automobiles equipped with AWD systems, it's refreshing for a high-performance auto to be set up so the driver can determine success or failure. While the CTS-V may have the engine of a supercar, the steering isn't quite there. It has nice weighting, but it is numbed out extensively and just feels like it is missing something. In addition, even though it weighs less than most of its competition, it doesn't feel lithe. Perhaps Cadillac tuned it this way because the ATS-V can easily do the nimble thing? Although the body is controlled in cornering and when pushed, I just wish it felt a little more American—like the Corvette— and a little less German, or heavy. I will have you know that there is a benefit to this heaviness. It gives the driver plenty of confidence, which is something you need with this much power under your right foot. Another positive: the CTS-V really does provide two distinct motoring experiences. You can either have a luxury sedan or an all-out sport sedan. If you leave the vehicle's driving mode in Touring, you have a quiet pussycat on your hands. The vehicle will quietly
skirt around New York's busiest streets and, thanks to well thought-out sound deadening and insulation techniques, the V's interior blocks out the hectic charms of the Big Apple. More importantly, the ride is well dampened and can handle Manhattan’s absurd craters without punching your kidneys. Try doing that in an E63, M5 or RS7. You can't motor around as smoothly as the Caddy. But don't be silly; this kitty has claws. Select Track mode and your world completely changes. The exhaust opens up, the throttle response gets sharper, the steering gets heavier and the suspension tightens. You're essentially getting your cake and are able to eat it, too. Much like the original M5 that provided owners with the best of both worlds, you get that in the Cadillac CTS-V. This is something that the competition has strayed from, which is why if you're in the market, you need to consider adding the Cadillac to your fleet. Richard Posluszny is a freelance writer based in Bergen County. Early Spring 2016
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