2004 Cadillac CTS Review

Specifications

The Ultimate American “Kick in the Pants”

“A raw, guttural, visceral, raging kick in the pants!” Thats about the most articulate description I can assign to tromping the throttle and slamming through the gears in Cadillacs wildly fast, 400-horsepower CTS-V. Prior to adding the “V” designator to the nomenclature of this 4-door road rocket, the CTS was no match for anything from Germany bearing an “M,” “S” or “AMG” shield. Now it is and then some.

In life before “V”, the CTS was a capable midsize performance sedan exhibiting a chiseled appearance and turning in decent V6 performance figures, but missing something. I tested such a rendition several months ago and was lukewarm to the meat-grinder operation of its optional, high performance, 3.6-liter V6, which extruded a respectable, but uninspiring 255-horsepower and 252 pounds-feet of torque. A romp in the new “V” edition of Cadillacs Euro-hunter indelibly illustrates what the CTS had been missing the last couple of years: horsepower, torque and V8 growl. But wait, theres more to the glory of V, which is how Cadillac will identify future special performance editions within its model lines. Augmenting the insatiable power of GMs LS6, 5.7-liter (350 cu-in) V8 - drawn straight from the track dominating Corvette ZO6 and retuned to 400-horsepower and 395 pounds-feet of torque - is a 6-speed Tremec manual transmission, massive Brembo brakes, sport-tuned suspension and 18-inch alloy wheels.

Accompanying the mechanical bits, that have transformed the CTS into the most powerful production Cadillac ever, are subtle but distinctive design cues which isolate the CTS-V from the run-of-the-mill CTS. Most noticeable is a visually stunning, stainless steel wire-mesh flush mounted front grille. The Vs wider, lower rocker panels and 6-lug nut 5-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels complement its lowered stance, highlighted by a deepened front fascia. Moving inside, the well-informed CTS admirer will identify a revised steering wheel, new gauges, custom stitched seats and the restrained use of satin aluminum trim.

But the true thrill of a V badge isnt found in admiring the cosmetic differences or even the hardware for that matter, it comes from twisting the key and letting 400 galloping stallions free. Generally in a full road test review I spend a substantial amount of time deliberating over the design of the subject vehicle, its build quality and even its marketing. But that sort of scrutiny can wait, as Ive got a key in my hand and a V in the garage, so without apologies its time to go driving. Firing up the LS6 is audibly rewarding, something the V6 CTS could never achieve in my opinion. In addition to being the most powerful production Cadillac, when its tachometer is on the rise the CTS-V is probably the most vocal production Caddy thanks to a heck of an exhaust note. The 5.7-liter powerplant doesnt hide its bravado the way Chryslers Hemi does in the brands robust 300C. Drop a right foot and the punchy growl of the CTS-V could send shivers down the driveshaft of most anything that purports to be a performance machine - the exhaust tuning is just that authoritative.

Upon directing the Tremec into first gear the length of its throw becomes apparent, along with the stiffness in its actuation. I was slightly disappointed here, especially after recently spending time engaged with the 6-speed mixer in Audis S4, which clicked from gear to gear in precise increments. The Vs stick certainly performed the job it was designed to do, but did so without the level of refinement that others in this category have achieved. Smooth, two finger shifting, such as that I watched Champ Car ace Alex Tagliani perform while taking me for a blast in the soon-to-be-released Mustang GT recently, is not possible in the CST-V. A bit more muscle is necessary to jostle the cogs in and out of place, but in a way the extra arm effort adds a level of gusto that can be somewhat enthralling. Clutch take-up is smooth and progressive, leading to “professional feeling and sounding” departures and gear swaps.

Once the substantial-feeling clutch reaches hook-up, most everything is left behind - literally. The CTS-V launches with tremendous grip and races through first gear with whiplash inducing force. Within a single held breath its time to shift into second gear before the big-8 hits redline and the engine saving rev-limiter interjects. A quick wrench on the stick brings second into play with only a slight drop in revs, keeping the LS6 in its north of 4,000 rpm sweet spot. The ride in second gear is also startlingly brief, and in no time the raging bull has again met its limitations and a click-click to third gear is in order. By this time the legal speed limit on just about every road in North America has been eclipsed and the bull isnt showing any sign of slowing down. The LS6 never runs out of breath or grows weary, proven by Cadillacs claims of a mere 4.6 seconds from naught to 60 mph and a quarter mile time of only 13.1 seconds at 107 mph. There are few production sedans worldwide capable of such thresholds, and none that I am aware of domestically.

Straight-line acceleration ability is certainly a measure of a cars performance, yet a true performance sedan must also incorporate commensurate handling dynamics so as not to risk disaster every time its horsepower is put to the pavement. Fortunately the blinding speed of the CTS-V is paired with an outstanding chassis, the direct result of many hours spent toiling on the high-speed 12.8 mile road circuit at Nürburgring, Germany - the old circuit not the new F1 track that stretches merely 2.82 miles. Yes, after reaching the limits of CAD-based engineering Cadillac sent its suspension engineers and an allotment of CTS-Vs to western Germany to put the finishing touches on the high performance suspension system and tweak it for the real world driving. With Nürburgrings 177 turns, the engineers managed to duplicate most every driving scenario to be encountered on the worlds roadways. Here they analyzed weight transfer and vehicle transitioning dynamics in order to dial-in a calibration that delivers incredible road-holding tenacity, the four-wheel independent setup with a modified multi-link rear suspension being quite a bit firmer than any antecedent 4-door Caddy, but without the spine pulverizing rigidity that such handling thresholds often require.

The suspensions stiffness and calibration provides steadfastly flat cornering, with immediate turn-in ideal for executing instantaneous lane changes. That said its also progressive in nature. Goosing the throttle easily provides sufficient torque to break the rear wheels free and create predictable oversteer by urging the tail out of line. Of course to accomplish this, the on-by-default traction control system must be deactivated and GMs StabiliTrak stability control logic set to its “competitive driving” mode, otherwise if wheel spin or a lateral skid is detected, engine retardation and brake interference will step-in and take away the performance-edge. Steering wheel mounted controls enable easy deactivation of the traction control system and activation of the StabiliTrak feature, which incidentally utilizes a network of sensors to detect a lateral slide. When a sideways skid occurs, the system automatically modulates brake pressure independently at each of the four wheels, bringing the wayward driver and his V-ride back on course.

The sensational handling ability of the CTS-V is due in part to the meaty, high performance Goodyear Eagle F1 P245/45ZR 18-inch run-flats mounted at each corner. These sticky boots glue themselves to the tarmac like little else I have experienced. Lateral traction is astounding and forward grip bites with such ferocity that wheelspin at launch tends to provoke undesirable hammering and wheel-hop from the rear underpinnings. This is something Cadillac needs to correct in order to save the rear components and refine the ability of the CTS-V to launch smoothly and efficiently under full power.

Offsetting a full throttle run-up is a braking system that immobilizes the fairly hefty 3,750 pound brute with eye-popping brevity, not to mention control. The Brembo calipers clench the huge 14.4 inch rotors with absolutely stupefying force. Nary was brake fade to be found after multiple anchor drops. The Vs antilock technology is a little less invasive than with more conventional braking packages, allowing the CTS-V driver to administer a little more self-braking before the ABS imposes itself. Bolstering the Vs mega brake composition is a Dynamic Rear Brake Proportioning system, which electronically balances braking forces to enhance stability and aid in the reduction of stopping distances.

In the CTS-Vs “office” driver and passengers alike will enjoy a large assortment of comfort and convenience features as the miles slip hastily by. Generous interior dimensions translate into good head and legroom up front, albeit headroom may be curtailing to anyone whose crown crests the 6-foot marker. But on the plus side, rear legroom is fairly generous. Apart from the rear center seating position, which ought to be deemed torturous by the Geneva Convention, all outboard seats provide good comfort and support. The front buckets are particularly satisfying and highly adjustable. Inserts both front and rear are suede-like Alcantara, rather than the slick leather that make up the bolsters and headrest. The suede surfaces help keep the driver and passengers firmly planted when cornering forces do their best to reposition all onboard, which is necessary due to the moderate side-bolstering of the front perches.

Despite the Vs penchant for supercar handling, a few additional interior aspects arent with the program - so to speak. The slim, flat spot in the floor that I believe is supposed to resemble a dead pedal is hardly sufficient. The placement of a proper, shoe-sized dead pedal would enable drivers to plant themselves up against the backside of the seat when attacking a road course. Secondly, whats up with a manual shifting sports sedan equipped with a foot operated parking brake? To make matters worse, when the latch is pulled to release the brake, the thunderous clunk of the pedal slamming against it stop-point is absurd.

Apart from these less than trifling issues, the interior of the CTS-V is well assembled and reasonably pleasing if black is your thing. Personally its design has never done much for me. I would love to see Cadillac toss it out and start afresh. Jeez, the cabin in the new Ford F150 pickup is more appealing and sportier looking! But like the opposite sex, or same sex depending on ones orientation, attractiveness is a personal thing and I would hate to condemn someone elses vision of beauty by slamming the CTS interior any more than I have.

Layout and design issues aside, the CTS-V is chalk-a-block full of content. My tester featured most of the bells and whistles, including Cadillacs navigation system, the screen of which combines for interfacing with a sensational sounding Bose audio system and in-dash CD stacker. Regrettably I didnt find the combined navigation and audio controls particularly intuitive or straightforward to operate, and Im not over 50. While I dont consider myself “old” Im not a kid either, so a little simplification and clear separation of the two systems would be helpful to the non-Gen-Xers among us.

Despite the quibbles I have bemoaned, Cadillac deserves some serious congratulating for bringing the V into production. It can out-muscle almost any foreign or domestic rival, and in most cases for far fewer shekels. The CTS-V employs brute strength to garner a front row grid position in the sedan category, while some of its competitors such as Audis sensational S4, which may not possess the same intestinal fortitude for speed, are a little more gentlemanly in their approach thanks to higher levels of refinement. Dollar for dollar, however, if sheer pavement scorching performance is the yardstick by which the king of the track is measured, the CTS-V wins hands down. Its the ultimate lead boot to the pants.