We at ArabWheels and more specifically our Editor, Ronald, has already argued the absolute, daring beauty of the Cadillac CTS Coupe. I will admit that it is one of the most gorgeous designs to come out of General Motors for some time, and with no doubt one of the best looking vehicles. General Motors once again proved its capability of launching first-class designs, and what can happen when you let the designers do their thing…
Braking
Under the shiny sun of Abu Dhabi and on the F1 Yas Marina circuit, our challenging journey started from the early morning. We started the braking test at 100 kph to find out the braking distance of the CTS-V Sedan. And believe it or not, at the end of the exercise, we could’ve barbequed fresh meat in the lingering aroma of brake dust. But the test didn’t serve to tell us anything we didn’t already know.
Lane Change
This is the most dynamic and intuitive exercise in my opinion, as it might happen to anyone in any car on the open road. It is all about changing your lane in a quick response of the steering wheel without using the brake pedals and at the end you have to brake within the square box. I tried it many times and I can say that the CTS-V’s steering response is exact and the rest of the car handles the swap in its stride.
Circuit Drive
The CTS-V Sedan and Coupe are motivated by a supercharged 6.2 liter V8 making 556 horsepower with either 6-speed manual transmission or 6-speed automatic, the latter with steering wheel shift buttons. The CTS-V Coupe will be able to accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in 3.9 seconds. The main concern I had is regarding the weight.
On twisty corners over the circuit it was hard when pushing the brakes to get the instant response mostly because of the weight the brakes had to deal with. But I mostly enjoyed its handling and stability, and the reoccurring cautions and “slow down!” from my onboard Yas Marina instructors. The CTS-V Coupe’s acceleration was cleanly incredible! Blasting off the start line, you hit 100 kph faster than you can say Wow! I appreciated the audible sound of the growling engine. I felt such a symphonic harmony when I heard the faint but present whine of the supercharger. The leather Recaro seats deserve a great mention as I found them absolutely the best in the segment. The seats’ bolstering and multi directional set-up means you find the optimum driving position regardless of your size, something that really helped me enjoy the car, though truthfully, the blind spots of the C-Pillar in the Coupe would be a nuisance during parking maneuvers.
Hot Laps with John Heinricy
I was able to meet up with John Heinricy, a U.S. Automotive Engineer, racecar driver and all out automotive legend. Heinricy has had a long and distinguished career at General Motors, serving as Assistant Chief Engineer for the Corvette and as Director of the GM Performance Division. He retired from GM in October 2008, but his retirement kept him in excellent shape by making a sub-8 minutes in the 2009 Cadillac CTS-V around the Nürburgring! His skill and mesh with the CTS-V range go a long way in showing how much he has poured over the development of the V series in his preceding tenure, not bad for a retiree…
Braking
Under the shiny sun of Abu Dhabi and on the F1 Yas Marina circuit, our challenging journey started from the early morning. We started the braking test at 100 kph to find out the braking distance of the CTS-V Sedan. And believe it or not, at the end of the exercise, we could’ve barbequed fresh meat in the lingering aroma of brake dust. But the test didn’t serve to tell us anything we didn’t already know.
Lane Change
This is the most dynamic and intuitive exercise in my opinion, as it might happen to anyone in any car on the open road. It is all about changing your lane in a quick response of the steering wheel without using the brake pedals and at the end you have to brake within the square box. I tried it many times and I can say that the CTS-V’s steering response is exact and the rest of the car handles the swap in its stride.
Circuit Drive
The CTS-V Sedan and Coupe are motivated by a supercharged 6.2 liter V8 making 556 horsepower with either 6-speed manual transmission or 6-speed automatic, the latter with steering wheel shift buttons. The CTS-V Coupe will be able to accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in 3.9 seconds. The main concern I had is regarding the weight.
On twisty corners over the circuit it was hard when pushing the brakes to get the instant response mostly because of the weight the brakes had to deal with. But I mostly enjoyed its handling and stability, and the reoccurring cautions and “slow down!” from my onboard Yas Marina instructors. The CTS-V Coupe’s acceleration was cleanly incredible! Blasting off the start line, you hit 100 kph faster than you can say Wow! I appreciated the audible sound of the growling engine. I felt such a symphonic harmony when I heard the faint but present whine of the supercharger. The leather Recaro seats deserve a great mention as I found them absolutely the best in the segment. The seats’ bolstering and multi directional set-up means you find the optimum driving position regardless of your size, something that really helped me enjoy the car, though truthfully, the blind spots of the C-Pillar in the Coupe would be a nuisance during parking maneuvers.
Hot Laps with John Heinricy
I was able to meet up with John Heinricy, a U.S. Automotive Engineer, racecar driver and all out automotive legend. Heinricy has had a long and distinguished career at General Motors, serving as Assistant Chief Engineer for the Corvette and as Director of the GM Performance Division. He retired from GM in October 2008, but his retirement kept him in excellent shape by making a sub-8 minutes in the 2009 Cadillac CTS-V around the Nürburgring! His skill and mesh with the CTS-V range go a long way in showing how much he has poured over the development of the V series in his preceding tenure, not bad for a retiree…
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