2011 CADILLAC CTS-V COUPE

[رانيا 2]

By Andrew Ganz Wednesday, Apr 27th, 2011 @ 11:45 a.m.
Cadillac is no stranger to coupes, but the idea of an edgy, wedgy race-bred performance machine with one of the most high-tech, powerful powertrains under its long hood is the sort of thing that would make company founder Henry Leland roll over in his grave. Perhaps a few dozen times.

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But this is the Cadillac of the 21st century, a reborn brand under a reborn (or at least reshaped) General Motors. Cadillac, in many ways, might be the most remarkably turned-around automaker to ever live, even if its transformation is far from complete. Its showpiece is this aggressive two-door, the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe, for it represents nearly everything that Cadillac forgot about 30 years ago when it, and the rest of GM, stopped producing relevant and groundbreaking cars. Both barely survived.

It bears no remote resemblance to Cadillacs of yore, aside from a pair of massively finned tail lamps and the iconic crest-and-wreath logo. Yet we think Henry Leland would be pretty proud. After all, just as he created Cadillac from the ashes of a dead automaker (the Henry Ford Company), modern GM’s engineers created a masterpiece out of a comatose brand far removed from Leland’s vision of excellence.

What is it?
Bowing last year as a style-driven personal luxury flagship, the CTS-V Coupe is the two-door version of Cadillac’s much-ballyhooed CTS-V four-door. If you’re unfamiliar with that icon of modern Detroit muscle, you’ll be surprised to learn that it boasts a 556 horsepower supercharged V8, a quick-shifting Tremec six-speed manual (or a beefy six-speed GM automatic, as in the case of our tester) and a suspension developed in the land of BMW.

On sale for a little less than a year, the CTS-V Coupe was also recently complemented by a CTS-V sportwagon. Henry Leland would probably confused, but this Euro-style five-door reeks of former GM product czar Bob Lutz. That’s a good thing. A damn good thing.

What’s it up against?
Obvious rivals include two-door versions of the BMW M3 and the Audi S5. Spec sheets for both models pale in comparison, at least in terms of power output.

The only way to get close to this kind of power-per-dollar require forgoing some luxury goodies by picking up a Chevrolet Corvette or a Ford Shelby GT500. Both are serious brutes, but neither really seems like a direct CTS-V rival.

Any breakthroughs?
Aside from its unique two-door shape, the Coupe doesn’t bring anything new to the table that we haven’t seen in its four-door sibling. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t much to discuss, however.

For starters, the hood pops open to reveal a 6.2-liter V8 (LSA in GM-speak) and a big Eaton intercooled supercharger. The two work in harmony to crank out 556 horsepower and 551 lb-ft. of torque, the latter of which peaks at a nice and low 3,800 rpm. All this power and GM says that premium fuel is recommended, but not required. Whatever the case, get used to buying lots of it as the EPA slaps on its Gas Guzzler tax and says that the coupe should net 12/18 mpg.

The strong 6L90 Hydra-Matic six-speed automatic in our tester features paddle shifters on the back of the steering wheel and a sport-oriented algorithm.

The spec sheet continues with Brembo brakes the size of large pizzas, Cadillac’s innovative adjustable Magnetic Ride Control and, of course, all the luxuries befitting a Cadillac of Leland’s vision.

How does it look?
Polarizing doesn’t even begin to describe the two-door interpretation of Cadillac’s angular design language. While we’ve gotten used to the nicely proportioned sedan, the Coupe forced our brains into overdrive.

Viewed head on, the CTS-V Coupe is a dead ringer for its V-specification siblings. Substituting chrome plastic mesh and a more overt spoiler compared to the tame standard CTS, the V isn’t as subtle as, say, the Audi S5.

Walk around the side of the two-door and you’re in uncharted territory. The beltline sweeps up and up away from the rear wheel well, creating a massive dead space behind the rear door. Add that to the straked C-pillar and the tight greenhouse and suddenly things seem a little out of whack. The slab-sided sedan has enough cut outs for doors and handles to make this look work; the coupe strikes us as looking a little lopsided.

Continue your stroll and you’ll find the tail, which, if we may evoke a tired cliché, is really and truly the only thing anyone else on the road will ever see (aside from Lutz in the Soviet MiG fighter jet that he buzzes through the Michigan countryside). The dominant feature is a pair of massive chrome tailpipes poking out of the center rear bumper, but you can’t miss the tall tail lights or the wider-is-better high-mount third lamp. The bumper is enormous – ginormous, perhaps – and it is mostly unbroken aside from a central crease and a few little pock marks for the reverse sensing system.

And on the inside?
First bowing all the way back in mid-2007 as a 2008 model, the CTS interior hasn’t changed much over the years.

Aging reasonably well, the CTS’ basic digs – like its button-heavy center stack and its leather-like covered dash top have since inspired the hot-selling Cadillac SRX crossover. And we can see why Cadillac would choose to continue this basic theme. Although there is no shortage of switches to sort through, the layout is intuitive and logical and we especially like the large central screen, which rises to the occasion at the touch of a button to show more than basic audio and climate information.

The V treatment is evident throughout, beginning with an optional ($3,400) pair of ultra firm, heavily bolstered Recaro sports seats. Nothing like the gentle “sport” seats offered in some rivals, these thrones are ready for race course action. Seemingly infinite in their adjustment, the seats feature movable bolsters and a stretch-out knee pad. Cadillac also recently began offering them as an option on regular CTS models. Try before you buy if performance isn’t your ultimate goal.

Otherwise, the interior also receives a few light V touches, including optional ($300) suede trim for the steering wheel and gear lever.

Coupes have severely compromised rear seat room thanks to the sloping roof line and huge C-pillars. While leg and hip room is better than we expected, the experience is steeped in claustrophobia. Frankly, that probably won’t matter to most buyers. If you want space, buy the wagon.

Although some elements, like the door panels and door pulls, aren’t as substantial-feeling as those on German rivals, the rest of the look and feel is suitably upscale for a premium vehicle. Unlike the Mustang and Corvette, the CTS-V doesn’t feel like a cheap cabin with lots of makeup.

But does it go?
Unlike rivals with start buttons, the CTS-V still forces drivers to turn a knob to fire up its big LSA V8 engine. And, even though that knob is an approximation of a real key, that’s just fine by us. It gives the driver an immediate visceral connection to his machine, something this vehicle never forgets.

Once the V8 settles into its smooth idle, you might be forgiven for thinking you’re in a standard CTS. Those dual exhaust pipes emit only a light burble at a complete stop. Slip the gear lever into drive and tap the skinny pedal, however, and this powertrain really comes into its own. It roars its way to redline before a noticeable but refined supercharger whine kicks in. As the revs increase, so does this glorious growl and groan, right up to a firm shift into a lower gear.

Power comes on immediately, never once giving up even when the needle streaks its way to redline. Highway passing isn’t as much about planning ahead as it is about wondering how that car you just zipped around vanished so quickly. Oh, wouldja look at that – the needle is pegged at 140 mph.

Launch it just right and the CTS-V will continually sprint to 60 mph in about four seconds. That’s supercar territory – and it’s as fast as anyone with a standard drivers license should be moving. This coupe is positively rapid, especially with the six-speed automatic. While we absolutely love the snick-snick Tremec six-speed stick, the no cost automatic offers true mash-the-pedal-and-hang-on performance.

A muscle car in a tuxedo, the CTS-V doesn’t forget its manners when the road begins to curve. Big 9-inch (front) and 9.5-inch (rear) wheels are wrapped in 19-inch Michelin Pilot Sport 2 performance rubber. Grip, as you might expect by the massive foot print, is endless if you’re light on the throttle. Step into things and the CTS-V will gladly rotate through a corner, even with its traction control in the standard street setting. For more confident drivers, a sport mode offers just enough freedom before the nanny steps in. For brave souls, traction control can be turned off entirely – a relative rarity even in performance cars.

Grip doesn’t do any favors without a communicative tiller, however. Luckily, the CTS-V checks off that box, too. Fast without being twitchy, the hydraulic setup delivers a glorious feel of the road ahead without even the vague on center numbness or immediate turn-in uncertainty that has plagued some recent German rivals. This is sublime steering at its finest.

And so too the Brembos. Mash the pedal and things come to a halt quickly. Our harsh driving resulted in little, if any, fade. Prodigious brake dust is a given with a setup like this, so you might want to bulk up on wheel cleaners.

As delightful and engaging as the CTS-V was in aggressive driving, it was around town where we were most surprised. Although it guzzles lots and lots of fuel (we averaged 12 mpg on a tank of driving like Andretti and 16 mpg while trying to keep our drivers license), the ride quality bridges the gap between firm and compliant, eliciting nary a complaint from any rider (except those crammed into the back seat). Road and wind roar is kept to a minimum.

If you can keep the tank full, this is certainly one of the best driver’s cars on the road today.

Why you would buy it:
You want the best-performing two door on the market available for under six figures without going for a dedicated sports car.

Why you wouldn’t:
The back seat that might be an afterthought to your single friends, but you want a little more space. Wagons ho!

Leftlane’s bottom line
Any complaint we have about the CTS-V Coupe is minor at best. Sure, the style of the Coupe isn’t for everyone and, right you are, the interior could use an upgrade here and there.

But this Motown muscler does just about everything right. It makes us forget about all of the motoring miscues (bah, let’s just call them crap) Cadillac pumped out during the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. Let’s just hope that EPA-driven development doesn’t hurt this line in the future, or else Henry Leland’s vision of a world standard lineup might fade back into the annals of history.

2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe base price, $62,165. As tested, $70,885.
Recaro seats, $3,400; Crystal Red paint, $995; Wood trim, $600; Suede trim, $300; Gas Guzzler tax, $2,600; Destination, $825.