Cadillac CTS-V: GM's 550hp sedan breaks 8 Minutes at The Ring

A prototype Cadillac CTS-V recorded 7:59.32 on the 22.810 km Nordschleife ("Northern Loop") of the Nurburgring Eifel mountain circuit on May 9. America's first Formula One World Driving Champion, Phil Hill, was the first man to break 9 minutes on a lap of The Ring. He did it in a Ferrari Formula One car on August 5, 1961. Now we have sedans that can break 8 minutes. And the latest record belongs to Cadillac. Who could have guessed. With nearly everyone with a performance car making the Nurburgring their official off-site test facility, it is no surprise that the production sedan record keeps moving, but it is heartwarming to think that a Cadillac four door sedan is at the top, even if only briefly.

The eight-minute mark has long been recognized as a major Nurburgring milestone, reserved for race cars and the fastest exotic sports cars. While there's no single official repository for Nurburgring data from private test sessions, numerous reputable websites and publications report lap times from race teams, automakers and independent sources.

John Heinricy, GM's favorite retired racing driver and director of vehicle integration for GM, piloted the CTS-V through its sub-8 minute lap. The car itself had no performance modifications outside of those planned for consumer production, which is scheduled to begin late this year. Even the dramatic, muscular bodywork is the same that will be available in a Cadillac dealer near you.

Estimated at 550-hp, the CTS-V is at the moment going through the final stages of intensive testing and development. One of the realistic objectives of the Cadillac team is to make the CTS-V the world's fastest production sedan, as a part of the overall goal to make the V-Series Cadillac's ultimate expression of performance and technology.

The new CTS-V includes a suite of advanced performance technologies, including a new version of Cadillac's acclaimed Magnetic Ride Control suspension and the LSA 6.2-litre Supercharged V8 engine. For the first time, CTS-V will include the choice of 6-speed manual or automatic transmissions, with the new automatic sporting steering wheel-mounted shift buttons.

OnCars.com will keep you updated on Cadillac's efforts to deliver the world's fastest production sedan.

The first production CTS-V was recently sold at Cigar Aficionado magazine's 17th Annual "A Night to Remember," in New York City. The CTS-V was part of a charity auction benefiting the Prostate Cancer Foundation. The winning bid was $75,000, submitted by Mr. Cano Ozgener, founder of CAO International, a producer of premium cigars. The event raised $1.3 million for prostate cancer research and treatment.

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SPECIFICATIONS

Layout - Front engine / Rear wheel drive

Engine
- Type: OHV supercharged V8
- Displacement: 6.2 liters
- Fuel delivery: SFI, center feed - Valvetrain: 2 valves per cylinder
- Block/head: Aluminum/aluminum
- Power (SAE) : 550 hp @ 6200 rpm
- Torque : 550 lbs-ft @ 4000 rpm
- Fuel type: Premium

Gearbox
- 6-speed manual

Chassis
- Wheelbase: 113.4 in.
- Track: (Front) 61.8 in. (Rear) 62.0 in.
- Curb weight : 4200 lbs. (est.)
- Brakes: (Front) six-piston Brembo aluminum calipers, 14.57in. discs (Rear) four-piston aluminum calipers, 14.37in. discs
- ABS
- Suspension: (Front) independent, stabilizer bar, magnetic ride control with electromagnetically controlled shocks (Rear) independent multi-link, magnetic ride control with electromagnetically controlled shocks

Base Price (est.)
- $60,000