Cadillac May Build CTS-V to Match Future BMW M5's Power
Cadillac's ultra-hot 2004 CTS-V, that sports a 400-hp 5.7-L LS-6 V8 pulled directly out of the wild and wooly Corvette Z06, just might get a mid-year engine upgrade to nothing less than 500-hp. At least that's the rumor running around GM circles lately.
 |
| Cadillac wants to compete on par with the big name, big horsepower German brands. (Photo: General Motors) |
The modified V8 would boast 6.0-liters. Why the need for more power? Cadillac wants to be perceived on par with German brand's Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, all of which are in a fierce horsepower war with their respective RS, M and AMG supercar brands. Audi recently introduced its 450-hp RS6 (U.S. only) and Mercedes-Benz its 469-hp E55 AMG, while BMW is expected to up the ante with a new 500-hp V10 M5.
 |
| The bragging rights alone could boost sales of all Cadillac models. (Photo: General Motors) |
There's no reason why Cadillac can't produce a car to compete directly with these bahn-stormers, and the bragging rights could trickle down to bolster sales of all of its models.
An important consideration is that the CTS-V is slightly smaller and lighter than any of its midsize German competitors, which means even in 400-hp trim it should be competitive. To put it into perspective, the ultra-hot Caddy also competes with, and should easily outperform the much less powerful Audi S4, BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz C32 AMG. It will be interesting to see if rumor results in reality in the CTS-V's case.