Minor tweaks to the standard/optional features underscore the changes for 2011. The CTS-V Sport Sedan puts a rear vision camera on the base fare list. Other model year changes include the availability of heated steering wheel on the CTS sedan as well as a redesign of the cabin’s rearview mirror. The sedan is offered with a 3.0-liter direct injection V6 that produces 270 horsepower, or a 3.6-liter direct injection V6 that dishes out 304 horsepower. But it’s the sport sedan’s 6.2-liter supercharged V8 that is the talk of the performance-loving crowd. Sporting the most powerful engine in Cadillac’s history, this V8 tosses an estimated 556 horsepower at 6100 rpm and an estimated 551 pounds-feet of torque at 3800 rpm.

For drivers who want blinding speed in a 4-door, the CTS-V sport sedan is certainly a very fast car. The acceleration power is akin to throwing a hammer through a paper target, especially when the foot demands more while cruising in the 55-65 mph range. But beyond the serious speed the CTS-V sport sedan provides, this is one Cadillac that is not a quiet ride. It’s noisy—very noisy inside the cabin. Options like the $3,400 Recaro seats as well as suede-suited steering wheel and gear shifter ($300) can add another splash of performance to the package. The CTS-V with V8 and 6-speed manual transmission collects estimated mpg of 14 city/19 highway and carries a MSRP of $62,165.