2016 Cadillac CTS-V

Super-sedan brings the supercharged madness with 640 hp and top speed above 320 km/h

If it’s unfortunate that the Chevrolet Volt was revealed at a time when saving fuel isn’t foremost in every consumer’s mind, then Cadillac’s CTS-V couldn’t have arrived in a better environment. Fuel is cheap – temporarily, but let’s not think about that – so a 6.2L V8 making 640 hp has plenty of appeal. It’s the sensible choice, really.

Here it is, the long-awaited CTS-V, with a paddle-shifted eight-speed automatic transmission, and a mighty 640-hp heart that’ll propel this sleek sedan to 320 km/h. Impressive, surely, but we do live in a world where Dodge’s Hellcats exist, so these numbers aren’t as flabbergasting as they might have once been.

Handling all that power involved stiffening the chassis by a further 25 percent, outfitting the suspension with magnetic ride dampers, upgrading to huge Brembo brakes to scrub speed, and bolting on a new carbon-fibre hood that let’s the big V8 breathe. It looks fierce, and ready to take on the best from BMW and Mercedes.

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The bad news is no more CTS-V coupe, and certainly no more CTS-V wagon. Too bad, as the latter was rather interesting, even if only a handful were ever sold.

While likely capable of strong track performance, the new CTS-V isn’t intended for circuit performance primarily. Instead, lap day duties fall to the ATS-V, while this larger and more luxurious CTS is intended to be the big dog on Bay Street.

Cadillac is reportedly planning a rollout of eight new models, one of which will be the new CT6 flagship sedan, expected to show at the New York Auto show this year. If this 640-hp monster isn’t the flagship for the brand, we can’t wait to see what is.