By Bradley Iger
October 16, 2014
Winding Road Magazine
With competition from the likes of the BMW 5-Series, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and the Audi A6, it’s clear that Cadillac faced an uphill battle when they brought the CTS into the midsized sport sedan fray back in 2002. Since then we’ve seen the CTS-V best the Germans on their own turf with a record-setting Nurburgring lap time and a steady series of tweaks and refinements as the car matured but, performance notwithstanding, there’s always been a sense that while the CTS made for a great midsized sports sedan, it still existed a step or two below its European rivals as an overall package. Last year marked the debut of the all-new third generation CTS, which brought with it a striking new design, a longer wheelbase, a lower roofline, and debut of the Vsport trim level which slots between the base model and the as-yet unannounced CTS-V. Even a brief glance at the new car made it clear that Cadillac was in it to win it with the new CTS, but with the firm foothold of the established players in the segment, would it be enough? We spent a week with the CTS Vsport to find out.
What is the idea behind the Cadillac CTS Vsport?
As the name suggests, the Vsport model ups the ante performance-wise with a twin turbocharged V6 that’s mated to a paddle-shifted 8-speed automatic gearbox, along with a sportier suspension tuning that utilizes GM’s latest iteration of Magnetic Ride Control and a set of Pirelli high performance summer tires. Slotted between the base CTS, which is equipped with a naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V6 or a turbocharged 2.0-liter four cylinder, and the inevitable but not yet revealed CTS-V, which will likely see a supercharged V8, uprated suspension and beefier brakes to go along with the requisite aesthetic and creature comfort upgrades, the Vsport will eventually split the difference between the two trim levels. But for time being, the CTS Vsport sits at the highest chair of the portfolio.
Who might want a car like that?
Those cross shopping cars like the Mercedes-Benz E550, the Audi S6 and the BMW 550i would be wise to include the CTS Vsport on their test drive list. Likewise, buyers already hooked on the idea of a CTS could easily be lured in by the significant enhancements offered in Vsport trim over the base model, especially when considering the fact that our Vsport tester came in under $60K before destination charge.
Full Story: Driven: 2015 Cadillac CTS Vsport
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