2014 Cadillac XTS V-Sport Review
Reckoned the regular XTS didn’t have enough power? How does an extra 100bhp sound?
By Shahzad Sheikh
I drove the XTS back at its launch in September last year – read that review here – and concluded that it was a massive leap forward in quality, comfort, refinement and equipment.
With this car Cadillac had made clear its intentions, not just to return to its historical role as the builder of America’s best premium luxury cars, but to go world class, and take on rivals – yes, chiefly German – head on. Unsurprisingly the XTS was followed up pretty quickly with the fantastic BMW 3 Series challenging ATS, and now the exceptional CTS which is giving the 5 Series sleepless nights.
However the XTS hasn’t been left standing as a mere marker point. If there was one criticism to be levelled at the XTS, it was the lack of a V8. The regular 3.5-litre V6 puts out 305bhp, which I believe is more than enough for an able comfy cruiser like the XTS, but then it does have pretty capable all-wheel drive grip, giving it surprisingly grippy poise when you need to hustle.
Well now the boosted big-boy Caddy throws down the performance gauntlet – but still not with a V8. Instead it’s eschewing the philosophy of big displacement and going for intelligent muscle instead. How so? Well by taking on the Europeans at their own game. Twin turbo power!
That sees the engine output jump over 100bhp to 410bhp and more importantly torque goes from 264lb ft to 370lb ft, all of which results in the 0-100kph acceleration time dropping by about 1.5 seconds to 5.2 seconds. So this is one potent cruiser now, that’s for sure.
And of course it retains all the qualities I came to appreciate when I first tried it. It’s comfortable, reasonably spacious – despite being narrower than its rivals – is plush inside, packed to the roof-lining with technology and features a marvellous instrument panel that you can configure to your liking. The ride too is sublime, offering good body control, but remaining well damped and serene.
All of which indicates that despite the ‘V-Sport’ designation, the big XTS is remaining true to its original brief. This is still more distance-chomping surface-gliding limo than it is a time-attack specialist, despite the big increase in performance. If you’re looking for a straightline momentum (delimited we expect around 250kph plus) and a surge of acceleration whenever you desire, than this is the car for you.
However the comfort and smoothness gene is too strong in the current flagship Caddy. So if you’re looking for something in your executive saloon that hits the erogenous zones of your keen driver persona, you’d be better off going for a CTS or particularly an ATS, even in non-‘V-sport’ guises.
In fact if it’s not outright speed you’re looking for from a range-topping Caddy, I’d suggest you save yourself the AED40,000 and stick with the regular XTS. In real world driving, it won’t feel that much slower, and you’ll be able to exploit the keen AWD chassis better, whilst being cosseted in the same leather-lined luxury and playing with all the same incredible fingertip tech in the cabin. The haptic-response touch screen is a marvel!
2014 Cadillac XTS V-sport
Specs
Price: AED285,000 ($78k)
Engine: 3.6-litre V6 Twin Turbo, 410bhp @ 6000rpm, 370lb ft @ 1900-5600rpm
Performance: 0-100kph 5.2s, 250kph (est)
Transmission: Six-speed auto, All-wheel drive
Weight: 1912kg
Let us know what you think of the XTS below
Best interior for the price and 32.2 mpg on multiple hour drives with Adaptive Cruise Control set at 65 mph….with AWD! I can’t say enough how nice it is to drive this car I bought used, XTS Vsport Platinum with 40,000+ miles on it. Not only does it drive nice but it turns heads at every corner.