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"   MILFORD, Mich. \u2014 The Caddy crew finally released the tech specs of the 2009 Cadillac CTS-V performance sedan last week\u2014months after they first showed the car, and the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that goes under its hood, at the Detroit auto show. And though GM didn&amp;#039;t quite let us behind the wheel at the General&amp;#039;s test center here, we were treated to one very wild ride-along. \u2014Jim McCraw  The Design Caddy&amp;#039;s new CTS-V will look different, of course. It will have a larger grille for improved engine cooling, a raised hood to clear the Eaton supercharger, and V-Series markings inside and out.   The Drivetrain We&amp;#039;re talking power from GM&amp;#039;s new LSA engine, a supercharged 6.2-liter GM smallblock now rated at 556 hp at 6100 rpm and 551 lb-ft. of torque at 3800 rpm, both of which are higher than original power and torque estimates.   For the first time, there will be two transmission choices, including a new 6L90 six-speed automatic with paddle shifters on the steering wheel, or a new short-throw Tremec 6060 six-speed manual. With the manual, the rear-end ratio will be 3.73:1, and with the automatic, 3.23:1. The manual will have an unrestricted top speed of 191 mph, and the automatic can hit 175 mph. That makes the CTS-V one of the fastest four-door sedans in the world. Reportedly, it will run 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds and blister the 1/4 mi. in 12.8 seconds at 118 mph.   The rear axle and differential assembly have been upgraded to handle the torque, while the driveshaft has a larger diameter and wall thickness to handle the additional torque. The limited-slip housing, meanwhile is made of cast iron with offset mounts, and the half shafts are different sizes (55 mm left and 35 mm right) to counteract axle hop under hard acceleration. The differential, axles, springs and MRC shocks are mounted on an isolated steel subframe.   The Suspension and Brakes A second-generation version of GM&amp;#039;s Magnetic Ride Control (MRC), using magnetic rheological shock absorbers, comes standard, using a combination of varying electric current and a special magnetic fluid in each shock absorber\u2014rather than the usual valves and ports and hydraulic fluid.   Special algorithms in the control electronics create what GM says is the fastest-acting suspension in the world, capable of changing calibrations every millisecond. The MRC system works in combination with StabiliTrak yaw control, traction control, steering angle, brake pressure and other inputs.   The new MRC system has two modes, Touring and Sport, using the same algorithms\u2014but different calibrations. With a new type of magnetic fluid, and a new piston shape inside the shock, Cadillac engineers say that the Touring setting can be even softer, and the Sport setting even firmer. And that should help the CTS-V achieve 0.9g on the skidpad.   The MRC suspension controls a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires, 285/35R-19 rear and 255/40R-19 front, on 19-in. alloy wheels, with Brembo 14.6-in. six-piston front brakes and 14.4-in. four-piston rear brakes, about 1in. larger than before.   The Ride In order to claim bragging rights in the sports sedan segment, Cadillac recently took a stock CTS-V around Germany&amp;#039;s Nurburgring circuit in 7:59:32, which Cadillac says makes it the fastest production sedan ever around the famed track\u2014and the first sedan under eight minutes, too.   Cadillac mentioned that the car used stock Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires at standard inflation pressure to set the record. But officials insisted the test car was heavier than stock, with the addition of a roll bar, driving seats, five-point harnesses ... and a fire extinguisher. The total weight was around 4300 pounds. So could a civilian CTS-V nail even quicker times? Maybe.   Our brief experience with the CTS-V was as a passenger, while GM engineers took us for acceleration runs up to about 125 mph from a standing start. It&amp;#039;s brutally quick, the traction control system allows only a bit of wheelspin at launch, and it&amp;#039;s very loud at full-throttle. The exhaust system is a simple perforated pipe inside the muffler can, quieted only by the four catalytic converters upstream of the mufflers. In a side-by-side drag race, the automatic just ran away from the manual.   Then, we were treated to two laps around GM&amp;#039;s Milford ride-and-handling loop, first with the MRC system in Touring setting, then in Sport. The CTS-V holds on to Mother Earth like there are rotating claws in each of those fat Michelin tires. And it never appeared to put a foot wrong in GM&amp;#039;s ery experienced hands. The super sports sedan stayed flat in the corners, producing a smooth, luxurious ride\u2014even over world-class dips and potholes.   The Bottom Line The 2009 CTS-V looks like a winner, even at a price that&amp;#039;s expected to be more than $60,000. Cadillac will finally let us loose for a spin in the CTS-V later this summer, and we&amp;#039;ll have a full report then.   RELATED STORIES \u2022FIRST LOOK: 2009 Cadillac CTS-V at Detroit Show  \u2022ROAD TRIP: Driving the New CTS Down the Blues Highway   "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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