadillac won that contest, too.
Coming Soon: 2020 Cadillac CT6-V
Despite rumors that it had been canceled, the CT6 lives on. And as we mentioned above, Cadillac also decided to upgrade the previously announced CT6 V-Sport to a full CT6-V. It won’t be as powerful as the CTS-V, but the Cadillac-exclusive twin-turbo V-8 under the hood certainly has our attention. It’s not like 550 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque is anything to turn your nose up at, either. But will Cadillac actually be able to turn the CT6 into a corner-carving track star? We can’t wait to find out.
The post Here’s Every Cadillac V Series We’ve Ever Driven appeared first on MotorTrend.
from MotorTrend http://bit.ly/2QDWtHO
via
No comments:
Post a Comment