Super sport-sedans might just be perfect cars for gearheads and
speed-freaks who juggle a family, or need a bit more space for friends,
work, or whatever. Generally wolves in sheep clothing, BMW's M5,
Mercedes-Benz's E-Class AMG, and Audi's RS6, tell little more
externally than slightly different fascia and badges. These cars
provoke your inner demons while allowing you to maintain a shiny,
perfect "hidey-ho, good neighbor" façade. Don't worry, your
secret's safe with me.
The German sedans mentioned above were the only worthwhile games in
town; that was until 2004, when GM stepped up to the plate with its
first contender, the CTS-V. Utilizing the 400-horsepower V8 harnessed
under the hood of the top C5-generation Z06 Corvette, the CTS-V checked
all of the performance boxes. Brembo brakes, 18x8.5-inch wheels,
Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires, track tuned suspension, and it became
the first Cadillac in almost 20 years to be equipped with a manual
transmission. Despite checking all the right boxes, quality issues
plagued the first generation CTS-V, and sales numbers paled in
comparison to its German rivals.
Thankfully that wasn't the end of the CTS-V story.
In 2009, Cadillac introduced an all-new CTS-V, and not only are all the
right boxes checked, the checks are as large and dark as possible.
Borrowing quite a bit from the new supercar eating Corvette ZR1, the
CTS-V is poised to be the king of the super sport-sedan segment.
Imagine my delight then, when a Radiant Silver 2010 example rolled into
our stable.
Remember my "wolf in sheep's clothing" comment? Yeah, the CTS-V is more
like a wolf wearing a sheep's costume that's 2 sizes too small. The
rippling hood bulge, air-gobbling front fascia, and burly 19" alloys do
little to hide the beast within this CTS. So much so, that the V badges
on the doors and trunk almost look redundant. No hiding this from the
neighbor kids, they'll either stare in amazement or run home crying
wolf when you rumble home. More like "Hidey-ho, good neighbor...now get
the &%*# out of my way."
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