Cadillac reorganizes its sportier lineup and adds new CT4-V and CT5-V sedans

DETROIT, Mich. – Thursday night, Cadillac unveiled a pair of new sport sedans and reorganized its V-Series performance lineup. One of the sedans, the CT5-V, is an enhanced variant of the new mid-size four-door vehicle launched at the New York Motor Show this year. The second is the CT4-V, a sporty version of the entry-level CT4, which has not been seen yet. But if you wait for fire-breathing monsters that are barely suitable for the street, you will have to redefine your expectations. these two new machines are more jalapeño than habanero.

The Cadillac V-Series was born in 2004 when the automaker integrated the Corvette's 5.7-liter V8 engine into its CTS sedan, giving us the CTS-V. Since then, the high-performance versions of the CTS and ATS sedans (and the CTS-V wagon) have offered an American alternative to cars like the BMW M3 and the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. But instead of putting everything at 11 on these new models, the dial was set between 8 and 9. "It's a new look at the V-Series. Current cars are only accessible at a fraction of the time. customers want more time on the road, "said Ken Morris, vice president of global products at GM.

CT5-V

When the regular version of the CT5 debuted in New York, it included, in addition to a brand new electronic architecture, a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. This was traded for a 3.0L twin-turbo V6 for the CT5-V, which provides the car with 335hp (250 kW). It will be available with AWD or rear, but only with a 10-speed automatic transmission. Its maneuverability has also been improved with the introduction of Magnetic Ride 4.0, the latest version of GM-controlled magnetorheological dampers that, he says, now provides a faster and better damping response, wherever that you were in the performance of the car.

CT4-V

This one was really a new revelation, as we have not yet seen the basic model of the CT4 sedan. Like the CT5s, he uses GM's Alpha platform and enjoys much of the same technology as his big brother. Under the hood, a 2.7-liter turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine (239 kW), borrowed from the GM truck lineup. Like the CT5-V, it also uses a 10-speed automatic transmission and is also available in all-wheel or rear-wheel drive. Choose the old one and you also get these Magnetic Ride 4.0 shock absorbers: the AWD CT4-V are equipped with passive ZF dampers. Unlike the CT5-V, which uses an electronic limited slip differential, the smaller car in the V series is content with a conventional mechanical device.

Visually, both V-series use similar landmarks to distinguish themselves from other caddies if you know where to look. There are black stitches instead of chrome in the grill and elsewhere the chrome glosswork has been exchanged for black accents. At the back, the quad exhausts are surrounded by brushed silver. And painted callipers (available in three different colors) tell viewers that this car is designed to stop as well as it goes.

The reaction to the new cars was a little muffled. After all, the outgoing ATS-V (replaced by the CT4-V) has 464 hp (346 kW) and the CTS-V (replaced by the CT5-V) has a power of 640 hp (477 kW), both far exceeding the cars that will take their place in the showroom. Neither CT4-V nor CT5-V are on sale until 2020, so we'll have to wait until it's time to know exactly how much it will cost you. But Brendan Vivian, chief engineer of Cadillac, pointed out that refitted V-Series cars are expected to be more affordable than previous Cadillac halo models. "Expect a bonus of $ 6,000 to $ 7,000 over the Sport versions," he said.

Fans of road trips are aware of this: when cars enter the showroom next year, the excellent GM Super Cruise system will be available as an option in both cases.

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