The dyno test for a car is much like the lie-detector test for a person. Â And it shows exactly what kind of power two new Cadillac variants, the 2014Â XTS Vsport and the 2014Â CTS Vsport, put to the pavement.
To begin, the XTS Vsport offers a twin-turbo 3.6L LF3 V6, with 410hp, and 369 lb-ft of torque to the crank. This power is then transferred through a six speed automatic transmission, through four wheels. Note: The engine of the XTS is placed transversely, unlike the more athletic CTS.
When put to the dyno at Church Automotive Testing in Wilmington California, the 2014 XTS Vsport put down solid numbers of 349hp, and 362lb-ft at all four wheels.
Then comes the 2014 CTS Vsport. It features the same 3.6-liter twin-turbo v6, but mounted longitudinally. That power is then sent to the rear wheels via a new 8-speed automatic transmission. The factory numbers for this sport sedan are a hearty 420 horsepower and 430 pound-feet. Not bad, considering there’s eventually going to be something above it.
When it came to dyno time for the CTS, 388hp and 435lb-ft were measured at all corners. That’s a horsepower loss of only 8 percent from the crank, and five more lb-ft of torque than what’s advertised. With this data logged, it looks like the LF3 is underrated. To compare, Edmunds once tested the outgoing CTS-V Wagon at 492 horsepower and 502 lb-ft of torque. We’re sure the next-generation CTS-V will raise the bar even higher.
Comments
Nice to see the General is still promising less and giving more on the dyno.
I hope the CTS-V has has a new 4.5L Twin Turbo V8 with 610HP and 635FT-LBS (with VVT & AFM). That would be fast! My guess is that it would go 0-60 in at least 3.6 seconds! Plus, it’s a smaller displacement than the 6.2L and therefore less weight. . . .
Those are some interesting numbers you got there. I read somewhere that the tt 4.5 was going to be used in the upcoming fullsize flagship…however they could decide to use it in the next V, so who knows, even though a while back i read that a force-inducted LT1 from the C7 was being tested for it. Regardless of that, without even knowing what engine and forced-induction combo is going to be used i think those figures are very possible. Any hp and tq numbers over 600 i’ll be plenty happy with (and am expecting actually) but I WOULD actually like the hp to be a lil higher…saaaaaaaaaaaaay…630?640? I also have a feeling that AFM will be featured. In terms of 0-60 i think 3.6, although hypothetical, is very respectable and right in line (or to be specific is a tenth off) with a car that i think the next V would be competing with which is the ’14 benz e63 s-amg with 4matic which does it in 3.5 according to C&D . However i dont think it will be able to achieve the mid 3’s unless they:
A.) significantly lighten the car (which i know they will do, i just dont know by how much). If they can get it just under 4000lbs that would be great and would of course aid in getting to 60 faster, but taking into account that the curbweight of the new V/Sport is 3950lbs and that according to one of the comments below that the LT1 is apparently only a pound lighter than the LF3…but thats in n/a form i’m guessing, stick a blower or tt’s with necessary cooling hardware and…well…hmmmmmmm…maybe they COULD squeeeeeeeeeze in just under 4000 perhaps…maybe 3975?….3995? That would put it roughly 250-275lbs LIGHTER than the current V…which seems pretty significant.
B.) have AWD optional (although i dont think it will be used period because of the weight awd would add to a drivetrain in an already heavy car).
C.) put some 295 or 305’s in the back of that sumbitch to help with getting the increased power to the ground.
or
D.) use PTM (launch control) like in the C7.
Regardless of whether they DO lighten the car or not, if they DONT at least implement PTM i dont see it hitting those mid 3’s. AWD of course would definitely help by itself, but i mentioned why i dont think that would happen earlier.
Not sure but for some funny reason I suspect the V series no matter what the engine will see AWD this time to keep up with Audi.
Power is useless if you can not put it all down.
Note this is just a wild hair hunch here so do not take me to task if it does not happen. I have heard nothing to confirm any hunch. To me it would be just the next step for a car like this in class.
A smaller engine is not always lighter. Turbos and the intercooler add weight. The LT1 v8 is one pound lighter than the twin turbo v6 LF3.
Roy this is not about engine weight but the market that the car is in.
This is a segment that is now moving to smaller tech laden engine. It is as much about marketing as anything else.
You have to look big picture here as if Cadillac really wants to go global they have to compete on equal ground in all markets. One thing we all have to look at is in Europe and even parts of Asia the engineering and higher tech engines are what are marketing and what many buyers want. In the USA it is a give and take there as about half care and the other half don’t.
Also the TT V6 affords Cadillac a engine of their own as to this point there has been no indication any GM division will share in the TT V6 yet.
Also the driving feel of many of todays turbo is much different than many of the V8 models as they have even more low end torque and often a much flatter torque curve.
I drive a DI Turbo daily and it is amazing what it can do. Even with 2.0 liters I have 315 FT LBS from 1800-5300 RPM. The only real issue is it is in a FWD car and I just have a hard time hooking the tires up. Note the same package in the Solstice with the stronger Transmission will do 340 FT LBS.
Either way I have has the traction control come on at 50 MPH as I have never has a rush of Power like I get with the turbo cars. Also tuning is much easier as a couple T maps and a flash of the computer can easily add 40-100 HP depending on the car.
There is a place for the V8 yet but Cadillac needs to share the cars with the TT V6 and V8 as the car as a wide market to appeal too. GM has learned the hard way to go to Europe is to try to fool them into thinking the cars are what they are not. Today they have a CTS that can go toe to toe with the BMW in performance and technology. That is the way to do it and not try to pass a re bodied Saab as a Cadillac as they did a few years ago.
As I’ve said before, the LF3 has one thing the LT1 won’t have in a Cadillac:
Image.
@ Scott my reply was not meant to be anti turbo. It was a response to evanR. (plus, it’s a smaller displacement than the 6.2 L and therefore less weight… ) but the reply function for the website stopped working when they turbocharged it.
No problem.
Just too many want to debate a pound or two when the real issue is what the market segment caters to in technology. I see GM as in the good as they offer both.
It is like Europe and Asia vs. USA. They like F1 and USA is all about NASCAR. Nothing wrong with either but they have different wants. Same on this class of cars as many in this segment are into the technology aspect and look for the latest. Just look at the advertising the German car do in Germany for their own products. Some of this carries over to those who like to be Continental here in the states.
Powers power but this is marketing at it’s best.
I don’t see AFM being practical with a Twin Turbo V8 because of the firing order. The exhaust pulses would be to far out of phase for any type of quick response. I think and hope they put an LT4 with both the 8L90 and 7 speed manual transmissions. The LT4 has been design and can survive longer against the upcoming CAFE standards.