A mere decade ago, the pickings were slim if you wanted a luxurious midsize sport sedan with steroidal power and room for four adults. BMW's newest version of its M5 was just about ready to hit stateside, and Mercedes had just introduced the E55 AMG. But if neither of these super-sedans tickled your fancy, you were pretty much out of luck. Today, rival models from Audi, Jaguar and Maserati have elbowed their way into this exclusive segment alongside updated efforts from BMW and Mercedes. And then there's the 2009 Cadillac STS-V, now in its fourth year on the market. It's an attempt by GM to cut the haughty European competition down to size.
Thanks to its supercharged 4.4-liter V8, the 2009 STS-V can sprint from zero to 60 mph in an impressive 5.1 seconds. That the STS-V isn't even close to being the quickest car in this segment is a testament to the ferocity of the current horsepower wars. That honor goes to the brutally powerful Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, which reaches 60 in a physics-flouting 4.3 seconds. But make no mistake -- the STS-V is one fleet-footed luxury sedan. And while it doesn't offer world-beating handling, it's no slouch here either, having been tuned extensively on the Nürburgring's famous Nordschleife in the course of its development. When you consider these traits alongside the STS-V's downright civilized ride and spaciously luxurious interior, there's no doubt that this remains a highly desirable car even after four years of production.
Thing is, GM's got a hotter iron in this fire -- that would be the new CTS-V, which is marginally smaller than the STS-V but about the same size as the Germans. It boasts a mildly detuned version of the new Corvette ZR-1's supercharged V8. On paper, that means it will put out fully 81 more horsepower and 111 more pound-feet of torque than the STS-V's already healthy 469 hp and 439 lb-ft. In practice, the CTS-V has lapped the Nürburgring in a production-sedan record 7 minutes and 59 seconds. The STS-V is no slouch, but it can't touch the all-out performance of its brash new sibling.
Still, the fact that traditionally staid Cadillac now offers two Nürburgring-bred luxury sport sedans is a good measure of how thoroughly the brand has reinvented itself in recent years. The 2009 Cadillac STS-V certainly does justice to the high-performance "V" badge, even if it's no longer the sprightliest steed in Cadillac's stable. However, there are many highly capable players in this segment, so we'd advise giving the competition a close look as well. The Audi S6, BMW M5, Jaguar XJR, Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG and even the somewhat pricier Maserati Quattroporte are all worthy of consideration.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2009 Cadillac STS-V is a large high-performance sedan available in one fully loaded trim level. Standard equipment includes 18-inch front wheels and 19-inch rear wheels, HID xenon headlamps, rear parking assist, rain-sensing wipers, a sunroof, keyless entry/ignition, leather and faux suede upholstery, heated eight-way power front seats, driver memory functions, heated outboard rear seats and a heated steering wheel. Dual-zone automatic climate control, a head-up display, a navigation system, Bluetooth and a 15-speaker Bose surround-sound system with six-CD changer, auxiliary audio jack and satellite radio are also standard. The only option is deleting the sunroof.
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