2003 CADILLAC CTS-V 5.7L V8 6MT (400 HP)

Vehicle Overview

The 2003 Cadillac CTS-V was the answer given by the luxury American brand to the market when its customers were asking for more performance from their vehicles.

The new model marked the return of the American brand into the sports arena. The Cadillac was an important contender with race-starts in LeMans 24h race in 1954. But after that, the brand was dedicated to comfort and luxury.

In 2002, Cadillac replaced the aged model Catera, which was a re-badged European Opel/Vauxhall Omega, with the new CTS. It was a mid-size luxury sedan but with a weird look for a Cadillac. Its angular shapes and tall headlights were something that the regular buyers didn’t expect. But the younger buyers fell in love with it. The CTS-V version came a year later.

The interior was a mix between the classic Cadillac look and some modern Saab vehicles. With the big and tall center console, inspired by the aviation, the CTS-V was something unique in the American brand lineup.

The biggest surprise was under the hood, where the LS6 engine was dropped. It was the same engine from the C05 Chevrolet Corvette and, of course, the same 6-speed Tremec manual gearbox. It was the first Cadillac that was offered with a standard manual transmission since the mid-’80s. It was also the first Cadillac that could compete against vehicles such as the BMW M5 or the Mercedes-Benz E 55 AMG.