TopSpeed Car of the Year 2008

Cadillac CTS-V

Vast improvement is not how vehicles get the nod for car of the year; it takes lot more than that. The CTS-V got on our list because it can stand toe-to-toe with the benchmark BMW M5 at a $28,000 discount. What made it top our list was being an all-around performer.

What gets our attention first, of course, is the engine. It’s a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 that shares a bloodline with the Corvette ZR1 and puts out 556 hp.

The powerplant isn’t everything. It has to work well with all the other elements, and Cadillac didn’t leave that on the design table. The Magnetic Ride Control uses electrically charged fluid to give infinite ride characteristics and instant adjustments. The six-speed manual (which we prefer to the seven-speed paddle shifter) has short throws and a dual clutch. All of this is topped off with an aluminum Brembo disc brake package.

When General Motors gave us some track time with the car we were smitten.

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The fit and finish of the interior were on the level with it competitors, which is a big improvement on GM’s part. The layout isn’t as smart as the Europeans, but we are willing to forgive.

This is the kind of car that has the everyday usability to drop the kids off at school; but it’s also got the huge wild side that allows us to then play hookey from work and go pick up the mistress.

So that’s our lover letter to the CTS-V. Will it survive the automotive massacre of 2009? That’s unknown. Does it deserve a stay of execution? Absolutely.