Cadillac performance arrives in europe

Wednesday 30th November -0001 - 00:00:00

Cadillac will host the European debut of the STS-V and XLR-V next month at the Frankfurt Auto Show (IAA) in Germany. These high-performance additions to the Cadillac portfolio have completed testing and the numbers certified by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) are official.

"Cadillac's V-Series is founded on the idea of taking the strong performance and luxury attributes of our core vehicles and extending them even higher," said Jim Taylor, Cadillac General Manager. "As a result, Cadillac's V-Series – CTS-V and STS-V sedans and XLR-V hard-top convertible roadster – are serious performers that compete with the high-end performance variants of any manufacturer and now provide European customers with new alternatives."

Like their mainstream siblings, the STS-V and XLR-V combine distinctively bold styling with contemporary luxury and rear-wheel drive performance. Cadillac's V-Series strategy represents limited production series in which the performance and luxury of the brand's vehicles are taken to their full extent. The ‘V’ designation is a tribute to classic Cadillac nameplates of decades past. The contemporary V-Series era began with the introduction of the 298 kW (400 hp) CTS-V in 2004 in North America (March 2005 in Europe).

As with all members of the V-Series family, bespoke exterior and interior appointments clearly set the XLR apart. These include the signature wire-mesh grille, larger 19-inch wheels at all four corners and ebony wood and aluminium accents throughout the interior. Chassis refinements enable equal sure-footedness and driver appeal on the street or the track. They include larger brakes, stabiliser bars, wheels and tyres, and a performance-calibrated Magnetic Ride Control (MR) system.

The official SAE ratings for the 2006 STS-V are 350 kW (476 hp) at 6,400 rpm and 595 Nm of torque at 3900 rpm. The XLR-V is rated at 330 kW (448 hp) at 6,400 rpm and 561 Nm of torque at 3900 rpm.