Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon

This isn’t your daddy’s station wagon

Two for the Road USA - by Bill Zervakos

Let me start out by saying that I simply don’t have enough superlatives for this car. I was impressed with the V6 Sport Wagon I drove last year but this car is in a dimension all its own. The numbers are mind numbing; 556 supercharged horses under the hood and a thundering 551 lb-ft of torque rocket the V-Wagon from 0-60 in a blistering 4 seconds. Yep, you read it right; a nearly 4400 pound station wagon out runs the likes of the Mustang Shelby GT500KR and it’s just a tick slower than the Saleen Dark Horse Extreme Mustang, and the Z06 Corvette. In other words, it’s a monster, but a monster that offers a lot of utility. I was surprised when I saw the test car came with the Tremec TR6060 6-spd. Manual transmission, I mean station wagons and six speed manual transmissions seem a bit oxymoronic to me, but then again, the V Sport Wagon is far from a typical station wagon.

The engine features an intercooled Eaton Twin Vortices Series™ (TVS™) supercharger.  This unique supercharger design employs twin four-lobe rotors, twisted 160 degrees. Typical superchargers feature three lobes twisted 60 degrees. The fourth lobe and added twist, when combined with unique air inlet and outlet ports, create smoother, more efficient airflow into the engine. In addition to improved overall efficiency, this supercharger has superior noise and vibration characteristics compared to more ordinary designs.

The kind of power the 6.2 liter Supercharged engine puts out is managed by torque being channeled through the six-speed transmissions to a high-performance rear axle that features a limited-slip rear differential within a cast iron housing for greater thermal management, and asymmetrical half-shafts to smoothly manage the supercharged engine’s incredible torque. The unique design includes alternately sized half-shafts that also help dynamically balance the oscillation of torque from side to side, effectively eliminating “power hop.”

I know that’s a lot of technical jargon but in truth, it just hints at the technology in this vehicle. But let’s talk about the styling for a moment. The CTS-V Sport Wagon is beautifully sleek and sexy in an understated way. The Sport Wagon incorporates a unique grille that doubles front-end airflow to help enable its high-performance capabilities. It is also visually identified by an aggressive front fascia and raised center section of the aluminum hood that provides clearance for the supercharger. It rides on 19-inch forged aluminum wheels available in painted or polished finishes.

The interior of the CTS-V Sport Wagon is shared with the sedan, including streamlined instrumentation, LED lighting and hand-cut-and-sewn accents. It comes with performance seats featuring perforated microfiber inserts designed to hold the driver and front passenger in place during cornering. The Recaro performance driving seats in the test car are optional and believe me; they provide excellent support for lively driving

Complementing the performance seating is a thick steering wheel and a gauge package designed for easy, reference during performance driving. Large instruments have bold readouts, including a very interesting LED-lit “tracer” function in the tachometer that flashes as the engine nears the red line. The gauge layout includes a boost gauge and a lateral acceleration display. Obsidian Black accents grace the center stack, console, steering wheel and door panels. The production steering wheel and shifter are available in Alcantara, providing the luxurious character of suede. These accents are elegant to the touch and aid the driver during high-performance driving. Like every CTS, the V-Series includes a hand-stitched instrument panel, door trim and center console.

Leading-edge infotainment features extend to the V-Series. Standard features include an advanced navigation system with a deployable screen, Bose 5.1 digital surround audio, factory-installed Bluetooth phone integration and a 40-gigabyte hard drive that allows the customer to store a large library of music files. The system uploads files via a USB port or the in-dash DVD/CD drive and allows stored tracks to be searched and selected through the radio controls.

But driving the CTS-V Sport Wagon is where it’s at. I’ve had the pleasure of driving a lot of performance cars from Corvettes to Vipers and about everything in between and I’m here to tell you, the V-Sport Wagon can run with the best of them and on top of all that, it offers comfort and room. With the power the V-Sport Wagon puts out, handling can be dicey if not managed properly and the Magnetic Ride Control and Brembo brakes along with the Michelin PS2 tires are up to the task, and the beauty of it is, you get extraordinary road-holding performance while maintaining the poise and comfort of a luxury car when in “regular” driving mode. 

The technical enabler of this dual-mode driving character is Cadillac’s landmark Magnetic Ride Control. It is the world’s fastest-reacting suspension technology. It uses shocks controlled by magneto-rheological technology, rather than mechanical valves, to greatly accelerate response time and precision. What all that means in lay terms is that electronic sensors at all four wheels literally “read the road” every millisecond, making constant adjustments to damping to create virtually instantaneous and extremely precise control of body motions. It’s amazing technology that allows for varying degrees of damping control to optimize the ride and handling for different driving conditions with selectable driving modes possible.

Don Butler, vice president for Cadillac marketing says, “The CTS-V Sport Wagon is a natural extension of both the V-Series and the CTS lineup, offering an uncompromising performance car to enthusiasts who want the extra room of a wagon,” “The V-Series Sport Wagon is another hallmark of the dramatic presence and power of Cadillac vehicles.” I couldn’t agree more, I mean had this car been around when I had my boys at home, there’s no doubt it would have been in my garage.

General Motors introduces the 2008 CTS Sport-Sedan by Cadillac

General Motors Western Region Manager Susan Docherty, and Lund Cadillac Let Two for the Road USA take it for a spin.

When we had GM’s Manager of the Western Region Susan Docherty on our radio show recently, she was so enthusiastic about the 2008 iteration of the CTS that we decided to ask our friends at Lund Cadillac in Phoenix if we could take one out for a spin to see what all the excitement was all about.

Bill Says:
I have to say that the CTS has always been a bit of an enigma to me because at first blush I really liked the car, but there was something that didn’t quite sit right we me and I really couldn’t put my finger on it, until now. The design changes while subtle have a serious impact aesthetically. The car seems to have, for lack of a better word, bulked up and now sports a much more aggressive stance with bulging, muscular fender flares made possible by a 62-inch wide track, the widest in its class, giving the CTS a much lower more assertive stance.

The previous model seemed not only taller, but narrower, and that was what had been nagging at me. This car has stunning lines that flow beautifully back to the short rear deck-lid that give the CTS a beautiful profile and its fully functional chrome air inlets on the front fender’s let you know in no uncertain terms, that this is a serious performer.

Unfortunately the CTS-V performance car won’t be available for quite some time but when I got behind the wheel of our loaner and settled into the beautiful interior, I was really surprised at the response to my right foot. The surprise was due to the response from all-new, 3.6 liter Direct Injection V6 with Variable Valve Timing engine that propels the CTS from 0-60 in under 6 seconds. That’s the type of performance that will get anyone’s attention and it certainly got mine. Mated to a new 6-speed Hydra-Matic transmission, the shifts in CTS are seamless yet crisp and if you so desire, you can use Driver Shift Control mode for smooth clutchless.

There is an awful lot to talk about with the new CTS but I’m going to have to wait until we have one in the press fleet rotation to really get into what this car is all about. Suffice it to say, if you’re looking for a really nifty sports-sedan, the 2008 CTS has taken a quantum leap and I for one am very impressed with it, and I’m betting you will be too.

The base price on the car is just over $32,000 but with the performance package and other options, the one we drove came in just over $42,000. However, for what you get, there’s no doubt that Cadillac has kicked it up a notch with this car, and it will be very interesting to see how it impacts the Infiniti M-series, the BMW 5-series and the C-Class. I’m betting that I’m not the only one that will be surprised by the 2008 Cadillac CTS.

Cathy Says:
The new 2008 CTS is a beautiful, sporty sedan that has enough sex appeal for both a man and women to agree on the purchase. I personally would choose a black exterior and light beige interior for my signature CTS, despite the upkeep. I am glad to see the faux-mini-spoiler on the 2007 is missing off the new ’08.

The cabin of the redesigned Cadillac is significantly improved over its predecessor. It now has a come-hither-look and feel about it that gently welcomes your derriere into the soft leather seats. The materials used inside are high in quality and the detail of wood and alloy remind you of some of the top luxury imports that begin with the letter “L”.

There’s a new telescoping steering column, giving the driver quite a bit of belly room, along with a thinner front seatback; allowing the rear passengers more leg room. The navigation system (which is optional) has a unique leather over-hang, like the large brim of a baseball cap. It might be there for show or to cut any glare that might cause difficulty in viewing.

The CTS is complete with a 40GB hard drive along with the premium Bose surround sound audio system. It has all the up to date hookups for iPod interface and other technology toys I know nothing about. For instance you can set your AM/FM and satellite radio to be rewound, paused and resumed in a TiVo-like manner. Great! I can’t figure out how to do in on my TV, but leave it to Cadillac to have it in the CTS.

It’s not all about the interior look; I did get to drive the powerful sport sedan once I forced Bill out of the driver’s seat. Besides the quick start at the lights and hugging the corners, I found it doing a sort of quick step up a desert hill. I felt like goldilocks in the three bear’s story; sitting in all three chairs till finally she sat in the one that was “just right.” I felt at home, I could locate the controls easily and the icons were a good size. I was impressed with how the A/C chilled the cabin immediately and including vents that were positioned perfectly.

Even if you were to purchase an entry level CTS, you would have more than you expected and for under $33,000. Cadillac has created a luxury sport sedan both inside and out. This baby lives up to its Cadillac heritage.

It was plain to see that the CTS had female influence; so hats off to Susan Docherty of General Motors, who I’m sure had some input.

For more reviews visit http://www.twofortheroadusa.com/.