I've been well and truly shafted this week. My colleagues thought it would be funny to send me up Jebel Hafeet — one of the greatest driving roads in the world... In an American car. Yes dear reader, I'm attempting to reach the summit of this glorious mountain, all 1,219m of it, on the outskirts of Al Ain, in a Yank tank. You know, those things famous for carrying on in a nice, straight line when you try to go around a corner. Well, now I've got 40 or so to negotiate including hairpins tighter than the back seat of a 458 Italia, if it had one. I would have been worried if I was attempting this in my 1991 Trans Am, complete with its worn shocks and brakes that you need to press yesterday in order for it to slow down today. But, I've got a little trick up my sleeve — and that's the perfectly poised and agile 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupé. I think I may have the last laugh as I stick it in D, floor it, and send 556 raging horses, produced by a supercharged 6.2-litre V8, to the rear wheels and up the 11.7km climb into the clouds.
I'm touching 70kph as I encounter the first bend but can't help but take my foot off the pedal, slow down to 40kph, go around the corner and floor it when the nose is facing straight ahead. After all, I want to go around corners and not through them. But I'm being unfair, as I keep telling myself this car can't do anything else but go fast in a straight line. So, I approach another corner — but the same thing happens. I slow right down to crawling speed, right foot on the brake, negotiate it safely and then bang — floor it once more. I just can't shake the stigma attached to cars born in the US. I begin to get tired of the twisty track and decide it's time for a break to take a proper look at what I'm sitting in.
Line 'em up
One look at the CTS-V Coupé and you'd be forgiven for thinking the Cadillac design team had just discovered the ruler. It's as straight as can be. But stick an LSA 6.2-litre supercharged V8, (essentially a Corvette ZR1 engine with a tad lower compression rate) into the bay and suddenly, you've got a car which can now travel so fast that all of its hard edges become a beautiful blur.
All the design attributes on the base CTS Coupé are intensified on the V. The overall exterior dimensions are the same but the V's specific styling cues — a bigger bonnet, sharper front grille, larger fog light surrounds and exposed dual exhaust pipes — help to give it tons of presence. It's that new grille which really sets the two cars apart. The base model has an egg crate design, while the V gets a mesh-like look for the upper and lower portions.
Overall, some find the car too pointy, but I love the look of it, and believe its edginess really sets it apart in the luxury coupé segment. But one thing I'm not a fan of is the rear end. It's too tall and results in a nearly horizontal rear window which limits visibility to the point that the backup camera and rear parking sensors are vital to have a good idea of what's behind you. Without them, you will surely hit that lamp post.
The high intensity discharge xenon headlights feature forward adaptive lighting and they do a grand job illuminating the road when the sun goes down. The bonnet has been raised by a couple of inches compared to that of the regular CTS and that's not just for styling purposes. Under that bulge lies the supercharger. The fenders feature functional side vents to help dissipate heat from the engine compartment, while the aerodynamic windshield helps to reduce drag. The low roof and high beltline give you a snug and secure feeling when you're sitting inside and the designers have done away with a traditional looking B-pillar; it's non-visible which keeps in line with its sleek looks. There are no traditional door handles either; instead you get a touch pad built into the side of the door which, again, gives the car a hefty dose of streamlined elegance.
Cadillac's also widened the track by 25.5mm to give the car more stability in the corners and as a result, you get huge rear fenders making for a proper muscle car squat. Those Cadillacs of the Fifties had vertical taillights and there is a nod to tradition here as the CTS-V also features a similar design. When you're driving behind this, you won't mistake it for anything else, and with 747Nm of torque at just 3,800rpm at its disposal, behind it is where you're bound to stay. The rear spoiler is functional and creates downforce to help keep you planted, doubling up as the rear brake light, but I noticed when hitting the top end of the speedometer, it begins to make an annoying humming sound as it cuts through the air.
When you crank it, you don't only hear the V8, you can feel it bellowing in your stomach after the roar ricochets off the sides of the mountain. It shares its pounding heart and many other mechanical underpinnings with the properly good saloon.
Enter the dragon
Inside the Coupé, you get sublime 14-way heated and ventilated Recaros which feature a nice suede trim, while the steering wheel gets similar treatment. It helps with grip when your hands are sweating by the 15th corner and when you've grown in confidence with the handling capabilities of this car. The nice thing about the interior is that everything is at your fingertips — all the buttons on the centre console are sensibly placed. Not just that, but it feels high class and expensive in here. The 8in glide-up touch screen features a voice and text guidance sat-nav but isn't the easiest to use. It'll take a while before you are best friends. If you get tired of the thunderous V8 (I don't think anyone will) you have a Bose 5.1 surround-sound music system with 10 speakers. It comes with a clever little feature which allows you to record up to 60 minutes of live radio for you to play back whenever you want, and a 40GB hard drive.
Drive it like you stole it
Now, the most exciting thing about this car is, of course, its performance. With that massive powerplant under the angular bonnet, the CTS-V will hit 100kph from a standstill in just 3.9 seconds and max out at a ridiculous 320kph. This thing is absolutely phenomenal but it's not as highly strung as I thought it would be. You can relax in here rather than get around with your teeth constantly clenched. Don't be fooled, it will outrun almost anything else on the road. Just a touch of that loud pedal and it pulls like a freight train.
The six-speed automatic is fantastic and keeps the car from feeling clunky, swapping cogs seamlessly. Even though the big V8 is supercharged, you don't hear the intercooled Eaton whining. Thankfully, its four-lobe design makes it quieter and ideal for everyday driving. It has a smooth and predictable power build up and a lovely feedback through the ZF Servotronic speed sensitive power assisted rack and pinion steering, making this car easy to push when you want, and keep steady under control. As I neared the top, I grew in confidence thanks to its superb grip, GM's magnetic ride control and those racing-bred Brembos at each corner.
They feature six piston front and four piston rear callipers with a two piece composite rotor and aluminium hub. It's said the design is less prone to heat warping and I'm certainly convinced. Having reached the top of Jebel Hafeet in no time at all and banishing any negative thoughts about American cars and their inability to tackle corners, then coming back down even quicker, the brakes felt as good as new. They weren't even squeaking — despite kicking up sand and gravel along the edges of the mountain road. They behaved impeccably and provided plenty of stopping power to keep this 1,922kg beast under control. With its 19in alloys and high performance Michelin Pilot Sport tyres, the CTS-V Coupé simply blasted its way up and around the twists and back down again like a crazed schizophrenic. It looks and sounds like an American muscle car but it handles like a nimble European sportscar. The perfect mix.
Verdict
This car is superb and anyone who says otherwise simply hasn't driven one.
The 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupé is definitely the coolest member of the family. With an incredible engine, fantastic handling and those fabulous straight lines, it's got everything you could ask for in a performance coupé.
It may not be the most practical thing around, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Hard drive
You get an extra measure of control in the Cadillac CTS-V Coupé with two selectable drive modes — Tour and Sport. They allow the driver to tailor the suspension for when they're cruising around or going flat out — which is much more fun.
Specs & ratings
- Model: CTS-V Coupé
- Engine: 6.2-litre V8 supercharged
- Transmission: Six-speed auto, RWD
- Max power: 556bhp @ 6,100rpm
- Max torque: 747Nm @ 3,800rpm
- Top speed: 320kph
- 0-100kph: 3.9sec
- Price: Dh298,000
- Plus: That incredible engine and those angular looks, also, it's a bargain
- Minus: Poor rear visibility
