Curveballs are fun; automotive curveballs even more so.
In the interest of worldly-perceptiveness, we’ve taken off our European blinkers, and have decided to make a quick jaunt across the Atlantic. The final member of the Supersaloon Class of ’08 alumni is a product of the US domestic market.
The US domestic market (USDM), like the Japanese (JDM) one, is a strange, wonderous and mildly baffling beast. Like the JDM, the USDM often keeps a lot of the cool stuff for itself, leaving us rather closed-minded Europeans rather clueless.
America, the country built for the car, sometimes makes some stonkers that are so good that when the overly-confident Europeans – who are playing far away from home – turn up, they find themselves in very, very hot water.
One such example was in 2008 with the second-generation sized-like-a-5-series, aimed-at-the-3-series Cadillac CTS-V.
Bigger is better say Americans, and sometimes they aren’t far from the truth.
In terms of sheer speed, the slab-sided CTS-V had the European elite of 2008 well beaten. Powered by a 6.2 Litre supercharged V8 called the LSA, the CTS-V had 556bhp and 551ft lb of torque. Those output figures, even now, are higher than those of the 2022 BMW M3, and this way back in 2008.
The CTS-V was not only fast in a straight line – it could handle, too.
Big brakes, sophisticated suspension and active magnetic dampers – all way ahead of the curve in 2008 – took the CTS-V to the fastest production saloon car lap around the Nürburgring at the time.
Now, debate amongst yourselves about how relevant this is, but it is indicative of the Cadillac V-Series engineers doing something right.
The CTS-V was a brutishly good looking car, with straight edges, vertical headlight and tail light arrangements, and body creases so sharp they could scratch eyeballs.
Now, our European brains are not so acutely attuned to American car design evolution, but the CTS-V seems to have aged nicely. It looks contemporary but without excess faff or intricacy. In the UK, the CTS-V would turn heads more than any other car, save a boldly specced Lamborghini.
What we appreciated about American cars, particularly USDM-only ones, is that they do their own thing. They’re innovate but old-school; they often excel in America (duh!), and they don’t ever seem particularly fussed by the Europeans or Japanese.
American cars are happy to be American and they never, ever compromise on this.
The CTS-V also stands proud as a forerunner of the homegrown American performance car that could take on the Europeans and win.
American performance cars have always, in some ways, adhered more consistently to the performance car maxims that everyone supposedly, so greatly treasures. They’re mostly rear-wheel drive, with powerful, charismatic engines and good old manual transmissions, and the CTS-V ticks all of these boxes.
Oh, and there was an estate, or should I say wagon.
Kerbside 