The 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe might be aimed at a low-volume niche, but it will be critical for the brand. And now, a high-performance v-Series Coupe is in the works.
Even with the new CTS Coupe still a half-year away from production, Cadillac is planning to add a second, high-performance version of the edgy 2-door.
TheDetroitBureau.com has learned that a v-Series version of the Cadillac CTS Coupe will be unveiled at the North American International Auto Show, in Detroit, this coming January. It will further expand the number of variants off the CTS platform that serves as the primary source of volume for the luxury marque.
When asked to confirm the plans, Cadillac General Manager Bryan Nesbitt responded, “absolutely.” Specific details will be held until the Detroit Auto Show, in mid-January. If the Coupe v is anything like the CTSv, however, it would be equipped with a supercharged, Corvette-derived LSA 6.2-liter V-8, which makes a jaw-dropping 556 horsepower and 551 lb-feet of torque.
With the sedan version, both the automatic and stick pull the same acceleration numbers, about 3.9 seconds, 0 to 60, and 12 seconds in the quarter-mile. Top speeds are rated at 191 mph for the stick, 175 for the automatic. A bit shorter and lighter than the 4-door, it’s just possible that the CTS Coupe v could make even better numbers.
The Coupe itself, making its public debut, in production trim, at this week’s Los Angeles Auto Show, is being billed as the sexiest and sportiest of Cadillac’s current offerings and the one that Nesbitt hopes will help the once-dominant brand begin to regain credibility in the critical Southern California luxury car market.
“This helps get us into the conversation,” Nesbitt told TheDetroitBureau.com during a dinner interview, “and helps better position the brand.”
The executive, who began his career at GM on the design side, acknowledged that even the CTSv sedan has had troubled budging the perception meter, potential customers “tending not to connect Cadillac with a robust, and enthusiastic driving experience.”
The maker hopes to overcome that not only with the new Coupe and planned Coupe v, but with several other offerings under development, including a smaller, entry-luxury sedan, as well as the XTS, the high-lux 4-door set to replace both the unloved STS and aged DTS.
The automaker will be taking risks, Nesbitt acknowledged, with the new XTS. It will be a far cry from the stodgy DTS and could lose the division’s traditional, conservative buyer base. That’s why it will be critical to reinforce Caddy’s image with products like the Coupe, in order to start luring in the sort of young, affluent and well-educated buyers that have long steered clear of Cadillac showrooms.