The idea is as old as hot-rodding itself. Take a familiar production model, stuff in the biggest, baddest V8 you can find and -- voilà! -- you have an unassuming set of wheels that will leave even dedicated sports car drivers wondering what just happened as your taillights disappear in a cloud of tire smoke.
While the 2010 Cadillac CTS-V bears little physical resemblance to Detroit's original muscle cars, the parallels are hard to ignore. Using the same basic formula that turned mild-mannered cars like the 1965 Pontiac Tempest into the much-celebrated GTO, Cadillac engineers have transformed their mainstream luxury sedan into a high-performance monster that eats significantly more expensive European sport sedans for breakfast.
Naturally, those engineers have learned an awful lot about hopping up a standard model over the past few decades, and you'll find the sum total of that knowledge reflected in this second-generation CTS-V. But unlike those first factory hot rods, which are painfully crude by modern standards, this highest evolution of the entry-level Cadillac is as sophisticated as anything on the road.
Of course, with cars in this super-sedan category it's all about performance. And in this case, the performance potential borders on mind-boggling. For starters, the 556-horsepower, 6.2-liter supercharged V8 under the hood allows the portly 4,300-pound CTS-V to rip from zero to 60 mph in a tad over 4 seconds. It also helps the CTS-V top every other high-performance production sedan we've ever tested through the quarter-mile. Moreover, the rigid chassis and sophisticated electronically controlled suspension give the Caddy equally impressive handling. For proof, look no further than our recent super-sedan comparison test, in which the CTS-V edged out the legendary BMW M5 around the racetrack.
What seals the deal, however, is the bang for the buck this compact Caddy delivers. While we're just as fond of the comparably priced BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, it's hard to argue with the CTS-V's combination of world-class performance and passenger space, which makes it competitive with far pricier rivals like the M5 and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG.
The 2010 Cadillac CTS-V does have a few faults, albeit minor ones. At 4,300 pounds, this sedan can feel like the big hunk of metal it is on a winding stretch of road. And the standard front seats leave much to be desired in terms of both comfort and support. But nitpicks notwithstanding, the CTS-V is a magical muscle car that's sure to win both the hearts and minds of modern-day hot-rodders everywhere.
