The 2014 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe may be long in the tooth, but it still has some surprisingly springy legs, which a testament to how far Cadillac->ke18 has come in turning this high-powered CTS Coupe into a real luxury sports coupe.

Unfortunately, the CTS-V Coupe didn't get the same love from Cadillac as far as looks are concerned. That honor was bestowed to the all-new CTS Sedan, and judging by how well-received the CTS Sedan was when it made its debut at the 2013 New York International Auto Show, the CTS-V should have reason for optimism when it gets its due turn in the new-generation design.

For now, though, the 2014 CTS-V Coupe trudges on with relatively minor updates since it made its debut in 2008. It's a risky move for Cadillac, especially when a lot of customers can just opt to sit back and wait for the new-look CTS-V Coupe to arrive.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2014 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe.

2014 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2014 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe
  • Engine/Motor: V8
  • Horsepower: 556 @ 6100
  • Torque: 551 @ 3800
  • Transmission: six-speed manual
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

The Cadillac CTS was not the best-received model that the luxury automaker released when it debuted back in 2008, so it doesn't inspire that much confidence knowing that its essentialy still sporting the same design. But to be fair, the model has made strides in the vanity department,

It still looks as muscular as ever, a fine attribute that blends well with the monster engine under its hood, but at its core, the CTS-V Coupe is essentially just a trimmed-up, two-door version of the CTS sedan. The wheelbase is the same, even if it sits a little closer to the ground, while also having a shorter length and wider track width.

But there are still some notable designs on the CTS-V Coupe. The windshield, for one, was designed a little more horizontally,perfectly complementing the muscular shoulders with a sleek and athletic profile.

2014 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe - Exterior Dimensions

Wheelbase (in / mm):

113.4 / 2880

Length (in / mm):

188.5 / 4789

Height (in / mm):

56 / 1422

Width (in / mm):

74.1 / 1883

Track (in / mm):

62 / 1574 (front)
63.4 / 1610 (rear)

Curb weight (lb / kg):

4217 / 1913 (manual)
4255 / 1930 (automatic)

Weight distribution (% front / rear):

51 / 49


2014 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe - Standard Exterior Features

- Wheels, 19" x 9" (48.3 cm x 22.9 cm) front and 19" x 10" (48.3 cm x 25.4 cm) rear, premium multi-coat painted finish (STD)

- Tires, P255/40R19 front and P285/35R19 rear, Y-rated performance

- Tire Inflation Kit

- Sunroof, delete

- Headlamps, high intensity discharge with Adaptive Forward Lighting System and flash-to-pass.

- Headlamp washer system

- Fog lamps, integrated in front fascia

- CHMSL, V-Series

- Mirrors, outside heated power-adjustable, body-color, manual-folding

- Glass, Solar-Ray light-tinted

- Wipers, front intermittent with washers

- Wipers, Rainsense

Interior

The interior of the 2014 CTS-V Coupe remains largely unchanged, which is to say that the cavalcade of buttons and configurations are still there. For a high-performance sports coupe, we can give it a pass, although expectations for the next-gen model calls for at least a cleaner and more sophisticated look befitting Cadillac's reputation.

There are some new offerings, if anybody's interested in them. Chief among them is the Sport Blue interior package, which adds Twilight Blue leather seating with suede inserts, suede steering wheel rim and shift knob, Recaro performance seats and the Midnight Sapele wood trim package.

2014 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe - Interior Dimensions

Headroom (in / mm):

36.9 / 937 (front)
34.6 / 879 (rear)

Legroom (in / mm):

42.4 / 1078 (front)
35 / 890 (rear)

Shoulder room (in / mm):

56 / 1424 (front)
50.9 / 1294 (rear)

Hip room (in / mm):

54.5 / 1385 (front)
47.7 / 1212 (rear)


2014 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe - Standard Interior Features

- Seats, front bucket includes 8-way power driver seat adjuster and articulating head restraints (STD)

- Leather Seating Surfaces with Sueded fabric inserts

- Seats, heated driver and front passenger

- Seat adjuster, 8-way power front passenger

- Head restraints, active front

- Seat adjusters, 2-way power driver and front passenger lumbar control

- Seat, rear split-folding

- Console, front floor with floor shifter, integral armrest, storage compartment and cup holders

- Armrest, front center

- Console, rear center with dual cup holders

- Floor mats, carpeted front and rear

- Steering column, power rake wheel and telescopic with memory

- Steering wheel, leather-wrapped

- Steering wheel controls, mounted controls for audio and cruise and Bluetooth (Also includes Traction Control/StabiliTrak button.)

Drivetrain

Not much has changed in the performance of the Cadillac CTS-V. For the 2014 model, the performance Caddy still has its 6.2-liter, supercharged V-8 engine under its hood, capable of delivering a total of 556 horsepower and 551 pound-feet of torque. Buyers can choose between either a Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual with a dual-disc clutch or a Hydra-Matic 6L90 six-speed automatic with steering wheel-mounted shift controls.

The V-8 produces that much output in large part because of an intercooled Eaton Twin Vortices Series supercharger that employs twin four-lobe rotors that are twisted 160 degrees when the typical configuration of superchargers only includes three lobes twisted 60 degrees. In addition to improved overall efficiency, this supercharger also has superior noise and vibration characteristics compared to standard designs, ensuring that the performance Caddy can power through with the best of 'em.

2014 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe - Drivetrain Specifications

6.2L Supercharged V-8

Displacement (cu in / cc):

376 / 6162

Bore & stroke (in / mm):

4.06 x 3.62 / 103.25 x 92

Block material:

cast aluminum

Cylinder head material:

cast aluminum

Valvetrain:

overhead valve, two valves per cylinder

Fuel delivery:

1.9L supercharger with intercooler; sequential fuel injection

Compression ratio:

9.1:1

Horsepower (hp / kW @ rpm):

556 / 415 @ 6100 (SAE certified)

Torque (lb-ft / Nm @ rpm):

551 / 747 @ 3800 (SAE certified)

Recommended fuel:

premium required

Maximum engine speed (rpm):

6200

EPA estimated fuel economy (city / hwy):

12 / 18 (auto)
14 / 19 (man)


Suspension and Brakes

Standard on the Cadillac CTS-V is the Magnetic Ride Control system, which offers real-time multi-mode damper programming that fine tunes the car’s ride. When configured to the “SportTrack” setting, the system also improves steering effort and shift mapping for performance-oriented handling.

On the braking front, the CTS-V is rather sophisticated, thanks in large part to Cadllac's partnership with both Brembo and Michelin. The former takes charge with four brakes place on all four corners that include six-piston calipers up front and four-piston calipers on the rear. Large, vented rotors enable strong initial braking force, while optimizing heat resistance and eliminating fade.

Prices

For $65,825, you can own the 2014 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe. a plethora of options can be installed, which will drive the price up, but even with all the knick-knacks you can add, the CTS-V Coupe still comes in at a competitive price compared to some of its European competitors.

Cadillac CTS-V Coupe

$65,825

Premium Exterior Color

$495

19" High-polished wheels

$800

19" Satin Graphite wheels

$800

Sport Blue Interior Package

$4,500

Midnight Sapele Wood Trim Package

$600

Brembo® brake calipers, Yellow

$595

Brembo® brake calipers, Red

$595

Highway Safety Kit (Dealer-installed)

$85

Wheel locks (Dealer-installed)

$115

Power sunroof (tilt only)

$700

Grille, Black chrome (Dealer-installed)

$870

Protective Black outdoor car cover (Dealer-installed)

$410

RECARO® performance seats

$3,400

Sueded steering wheel and shift knob

$300


Competitors

2015 BMW M4 Coupe

It seems unfair that Cadillac left the CTS-V Coupe to fend for itself with new models like the BMW M4 Coupe now in the mix. The fact that the M4 Coupe will hit the roads sometime this year gives the CTS-V Coupe a little bit of time, but the appeal of owning a completely new BMW that has impressive performance and new technology to boot could sway people to just hold of on any purchases until it arrives.

It's got nothing on the CTS-V Coupe in terms of performance, seeing as the M4 Coupe only has a 3.0-Liter I-6 turbocharged engine with 425 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque at its disposal, but with that smaller engine, fuel returns should fall on the side of the M4 Coupe. Additionally, the M4's racecar-like suspension is certain to outperform the Caddy.

2012 Audi RS5

The Audi RS5 has a 4.2-liter, V-8 engine that delivers a meaty 450 horsepower at 8,250 rpm and a peak torque of 317.15 pound-feet available between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm. It still falls way short of what the CTS-V Coupe is capable of, but you can make a good case that the German sports coupe has the sleek and sporting credentials that could give the CTS a run for its money.

In this particular instance, perception matters, and the two vehicles carry varying opinions about themselves from customers. Whereas the CTS-V Coupe looks more like a muscle-flexing powerhouse, the more athletic-looking RS5 has grace and coordination on its side.

Not to say that the CTS-V Coupe doesn't have those; it's just that it's not evident when you look at it.

Conclusion

The rationale of buying the 2014 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe knowing that a new look version is just around the corner sounds like what somebody with an itchy trigger finger would do. If you ask us, you're better off waiting for the new one to arrive than to spend on an outgoing version.

But if you're the type who is seriously looking at the 2014 CTS Vsport, there's not a lot of about to complain about, aesthetics aside. It still has a monster engine and its appropriately priced for its market. Plus, it's a Cadillac!