2008 Cadillac STS-V Review

With flashy contemporaries like the BMW M5 and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, the 2008 Cadillac STS-V always had an uphill battle to win some celebrity among luxury-minded horsepower junkies. However, it isn't a German or even a Japanese high-performance sedan that has effectively torpedoed the STS-V. No, the shot below the water line has come from within its own family. The forthcoming CTS-V will sport 81 more horsepower, 111 more pound-feet of torque, greater agility and a much better interior at a lower price. In other words, the little brother is way cooler. Jacksons one through four can relate.

Things started off well for the STS-V, as it was the most powerful car to ever don the old wreath and crest logo. With a supercharger stuffing air into the 4.4-liter Northstar V8, this high-performance Caddy pumps out 469 hp and can go from zero to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds. Although not quite as prodigious as the BMW M5 or Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, the STS-V is still a mean machine that can also soak up miles upon miles of freeway cruising in luxurious comfort. For American muscle car lovers with a healthy bank account, the STS-V presents a tremendous combination of performance and luxury. Of course, its German competitors are more refined and technologically advanced, but they also cost at least $6,000 more.

On the luxury front, the 2008 STS-V comes standard with all the regular STS's options, including this year's new lane-departure and blind-spot warning systems. The interior has also been given a light polish, with a much nicer steering wheel and a sportier combination of wood and aluminum accents. In total, this large sedan is very nice, but like its performance credentials, it will be greatly outdone by the future CTS-V. Little brother sports a more eye-catching design, better materials and newer electronic gizmos. Plus, it's actually the same size as the M5 and E63 -- the STS-V is the big-boned member of the family.

Given that size, the 2008 Cadillac STS-V will certainly have some appeal to those who need the maximum amount of space available in a high-performance luxury sedan. We're not sure how many people actually do, though, so seemingly, the STS-V's only other advantage over its little brother is that you can actually get one. The CTS-V won't be available until later in 2008 and even then, it may be hard to come by initially. It should be worth the wait, but the STS-V certainly won't disappoint if you absolutely have to have a super Caddy this very second.

© Source: edmunds
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