Cadillac Confirms CTS-V Wagon, Coupe on the Way

The second-generation Cadillac CTS finally gives General Motors’ luxury division a competent sedan to go up against the segment-owning German sedans, so to build on its popularity Cadillac has announced two new body styles that will bear the CTS nameplate – the 2010 CTS Sport Wagon and the 2011 CTS Coupe. To make the CTS even more competitive against the likes of the BMW M5, Audi S6 and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, Cadillac will offer both the wagon and coupe with a high-performance V-Series model based heavily on the CTS-V sedan. GM has already confirmed that the wagon will be getting the performance-tuned treatment, while the existence of the CTS-V coupe has been all but confirmed thanks to recent spy pictures that show this car is in the finishing stages of development.

While it has yet to be seen whether or not the 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon can get American consumers to love a station wagon again, the CTS-V treatment shouldn’t have a problem coercing potential customers out of $60,000. Visual changes to the CTS-V wagon should be similar to the souped-up sedan, but we suspect the added weight to the rear should give it the most balanced handling of all the CTS-V offerings. It will be interesting to see how American buyers will respond to a high-performance station wagon following the rapid demise of the Dodge Magnum SRT8.

As for the CTS Coupe, the two-door layout gives the car a naturally sportier stance, and Cadillac will play off this by giving the CTS-V Coupe the most aggressive-looking styling of the three V-Series CTS models. The biggest difference between the coupe and the other CTS-V models is the center-mounted rear exhaust outlets that ditch the horizontal outlets of the base coupe for a pair of massive chrome-tipped outlets poking out of the middle of the rear fascia on the CTS-V Coupe.

In terms of styling, the newest CTS-V models will continue to incorporate signature V-Series design elements such as the power dome hood and the two-piece wire mesh grille. The exclusive V-shaped alloy wheels will also join the wagon and coupe accentuating the lowered ride height offered by the beefed up suspension components. Like the recently departed XLR-V, the CTS-V models will all use GM’s Magnetic Ride Control system that offers both a firm and comfortable ride.

As for the engine, both  cars, like the CTS-V sedan, will use a detuned version of the supercharged LS9 V-8 that is found under the hood of the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. The 6.2-liter LSA V-8 produces 556 horsepower and 551 lb-ft of torque thanks to an intercooled supercharger. In keeping with the sedan similarities, the CTS-V coupe and wagon should also come with a choice of either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission to direct power to the rear wheels.

Chances are that the 2010 CTS-V Sport Wagon will go on sale early next year, while the 2011 CTS-V Coupe will likely hit showrooms toward the end of next year. Pricing will probably increase slightly for both models compared to the 2009 CTS-V sedan that has a starting MSRP of $59,875.

Despite all of its sedan competition, the coupe and wagon variants of the CTS-V will put the car in a class by itself. In base form, the Sport Wagon will compete against the Audi A6 Avant and BMW 535i Sport Wagon, but neither of these offers a high-performance, sport-tuned model. When it comes to competition for the CTS Coupe, cars such as the BMW 6 Series and Jaguar XK are available with performance-tuned models (the M6 and XKR, respectively), but these cars come at a much higher price than the Cadillac.

Select photos via General Motors