CADILLAC CTS V-Series Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

Cadillac was and still is, known for its luxurious vehicles, ridiculous SUVs and chromed wheels. That's why no one expected them to build a four-door sedan with a claimed top speed of 200 mph (322 kph).

The 2016 Cadillac CTS-V was originally the most powerful car in the brand's history. The 6.2-liter engine was equipped with a 1.7-liter supercharger, boosting the maximum power to 640 hp and 855 Nm (620 lb.-ft) of torque. The car comes with an 8-speed automatic gearbox with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. The transmission is tuned to do launch-control and also features a Performance Algorithm Shifting.

The interior is different from a regular, luxurious, Cadillac limousine. The performance sedan has a 12.3” display installed in the dashboard and has special functions, which are more track-oriented. In front of the driver, the CTS-V shows a head-up display with an array of information needed on the road or on the track.

For the front occupants, Cadillac has installed heated and ventilated 20 way adjustable seats. The infotainment unit also comprises navigation and a Bose Surround Sound audio system. For the Apple CarPlay users, Cadillac engineers have installed a Siri Eyes Free that can read incoming texts and transforms voice into texts. The CTS-V has a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot and OnStar 4G LTE connectivity.

The CTS-V was the weapon thrown by Cadillac at the BMW M5 and the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG but in a terrible economic time.

In 2008, the world economic crisis was full-on, and GM desperately tried to get more money from the market. Its European arm, Opel-Vauxhall, was in danger of being purchased by the Russian savings bank Sberbank. Still, the giant American carmaker kept its flag up, bleeding money from all the pockets, and tried a rescue with some outrageous cars, such as the CTS-V.

With its angular-shaped front fascia, few cars on the road looked meaner or more aggressive than the CTS-V. Its metallic grilles from above and below the bumper demanded some respect. A power dome on the hood suggested that something underneath could do something more than just cruising. Cadillac installed a set of side-sills that visually lowered the ground clearance on the car's sides while at the back, two exhausts poked out under the apron.

Inside, the sport bucket seats made by Recaro and three binocular-style instrument clusters warned the driver about the car's performances. Even more: a manual gear stick raised from the center console. To emphasize the sporty character of the CTS-V, Cadillac added carbon-fiber and piano-black trims on the dashboard, door cards, and center stack.

All these visuals had a reason: the SL9 V-8 engine carried over from the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. Its 6.2-liter supercharged powerplant provided 556 hp on a car priced lower than an M3 and claimed an under-eight minute on the Nurburgring race-track. Its secret weapon was the magnetorheological dampers, which stiffened the suspension leading to higher cornering speeds.

The 2003 Cadillac CTS-V was the answer given by the luxury American brand to the market when its customers were asking for more performance from their vehicles.

The new model marked the return of the American brand into the sports arena. The Cadillac was an important contender with race-starts in LeMans 24h race in 1954. But after that, the brand was dedicated to comfort and luxury.

In 2002, Cadillac replaced the aged model Catera, which was a re-badged European Opel/Vauxhall Omega, with the new CTS. It was a mid-size luxury sedan but with a weird look for a Cadillac. Its angular shapes and tall headlights were something that the regular buyers didn't expect. But the younger buyers fell in love with it. The CTS-V version came a year later.

The interior was a mix between the classic Cadillac look and some modern Saab vehicles. With the big and tall center console, inspired by the aviation, the CTS-V was something unique in the American brand lineup.

The biggest surprise was under the hood, where the LS6 engine was dropped. It was the same engine from the C05 Chevrolet Corvette and, of course, the same 6-speed Tremec manual gearbox. It was the first Cadillac that was offered with a standard manual transmission since the mid-'80s. It was also the first Cadillac that could compete against vehicles such as the BMW M5 or the Mercedes-Benz E 55 AMG.