So, Drive had their fun with the Cadillac CTS-V. So has Road & Track. Even your young gun of a writer had his time with both the CTS-V Coupe and CTS-V Sportwagon. And, at the time, we gave the reviews all we got (just read our Camaro ZL1 write-up to get a feel for how far we’ve developed so far). But we will admit to being one-upped by the efforts (and budget) of Motor Trend Magazine in their latest online episode of Epic Drives, featuring the Cadillac CTS-V Sportwagon Black Diamond Edition, in which Senior Features Editor Johnny Lieberman has been driving for an entire year.
To appropriately see their year-long-loaner off, Lieberman and friends embark on a trip to Europe with the V-Wagon, first stopping to sample some of Belgium’s best beers before finding themselves at the Nürburgring in Germany. There, Cadillac Racing driver Johnny O’Connell proceeded to record a hot-lap with the 556-horsepower supercar with a lovely 58 cubic feet of cargo space. The time: 8:12.1 — significantly slower than the 7:59 GM test driver John Heinricy recorded in the sedan model around the 12.9-mile course. Still, it doesn’t make the V-Wagon any less awesome. Or practical.
Fair warning: there is some mild language in the video, which is nearly 22 minutes, with a large portion being O’Connell’s hot lap, but if you enjoy wagons, horsepower, and beer, then this episode is a must-watch. And sour beer is a must-try.
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The guys at Motor Trend are not the best drivers, but they sure think they are.