larryfs

My new ride requires a new name. I sold my Corvette, and brought a CTS-V. I got to tell you, I'd never own another Corvette. The V is simply a gentlemen's car. 556HP. It's a pleasure to drive. Comfortable, and all the luxury of a Cadillac. My lower back is much happier. It's handles 9/10's of a Corvette. And the 556 HP makes up for the minor loss of handling. It's an LSA motor, which is a wet sump version of the LS9.

I ran it in stock trim at a few events, and now that I learned the car, I am pretty much the fastest one out there. Certainly there are better drivers out there with prepped cars. But for running a car off the dealer lot, I am more than happy.

The best part is... I am not molesting the car. Street tires only, which will keep my life much easier. I won't be killing bearings after 3 laps. I won't be cracking rotors with aggressive brake pads. I just drive to the event, and drive home.

Another thing which puts a smile on my face. No one knows what it is. In fact, no one looks at the car, no one will ask me what it is, until I pass them. Only then do they come check out the Cadillac emblem. This includes BMW's, Porsches, Nissans, and even Corvettes.

hungryhippo

Hearing this makes me want a wagon version so bad

jvp

I'm glad you're happy with your V; they are superb vehicles without a doubt. They can't handle 9/10s of a base C6 with Z51 (or Grand Sport, depending on the year), let alone the rest of the line. The simple fact of the matter is: you're hustling 4200lbs of whoop-*** around a track. While it truly is an ***-kicker, it's still 4200lbs of it.

You mentioned that you've run it in stock trim and you're pretty much the fastest one out there. Did Cadillac finally make the track brakes and differential coolers ordered options from the factory? If you don't have those bits on your car and you haven't experienced any issues yet, then I'm sorry to say you're not really pushing the V that hard.

Also, I hope you spent 500+ miles breaking the diff in before going to the track. Otherwise, you're going to be replacing the entire diff before too long as it'll start howling at highway speeds.

vette6aut0x

mcar00

I absolutely love my manual CTS-V coupe on the street but it's certainly no substitute for a Corvette on a road course. The first time you hit a hard brake zone you realize very quickly that you're not trying to slow down 3,000 pounds.

If you're turning the fastest lap times in your group maybe you should try a faster group. Having said that, you obviously have great taste when it comes to automobiles. LOL. Enjoy the V!

5280Racer

I have built a few they are fun comfortable cars...!!!

mnmthoele

So he registered with Corvette Forum just to tell everyone he would never buy a Corvette again?

2019 ZR1

I'm in Vegas for a week and I have a CTS-V I rented from Hertz. I will say that it runs pretty good. My 2013 Z06 would crush it. I don't know much about these cars but it seems like it is front wheel drive because when you get on it the front end goes sideways. Honestly I don't like it. I'm not saying this because I own a Corvette.. I agree it is a little easier on my back but not enough to get rid of my Corvette. Sorry buddy but I think you fu*ked up by getting rid of your Corvette...

trapp

If he ran is Corvette at 70 percent of its potential then he might think his Caddy is almost as fast. I ran with them in my events and they were fast but not 9/10 as good.

drivinhard

I have driven a CTS-V on a track that I have a ton of Corvette laps on, and while the CTS-V is an awesome four door, it's not 90% of a corvette in terms of performance. As was already posted, at the end of the day, you're hauling around 2+ tons on less tire and all the electronic wizardry in the world can't hide that.

They are fantastic cars though, for what they are (big heavy 4-door)

Olitho

I have an ST2 C5 Corvette Z06. At Auto Club Speedway I turn 1:45s in that car on A6 tires. In my 2004 CTS-V on R888s I turn about 2:00 per lap.

105 seconds / 120 seconds = 87.5%

If I spot my CTS-V three seconds for the tires then it becomes 89.7%.

Granted the new CTS-Vs have 556 HP, but then again the new Z06s have 505 HP. That is pretty much a wash in my opinion.

With that said, 15 seconds on a two minute road course seems like an eternity. It results in getting lapped in 7-8 laps... twice in a 30 minute race.

froggy47

larryfs

The brakes are the big Brembo calipers. With bleeders on both sides. They take plenty of abuse and just don't fade. They are factory ducted like the Z06. 2 piece rotors available from GM.

The diff problems have been resolved since 2009. Yes, the early V's did have diff problems. But 2009+ have no problems.

Having a back seat is priceless. Having a 4 door for the wife and kids is also priceless.

Big and heavy, yes, makes for more bragging rights around the road course.

While I'm not a drag racer, many of the V guys are. With minor mods, these guys are in the 10's.

Recaro seats are available. I'd certainly get them if I factory ordered a V.

larryfs

That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. When you get on it, the rear tires break loose, not the front. Sounds like you rented out a front wheel drive car with torque steer.

jvp

Do you have those 2-piece rotors? GM's OEM rotors are those stupid co-cast ones that ripple when they get abused at the track. So if you haven't purchased those 2-piece rotors, and you haven't rippled the OEM ones, it tells us just how hard you were pushing your V.

(hint: not very).

Not true in the least, unless you have the differential cooler installed. It's the same diff and the same fluid. Without the cooler, you're going to overheat the diff after 1 session at the track. That is, unless you're not pushing the car that hard.

And the noise issue exists to this day as well. You'll find out in 20+ thousand miles, perhaps.

You're out there with some slow drivers then.

larryfs

8 minutes around the ring. Not too shabby at all. And JH wasn't worrying about the diff light.

2019 ZR1

I don't know what the hell your talking about. I have been driving this thing since Saturday and I'm telling you when it goes into wot the front tires spin. I was thinking about getting one of these for my wife until we drove this thing. We always rent a vehicle before we buy it and this is why we do it. I know it has 550 HP but I'm really not impressed. I traded a 2011 Camaro SS that I had supercharged and all the bolt ons and it had close the same HP. My Camaro would of kicked this things a$$. I will say that my rental only has 2100 miles on it so maybe it isn't fully broken in yet.. Sorry buddy but I will take my Corvette over this thing any day. I rented a base Corvette in December and liked it more than the CTS V..

jvp

No, because he had the diff cooler installed on the car, just like all of the press cars did when it was released in '09. They also had the track brake rotors on, too.

Enjoy your car, but please don't think you have 9/10s of a Corvette. And please make sure to do all of the appropriate break-in steps or you're going to be paying for it later.

trapp

I agree...I like to see a owner of a Dodge Charger SRT8 go on the Viper forum and start make those claims...........lol...
I do agree the CTV-S is a awesome sedan....probably in the top 3 that exist..I recently sold my corvette and that's the car I'm looking at. It would still be fun at the track and great for daily driving the family!

redtopz

I owned a 2009 CTSV for about 1 year and I took it to the track once on street tires. Maybe it was the tires, but I wouldn't waste my time or money going to the track in a car with 4 doors and over two tons in weight. I would honestly rather track a miata on sticky tires. I'm probably in the minority, but I didn't really like the car very much and part of it was because I had an auto which I find very boring to drive. Or maybe I'm just not old enough for one yet.