What’s the best place to test a super-high performance sports car like the next generation Cadillac CTS-V? Why, the Nürburgring, of course, and that’s precisely where our spies caught up with GM’s engineers, just before they entered the test center.
Over the past decade or so, Cadillac has been quietly moving away from the muscle car ethos and edging closer edging closer and closer to the more sophisticated and fine-tuned philosophy of the German competition like the BMW M5, Audi RS6 and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG.
That’s not to say it won’t have loads of power, because it will, whichever engine GM chooses – be that the 6.2-liter supercharged V8 from the new Z06 in which it is rated at a whopping 650HP, or the firm’s upcoming 4.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8 previewed on the Elmiraj Concept.
At the end of the day, it will have more horses under the hood that the outgoing CTS-V’s 556hp 6.2-liter supercharged V8, while, even though bigger in size, it will be lighter thanks to the new Alpha platform and the use of additional aluminum and other weight-saving materials.
Power will be directed towards the rear wheels through GM’s new eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle-shifters, but we still do not know if GM will offer a manual (7-speed) gearbox option as well.
Whereas this latest prototype retains the same crazy camouflage and locomotive pilot-like grille as previous testers, it has gained what looks like a prominent rear spoiler integrated into the boot. We cannot say yet if it’s a final production piece, but it does add character to the car that also sports a ground-effects kit, quad pipes, beefy wheels and massive brake discs.
We should see Cadillac unveiling the production CTS-V sometime next year as a 2016MY.
By John Halas
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoopS
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