*updated with review* let me know if you want to know my impressions of the new CTS-V

test drove one today, definitely off topic, but i could do a comparison between it and my 996 if anyone is interested.

Quotes source post: 6908874

I would like to hear your driving experience of the new CTS-V. What did you think?

Yes, I'd be curious. I'm considering a used STS-V.

Sure, lets hear it. I probably have about 1500 miles behind the wheel of the new CTS-V and know the car well. tooloud, it's a whole different car than the STS-V was, I always was a little underwhelmed by the STS-V and found the suspension twitchy.

i admit i like to test drive cars, it's just something i do, so anyway, i decided to test drive the 09 CTS-V. i would also like to thank my local suburban cadillac sales person for allowing me an extended test drive, and maybe stretching a few of the local speed and traffic ordinances, but i admit nothing :P so here's a break down by category: power : i'm sure this is the number 1 thing people are curious about. after all, cadillac advertises that this is the fastest production sedan ever to run the 'ring on stock tires (pilots, by the way). well, let me just say that the power is very linear. just a constant thrust that most LS9 corvette owners probably are familiar with. the supercharger is a welcome addition to the venerable push-rod V8. it displaces 6.2L and produces 556 HP. a very nice combo. however, i noticed the pedal feel was very light in comparison to my 996. i would have preferred a heavier pedal feel to accompany the gobs of power on tap. it's very easy, maybe too easy, to have the throttle half-way open with just the weight of one's foot. a sure way to lots of tickets. however there was an issue, which leads me to the next category: transmission : the demo car came with a 6 speed auto. even in sport mode the transmission was laggy and really didn't downshift nearly as well as the PDK. porsche just owns that technology at the moment. there's just no comparison. i think the that 6 speed auto in the CTS-V just ruins the potential of the engine. handling : steering was very light. too light in my mind. it is better than my friend's 07 CTS-V, but it still feels a bit numb from a road feel point of view. my 996 is far superior in that regard. steering was quick and responsive and the numbness was most evident when just cruising in a straight line on michigan's terrible roads. as far as turning is concerned, well, you certainly don't feel the 4200 lbs curb weight. . .until you drive a 996 right after it. mine is a C4 and pretty heavy, for a 911, but it felt like a go cart next to the CTS-V. i'm not saying the handling is bad, it's quite neutral and crisp, but there's still a bit of mass that has to get slung around. you only really notice if you drive one of our cars right afterwards. on hard acceleration (okay, near burnouts), the CTS-V exhibits a bit of wheel hop as the V8's 551 lb-ft of torque breaks loose the rear tires. the stability control (in sport or competition mode) does keep keep it to a couple of chirps before you really get going. however, it's not neck-snapping acceleration but more the relentless thrust of a speeding locomotive. my butt accelerometer confirms the published reports of 4 sec. 0-60 times. but aside from a bit of wheel chirp, all the acceleration happens with a minimum of mayhem or fury. the universe does not go plaid when you hit ludicrous speed. the grip was excellent with 19" 285/35 rears and 19" 225/40 fronts pilots. also, i'm now a fan of the magnetic suspension. in sport mode it is excellent from a ride comfort as well as body roll point of view. keeps the car very level. interior : a quantum leap over previous caddies. fit and finish makes it look like they took a page from audi. maybe not quite that good, but all the seams line up and no creaks or cheap plasticky bits. the piano black finish on the trim in conjunction with carbon fiber made it look quite sharp. i also highly recommend the recaro seat option. the standard seats are basically a park bench with no support. also the recaros come with ventilated seats, a nice option especially in summer. i really like the slide up nav screen. it's satellite based, so no disks to load or updates to buy. it's a touch screen and works nicely, but since i was only on a 20 minute test drive, i wasn't able to really use it. standard bluetooth for phone as well. the sound system is bose and also has a 40GB HDD for up to 20 minutes of "tivo" radio as well as for storing MP3s. it also allows you to rip albums from CD to the HDD. intangibles and sound : from the outside the sound of the giant V8 when it first starts and idles. . .well, there's nothing quite like it. it's certainly a full on visceral experience, though it is a bit muted and i wish there was a sport exhaust option like on our cars. oh well, i'm sure the aftermarket will take care of that. inside you can't really hear the engine even at WOT. i'm sure a bunch of that 4200 lbs of curb weight is sound deadening. the stance of the car is very aggressive and the big tires certainly give the car a bit of a menacing feel, which is the point. in black, it's a bit like darth vader's sedan. but the thing is, i don't think i'd trade in my 996 for one. on paper the 996 doesn't stack up to the new CTS-V, but the CTS-V does not have the aura of tradition and history behind it like the 996 does. maybe it's the cadillac badging that throws off my impressions. maybe the cadillac brand just does not "feel" like an M3 or AMG, so my perceptions are skewed and my mind is fooled. thing is, when you get behind the wheel of one it feels less "solid" than it's competition. not loose or rattly, but less synergistically whole in it's approach to speed and control. don't get me wrong, this is the best domestic performance sports sedan i've ever driven. i find it far superior to any offering by japanese automakers, but it doesn't have the holistic feel and balance of our 996s. anyway, those are my impressions.

Great write-up Thanks!!

oh, one thing i forgot to add. EPA mileage is 12 city and 18 highway. it's a very thirsty car.

I too like those cars...a lot. Pretty amazing car. Thanks for the write-up! I feel you used words that got the point across perfectly and made me feel like those were my personal impressions.

I'm hoping Detroit can continue building vehicles like this in light of the recent trend towards a complete lineup of fuel-efficient cars. Sounds like a step in the right direction for GM though!