Once the substantial-feeling clutch reaches hook-up, most everything is left behind - literally. The CTS-V launches with

The CTS-V launches with tremendous grip and races through first gear with whiplash inducing force. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)

tremendous grip and races through first gear with whiplash inducing force. Within a single held breath it's time to shift into second gear before the big-8 hits redline and the engine saving rev-limiter interjects. A quick wrench on the stick brings second into play with only a slight drop in revs, keeping the LS6 in its north of 4,000 rpm sweet spot. The ride in second gear is also startlingly brief, and in no time the raging bull has again met its limitations and a click-click to third gear is in order. By this time the legal speed limit on just about every road in North America has been eclipsed and the bull isn't showing any sign of slowing down. The LS6 never runs out of breath or grows weary, proven by Cadillac's claims of a mere 4.6 seconds from naught to 60 mph (0-96 km/h) and a quarter mile time of only 13.1 seconds at 107 mph (173 km/h). There are few production sedans worldwide capable of such thresholds, and none that I am aware of domestically. Straight-line acceleration ability is certainly a measure of a car's performance, yet a true performance sedan must also incorporate commensurate handling dynamics so as not to risk disaster every time its horsepower is put to the pavement. Fortunately the blinding speed of the CTS-V is paired with an outstanding chassis, the direct result of many hours spent toiling on the high-speed 20.599 km (12.8 mile) road circuit at Nürburgring, Germany - the old

The CTS-V is paired with an outstanding chassis, the direct result of many hours spent toiling on the high-speed road circuit at Nürburgring, Germany. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)

circuit not the new F1 track that stretches merely 4.556 km (2.82 miles). Yes, after reaching the limits of CAD-based engineering Cadillac sent its suspension engineers and an allotment of CTS-Vs to western Germany to put the finishing touches on the high performance suspension system and tweak it for the real world driving. With Nürburgring's 177 turns, the engineers managed to duplicate most every driving scenario to be encountered on the world's roadways. Here they analyzed weight transfer and vehicle transitioning dynamics in order to dial-in a calibration that delivers incredible road-holding tenacity, the four-wheel independent setup with a modified multi-link rear suspension being quite a bit firmer than any antecedent 4-door Caddy, but without the spine pulverizing rigidity that such handling thresholds often require.