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The CT4-V will be the base of the V brand, and it's our first look at the small luxury sedan. It has a roofline and window treatment more like past Cadillacs, eschewing the C-pillar garnish of the CT5. It also naturally gets dark trim and headlights, a unique spoiler and quad tailpipes to distinguish it as a V. Under the hood is a turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder that is based on the engine in the new Chevy Silverado. It makes 320 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, a far cry from the ATS-V's 464 horsepower and 445 pound-feet of torque.
Power goes through a 10-speed automatic transmission only. Both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive are available. It gets a mechanical limited-slip differential whereas the ATS-V had an electronically controlled limited-slip differential a la CamaroZL1. The brakes have four-piston calipers at each corner versus six-piston front units and four-piston rear units on the ATS-V, and the rotors are smaller. Magnetic Ride Control remains standard on the rear-drive version, but the all-wheel-driver version sticks with conventional shocks. The new CT4-V is about 200 pounds lighter than the ATS-V, though, and it has 50/50 weight distribution. Additionally, both the CT4-V and the CT5-V have Super Cruise available as an option.
Moving on to the CT5-V, it looks like a regular CT5 but with dark trim and lights, quad tailpipes and a unique rear diffuser. Instead of the CTS-V's 640-horsepower supercharged V8, the CT5-V uses a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 making 355 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. Changes made to the 3.0 for the CT5-V include a new intake system and new exhaust, and it revs higher too. Like the CT4-V, it comes with a 10-speed automatic and either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. It does get the electronically controlled limited-slip differential.
The CT5-V also gets the latest Magnetic Ride Control suspension system in all versions. The brakes switch to Brembo four-piston units at all four corners. The old CTS-V had six-piston brakes up front and four-piston rear brakes, both with larger rotors than the CT5-V. But like the CT4-V, the CT5-V is lighter than its predecessor. In this case, it's lighter by about 170 pounds.
Some of this seems a little disappointing, but there is good news. Cadillac made it clear that there are more V variants coming, and it sounds as though harder-core versions of these sedans are also coming, but with different, unknown nomenclature. These new V cars are designed to be less hardcore for a broader buyer set. And according to a Cadillac representative, the slightly softer image will make it easier to apply the brand to its crossovers. So to sum up, the new V is a little more like the old V-Sport. It's sporty, but not ultra-hardcore. But there may still be something hardcore for later.
Odd they would introduce the souped-up version of the CT-4 before the regular. I think the general public's support of this vehicle would be based more on the model most people would buy vs. the niche one.
Overall, the front is very pleasant. It's just those ridiculous vertical DRL's are like oversized scars that call up too much attention. Caddy just can't shake the unwanted, out-of-place, retro, vertical lighting elements that no one has cared about since the 70's.
The rear has a hatchback appearance, which lends to the dumpy/frumpy-butt syndrome (bloated, non-athletic). The vertical portion of the trunk also looks tacked on, as well as the deer-hoof taillights. Poor integration overall.
Center stack is a total mess of combined shapes. There are six different rectangular shapes stacked upon each other from top to bottom. Too bad, as that could have been an easy way to spruce up the interior over previous Cadillacs.
I will wait complete judgement for the regular CT-4 model, but I have a strong hunch this will be another low-selling product for the company. Alienated styling has not worked well in this tough segment.
As far as the CT-5, I can't get passed the cow-catcher front and 90's Saturn C-pillar.
Cadillac spends huge $$$ establishing V and Vsport models for last generation cars.
Now the new V models is just Vsport LOL.
How can anyone take this brand seriously?
Then the execs wonder why nobody buys these overpriced cars.
Agree 100% 15 years to create V as the credible top tier brand against the Full M, RS, AMG models, pricing issues aside. They honestly hadn't done enough with the V Sport tier. These should have been V-Sport. If they bring a level above these now, what are those going to be called?
Cadillac spends huge $$$ establishing V and Vsport models for last generation cars.
Now the new V models is just Vsport LOL.
How can anyone take this brand seriously?
Then the execs wonder why nobody buys these overpriced cars.
Agreed. Most, if not all, of the V-line, IMO, is a waste of money. Cadillac is supposed to be in the business of producing traditional luxury products.....not BMW-M and Mercedes-AMG competitors. And the public seems to agree.....very few of the V-products are even sold in the first place.
These things are down on power (by a lot) compared to the C43's, M340i's S4/5 and the like ( if that is what they are bring compared to). I actually really like the way they look, but have a feeling as stated above, will be priced way to high.
Center stack is a total mess of combined shapes. There are six different rectangular shapes stacked upon each other from top to bottom. Too bad, as that could have been an easy way to spruce up the interior over previous Cadillacs.
no idea what you're talking about. i think it looks great, especially how the screen is 'sunken into' the dash, rather than being a monolithic tablet sitting on top.
great space usage too, really nice materials and stitching, and bmw shifter
Their angular styling....idk Hopefully the interior is better appointed, and the tech easier to live with. Knowing the car will lap the ring best in class but hoping they have an optional comfort/sleeper mode :P
Biggest Question:
I wonder what the strategy is for this model. They listed on another website, that theyre toning the power down/cost to bring more folks in, but I dont think Perf/$ was really a problem with their fleet. The dealership experience, after sales support, and sales structures were very Chevy rather then luxury. They piled on discounts at the tail end which tanked the residual values.
no idea what you're talking about. i think it looks great, especially how the screen is 'sunken into' the dash, rather than being a monolithic tablet sitting on top.
great space usage too, really nice materials and stitching, and bmw shifter
I couldn't agree more. The controls are the best I've used. A touch screen with dial in the console.( NO freaking touchpad) Separate dial for audio control/on-off. And yes the screen incorporated in the dash, not a pop tart ipad. Physical buttons for climate control. An off button for the stop/start feature. etc.
05-30-19, 11:50 PM
2020 Cadillac CT4-V and CT5-V
