Like being scolded by mom when stealing a cookie from the cookie jar, the V is no passive creature. The engine barks and settles down to a gentle burble while gauges dance, lights flash and the Cadillac logo whizzes around on the extended navigation screen. The start up sequence is theatrical to say the least. With 556 horsepower awaiting the beckon call of my size 13 Puma's, the time to drive is now.Heavy on the throttle, the CTS-V roars with sounds that Zeus sets as his ringtone, while a relentless monsoon of torque makes your vision blur when 60mph passes in 3.9 seconds. I'm not sure it's an internal combustion engine under the hood, or an unstable nuclear reactor. The spec sheet reveals however, a 556-horswpower 6.2 liter V8 based off the herculean 638-horsepower, LS9 V8 found in the Corvette ZR1. Merging on the highway incites lunatic giggles as the spiky-haired guy you just passed in a similarly priced M3 picks his jaw off the floor.
Settling in at cruising speed, the CTS-V quickly shows its colors as an excellent gran tourer. The suspension, featuring magnetic ride control, offers both normal and sport mode, and gliding in normal mode offers a ride that's firm yet supple, erasing any and all memories of grandpa's cherry '77 Eldorado with boat-o-matic suspension. The only gripe that crept up was that at 60 mph, the exhaust note emits a headache-inducing resonance throughout the whole cabin. After 30 minutes of 60 mph traffic, I really wished Zeus' phone could be put on silent. It can be though, if the state law and traffic permits, 70 mph reduces the tone to a pleasant, soft rumble.
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