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#1 ·
Hi, there
look what I found today at Road&Track!!!
The new STS V Supercharged 440 hp - that`s it!
 

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#53 ·
TitanCTS said:
Btw, More titanium trim would be better along with some carbon fiber accents besides the ash burlwood! :sneaky:

Naah....you have to see the ash burlwood in person first. It is outstanding. Makes carbon fiber and such look cheap.

The "red package" is an option for those wishing to expess themselves....LOL. It has actually received high praise from some folks. It is an option. The black is the "standard" interior. Just goes to show that there are a lot of different tastes out there. Hard to please everyone. LOL.
 
#54 ·
I like the splash of color (red) as it gives it some character. Too many car interiors suffer from the "black lung" syndrome IMO and I even welcome two and even three tone colored interiors. The nicest colored interior I've seen is the new Monte Carlo in beige leather with with black and white accents all over the dash and door panals.

Oh ya, light wood for me, honey euclaptus from the XLR is a good start! ;)
 
#55 ·
********* said:
The R&T article is pretty good for some of the details of the car as well as the pictures and such. The GM Performance Division worked closely with Cadillac and R&T to come up with the "reveal" in the February R&T issue since the STS-V will officially be unveiled in person at the Detroit Auto Show in early January. This will be the magazine cover on the newstands during the Detroit show so it is particularily timely....

Since GM worked very closely with R&T the article has pretty good info and is fairly accurate.

Basically, I cannot imagine any descriminating motorist being unhappy with the STS-V. It is an excellent blend of track level performance and refined elegance in the same car. The STS is an excellent starting point and the HPVO group in the GM Performance Division was allowed free rein to incorporate the modifications necessary to make the car perform at that level, make it track capable off the show room floor and add the uplevel luxury befitting a car like that.

The "leather wrapped" interior has to be seen/touched/smelled to be fully appreciated. It basically blows away most anything else regardless of "value" or "price point"....

The entire suspension/brakes/driveline has been replaced with re-engineered parts to significantly increase the performance level of the car. This is not just a bolt on of other parts from other GM cars. These are new parts specifically designed for the STS-V. An example is the engine placement in the car. The engine is actually lowered almost 2 inches in the chassis compared to the production STS...a modification that would be unheard of years ago...yet one that was deemed necessary regardless of the expense for vehicle balance and packaging so it was incorporated into the STS-V.

The goal of the car was unquestionable performance on the track where it will be judged next to the competitors. One example of the dedication to this was the use of the more conventional mono-tube shock absorbers rather than the magna-ride system. Given a specific endeavor, such as track work, the monotube shocks can be developed to a higher absolute level than the magnaride system at the moment...so the decision was made to go with the monotube design. The magnaride allows a far greater range of chassis control in terms of smooth and soft ride quality at the one end of the extreme but, within the narrow performance band, the monotubes were still judged to be better after much evaluation and tuning so they were used. Everything in the car was subjected to this type of scrutiny to make sure it was the best available for the purpose of the car.

The outside body panels include a new, composite hood with a slight "power bulge" to clear the supercharger, fascias, valence panels, etc. including the wire mesh grill. ALL the body panel changes were developed in the wind tunnel to improve vehicle aero balance, cooling, duct cold air to the front brakes, duct air to the differential cooler, etc... All of it is funtional and none of it is "rice"...

The six speed auto trans is a new piece that will set the standard I feel for normal automatic trans operation and track oriented "tap shift" or manual control. The trans has the heavily developed Performance Algorithm Shifting logic built into it and it really works on an autocross track or the racetrack if you decide to leave the tap shift alone. With 6 forward speeds the trans can match the perfect engine speed at any vehicle speed which almost completely negates any advantage a continuously variable trans would have while allowing the launch capability of a torque converter combined with the traction control system.

The engine is a supercharged, 4.4 liter version of the VVT rear wheel drive Northstar. Just about every part in the engine is new, however. The basic architecture of the engine is based on the rear wheel drive Northstar but virtually every part and fastener is specific to the supercharged engine. The block is a precision sand cast part with a closed deck design which is the first time a Northstar engine did not have a die cast block with an open deck. Lower crank case, heads, etc... are all unique castings for the supercharged version.

The supercharger/induction system on the engine incorporates several patented features that were developed by Cadillac for the engine. The air intake to the supercharger is at the rear of the engine and underneath the supercharger and the supercharger blows pressurized air upwards thru the intercooler tubes on the top. The air then makes a single, smooth 180 degree turn down into the individual induction tubes along the outside of the supercharger housing.

The performance of the engine is very exciting. At 440 HP @ 6400 the engine is making 1 HP per liter of displacement....a specific output that is better than most any engine on the market...even some of the exotics...and much better than the E55 which has a screw compressor, even. Better yet, the 1 HP per liter is obtained at 6400 RPM....not the 8500 RPM required by some of the competitors. Reading between the lines this means that the engine has huge torque and a very very wide torque curve that is what will really move the STS-V. About 90% of the engines peak torque is available from 2800 RPM thru 6500 RPM meaning that it pulls like a locomotive no matter what gear you are in. The engine is rated at 430 lb.ft. of torque at 3600 RPM.

The engine will be built at the dedicated Performance Build Center in Wixom, Michigan by trained engine builders. Each engine will be built by a single assemblers to insure ownership and quality of the powerplants. The PBC is representative of the commitment of GM to competing with the best in the world in specialty cars and engines. There was a need for a facility to build very low volume engines that require special assembly techniques and care so the PBC came into being. It combines all the error proofing and fastening techniques of the normal assembly process with dedicated assemblers in a low volume atmosphere. Here, each engine can be assembled by one person and appropriate care and time devoted to each engine to ensure that it is done correctly without the demands of high volume production and the necessary automation restricting what can be done in the engine design and manufacturing techniques.

I have seen quite a few drivers that are used to some very fast and high output engines drive the prototype STS-V cars and I have yet to hear one that was dissatisfied with the performance.

Both the intake and exhaust sytems are specific for the STS-V and heavily developed for low restriction and high flow.... No "cold air intake" from the aftermarket required....LOL. The engine group set some extremely aggressive targets for inlet restriction and exhaust backpressure to obtain the 1 HP per liter goal and the targets ended up being exceeded by the induction and exhaust groups. Amazing little inlet restriction, excellent induction noise control and low backpressure still meeting the passby noise targets.

Keep in mind that a supercharged engine has to overcome the parasitic load of the supercharger.....so...in this case the engine is actually making over 500 HP when you consider what it takes to drive the supercharger at peak power. That means that the fuel system, cooling, etc... all are actually handling 500 HP....

The various STS-V mule vehicles and prototypes have lived on the Milford Road Course , the Nurburgring and several other race tracks around the country since the program started. I cannot imagine a vehicle (aside from the Corvette) that would have accrued as much track time during development as the STS-V. Actually, within the past 2 years any time there was a Corvette track test there were STS-V cars there also so it probably has more track time per vehicle than the Corvette mules given the number of laps turned.

BTW....the cars are being driven by very competent test drivers. One of the aspects of HPVO is to train and certify drivers against some of the best in the world so that vehicle performance is accurately rated. To say that some of the drivers of the STS-V program are "good" is an understatement. John Heinricy, who is very well known as a racing driver outside of GM, is the head of HPVO so he serves as the gold standard for driver performance. This really raises the bar in terms of vehicle performance and capability as the driver level is good enough to as to tax the car to the very limit.


The racetrack is certainly not the final answer for any car but a lot can be learned about the durability and performance of things like the powertrain, cooling capacity, fuel system (fuel pickup during slosh), etc... so the advantage of being able to test the STS-V almost daily on the MRC was huge.

The vehicle is track capable off the showroom floor with adequate brake cooling to ensure fade free performance at the performance limit for a full tank of fuel on the track. There are dedicated coolers for the radiator, engine oil, trans, power steering, intercooler heat exchanger, air conditioning, final drive, etc... that all meet track performance requirements in hot weather.

One of the main goals with the car was to provide this level of absolute performance while maintaining complete "street-ability" and requiring no compromises on the driver in daily traffic. This is one place the 6 speed automatic trans shines. It performs like a racing transmission on the track yet allows for simple stop and go traffic on the commute. The engine power level and power band is important here, also, as a high revving, peaky engine can get pretty tiresome in traffic and has low real world "cut and thrust" performance without constantly shifting. The supercharged Northstar comes to life with just a slight nudge of the pedal. NVH tuning was especially critical for the real world phase of operation as induction roar, droning exhaust booms, etc...would really detract from a world class car and would not be acceptable. All these types of things make the STS-V a world class luxury performance sedan that requires no special compromises by the owner/driver. One nice feature is the acceleration performance of the package. The engine power band combined with the torque converter/auto trans and launch traction control put the sub-5 second 0-60 times in the hands of every driver every time... no special clutch slip or launch procedure required for best times. Just stab the accelerator...but be sure you are pointed in the correct direction first.
What in the heck is your position at Cadillac? Are you in the RenCen or out with the engineers? I must say that you covered all, and I mean all, of the important technical data in terms that the average person can understand. I've never met an engineer that could do that!
 
#58 ·
Playdrv4me said:
That red interior is absolutely disgusting by the way. Reminds me of that burgundy interior color I saw on an LS430.
That's strange. Everyone seems to love that color combo in the 2005 Mustang, but put it in a muscular Luxury car and it's terrible.

Yes, I'm aware they are two different types of cars. :yawn:

No BLACK LUNG for me, thanks. :D
 
#60 ·
I can't believe how America is finally getting these cars out....

I looked at the new Motor Trend... on the front is the CTS-V vs. SRT8 vs. GTO...... on the bottom was an artical on the Corvete...

not a single import.. I was shocked....

ALL of these cars are nice... makes me want one...or more :)

naybe in years from now they'll be on the used market in a range i could afford....

I don't like the normal STS but the STS-V really floats my boat...

Wow is all I can say....
 
#61 ·
Check the new issue of AutoWeek for some more info and pics of the STS-V. There is an unofficial picture of the engine compartment with the engine without the beaty cover. It is actually a picture pirated somewhere along the line of a development mule (note the yellow stickers and lack of tuners in the induction tubes) but it does give an idea of what the engine looks like under the beauty cover.
 
#64 ·
Regarding the red accents.
It looks to me that the pics of the black interior show the interior properly, while the pics of the red interior have been brightened up or overexposed.
Hopefully the red will actually be a deeper red.
If the red actually looks like the pics, then it is just awful.
Not befitting a luxury car.

I like the V very much, especially the side profile which shows the chunky, muscular front end with the raised hood and the lower air dam.
It is a more successful rendition of the "V" theme than the CTS-V.

I also think that the 6 speed auto should be available across the Cadillac line in '06.
This will help with gas mileage, especially on the SRX.

Maybe bbobyinski will let us know how much of the lineup will have the 6 speed auto.
And what ratio 6th gear is. I am guessing a .68 or .67.
 
#66 ·
From gminsidenews.com
NAIAS autoshow coverage.

DETROIT – The 2006 Cadillac STS-V is General Motors’ most intense expression of Cadillac power and performance yet, and the luxury nameplate’s latest offering in its growing family of high-performance V-Series vehicles.

The STS-V carries all the craftsmanship and sophistication of its STS sibling, but does so at an entirely different level. Designed for everyday driving, the STS-V has been developed to deliver supercharged, rear-drive performance with an elegant design statement that is unmistakably Cadillac.

At the heart of the STS-V is a new, 4.4-liter version of the Northstar engine outfitted with a positive displacement intercooled supercharger. The dual overhead cam (DOHC) V-8 engine delivers the highest horsepower rating of any production Cadillac engine to date.

Called the Northstar V-8 SC (supercharged), the engine produces 440 horsepower (328 kW) at 6400 rpm and 430 lb.-ft. (583 Nm) of torque at 3600 rpm (power and torque figures estimated) – and the engine’s power is underscored by its ability to deliver 90 percent of its peak torque between 2200 and 6000 rpm. Vehicle redline is 6700 rpm.

The Northstar V-8 SC generates 120 horsepower (90kW) and 115 lb.-ft. (156 Nm) of torque more than its naturally aspirated counterpart, while its specific output of 100-horsepower-per-liter makes it one of the world’s highest specific output production V-8 engines.

However, the Northstar V-8 SC used in the STS-V is more than just power and torque. The DOHC engine includes variable valve timing that enables outstanding top-end performance while maintaining the expected refinement and quality associated with a luxury marque.

The aggressive torque curve enabled by the choice of a supercharged engine gives the STS-V acceleration capable of placing it firmly in the under-5-second-club for 0-to-60 time. The refined shift feel is enabled by careful electronic calibration of both the engine and transmission. During shifts, power is instantaneously lowered, then ramped back up carefully to make gear changes virtually unnoticeable.

The Northstar V-8 SC is mated to the all-new Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed automatic transmission – the first use of GM’s new six-speed automatic. The 6L80 – the only transmission offered on the STS-V – is one of the most technologically advanced automatic transmissions in the industry, using clutch-to-clutch operation and an advanced integrated 32-bit transmission controller to deliver smooth and precise shifts.

The 6L80 also incorporates a host of advanced driving enhancement features, including advanced Performance Algorithm Shifting (PAS) and Driver Shift Control (DSC). PAS lets the electronic transmission controller override the automatic gear selection during closed throttle high lateral acceleration maneuvers, rapidly downshifting with the release of the torque converter clutch for smooth powering up when the throttle is reopened. Driver Shift Control allows the driver to sequentially shift gears manually via the gearshift lever.

The STS-V has been tuned for performance on virtually every road condition and environment including GM’s all-new Milford Road Course facility and the Nordschleiffe (North Course) at Nürburgring.

As a result of this extensive development, the vehicle has track-capable acceleration, braking and cornering abilities. This is due, in part, to increased tire sizes (P255/45R18 front, P275/40R19 rear); increased brake rotor diameters, larger pad areas, and larger calipers; increased stiffness stabilizer bars and suspension springs; a faster steering ratio; and chassis tuning aimed at delivering high performance without punishing the driver.

Exterior elements on the STS-V enable higher-performance capabilities; yet express the sophisticated elegance associated with the STS name. Exterior refinements include:
A larger, polished stainless steel wire mesh front grille that enables the required additional airflow for engine heat dissipation. The wire mesh grille not only signifies the sedan as a V-series, but is also a heritage cue – wire mesh grilles were applied on the Cadillac V-16, the standard bearer of luxury and performance in the 1930s;
A new, lower front fascia that incorporates a larger lower grille (also wire mesh) for increased cooling capability; brake ducts for front caliper and rotor cooling; and splitter to counteract lift created by larger grille openings;
A new lower rear fascia that facilitates smooth airflow under the vehicle for improved cooling;
Lower rockers that visually bridge the lowered front and rear fascias;
A specific, fluidly sculpted hood designed to provide space for the engine’s supercharger;
Ten-spoke, flangeless, painted aluminum alloy wheels that assist in brake cooling. Front wheels are 18 x 8.5 inches; rear wheels are 19 x 9.5 inches;
A higher, more rearward-positioned rear spoiler that enables balanced aerodynamic downforce with the front splitter; and
V- series badging prominently displayed on the vehicle’s rear decklid and front doors along with “Supercharged” block lettering on the doors.
The interior of the STS-V reflects craftsmanship with the addition of more leather-wrapped surfaces to promote a high-quality, tactile feel and distinctive, crafted appearance. Interior refinements include:
Hand-wrapped leather surfaces throughout;
Olive Ash Burl wood appointments;
Kinetic-finished aluminum accents;
Sueded fabric seat inserts;
V -series badging in the instrument cluster, on the instrument panel, and on door sill plates; and
A new Tango Red color accent offering that is applied on seat inserts (front and rear), console, center armrest, lower instrument panel and door mid-sections (front and rear).
With three million subscribers, OnStar is the nation's leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and information services using the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite network and wireless technologies. The 2006 STS-V will offer OnStar’s Gen 6.1 system. With Gen 6.1, GM OnStar subscribers can interact with OnStar's voice recognition system in Spanish, French or English. With the push of a button an OnStar advisor can change the system to allow the subscriber to interact with the system in their preferred language. Other core OnStar services are stolen vehicle location assistance, remote door unlock, roadside assistance, emergency services and automatic crash notification.

GM is the only automotive manufacturer committed to offering a full range of vehicles with safety protection before, during and after a collision. All OnStar-equipped vehicles come with Automatic Crash Notification. If air bags deploy, the system sends a signal to a highly trained OnStar Emergency Advisor, who contacts the vehicle to see if help is needed, and can contact an emergency responder to send for help. In many cases the occupants are severely injured and cannot speak for themselves. OnStar’s GPS unit allows Advisors to tell emergency responders the vehicle’s location. OnStar responds to at least one air bag deployment in the US or Canada every hour.

Additionally, the 2006 STS-V will offer the GM-exclusive Advanced Automatic Crash Notification system. The AACN system detects collisions, even rollovers, regardless of whether air bags deploy. AACN also transmits other crash data, such as the direction of impact force, the number of and which air bags deployed and the maximum change of impact velocity, so that emergency responders are more prepared with this critical information before they arrive at the accident scene.

The STS-V was engineered and executed by GM’s Performance Division, an in-house center designed to explore potential enthusiast-oriented versions of production models. No engineering, design or assembly functions were outsourced – the vehicle is truly an original equipment offering.

Like its STS sibling, the STS-V will be built at GM’s state-of-the-art Lansing Grand River (LRG) assembly center beginning in 2005. In 2004, the LGR facility received JD Power’s highest award for plant quality in North America .

The STS-V is expected to arrive in Cadillac showrooms in the fourth quarter of 2005
 
#68 ·
Playdrv4me said:
Lest we not forget that the STS-V is powered by a massaged Northstar, the CTS-V is still the king when it comes to real American self-aspirated muscle.

"self-aspirated".....????? Since the engine drives the blower I would say that the Northstar SC is "self aspirated"...LOL LOL LOL

The CTS-V does have more cubic inches...and you cannot beat cubic inches....no matter whether normally aspirated, self aspirated or whatever....LOL
 
#70 ·
cardio-doc said:
I've been holding my breath for 5 years now waiting for Cadillac to roll-out this "Pace Car" edition. Should I stop waiting?
;)

~Doc


Well...it depends on what you mean.

If you have been waiting for a FWD performance car like the LeMans Pace Cars were then you need wait no longer. Simply go buy a Pontiac Bonneville GXP. The GXP is basically what the LeMans pace cars were. The performance of the two is very close, actually. The same chassis engineer and powertrain engineer that did the developement and tuning work on the LeMans Pace Cars did the work on the GXP.

The STS-V will push the FWD LeMans Pace Cars right off the track....LOL. That is what 140 HP will do for you.

In the rain I would still give the nod to the FWD Pace Cars, though. There were complaints from the race teams during the race the first year the FWD STS Pace Cars were used at LeMans that the pace car was driving TOO FAST during the rain delays they had. This is true.
 
#71 ·
bbobyinski,

The 2005 CTS-V was on delaer lots in July 2004.

Do you think we will see the STS-V production begin in June and be on the lots in July 2005, or will be October/November time frame?
Kind of like the way 2004 CTS-V was introduced.

Is the rear end whine problem been taking care of on the Sigma cars,
or is just something we have to live with?

My SRX whines as does my brand new GTO.
GM problem?
 
#72 ·
b4z said:
bbobyinski,

The 2005 CTS-V was on delaer lots in July 2004.

Do you think we will see the STS-V production begin in June and be on the lots in July 2005, or will be October/November time frame?
Kind of like the way 2004 CTS-V was introduced.

Is the rear end whine problem been taking care of on the Sigma cars,
or is just something we have to live with?

My SRX whines as does my brand new GTO.
GM problem?

I would expect a fall introduction of the STS-V from what I have read.....like the CTS-V.

Hypoid gears in rear axles whine. Nature of the beast. This is a little issue that poeple forgot about what with years of FWD cars and FWD transaxles that did not have hypoid gearsets....LOL...LOL FWD was not for everyone and not perfect either but it certainly eliminated decades of rear axle whine complaints.

Seriously...they all whine. Just to what degree is the question. Mounting, isolation, drive line design variences, etc...all have an effect of drive axle whine. The axles in the SRX and GTO are completely different suppliers... both are made for GM by outside companies and those two are made by different companies if I am not mistaken.....

I don't think that there is any inherent "problem" with the final drives.... The whine is affected by the hypoid gear, the rear end setup procedures, how the gearset backlash is set, how the pinion depth is set for durability, etc.... Drag car gears whine horribly due to the lack of backlash and pinion depth biasing done for durability at the dragstrip....just no one hears them over open headers.

I don't think that there is any particular issue with the axles in those cars. You are just hearing the range of axle noise that varies slightly in production with gear variation and set up variation. The STS-V diff mounting is liable to be on the firm side for isolation to control the axle in performance situations so ANY driveline noises are going to be amplified to some extent. Not making excuses for the axles, here, just being realistic about it.....

The STS-V mules and prototypes that I have driven and been in have been very quite overall for axle noise, induction noise, blower whine and exhaust noise and booms. I don't expect any overall complaints (other than they will maybe be TOO quiet for some) but I am sure, what with a hypoid gear in the rear end, that there will be some trace levels of gear whine in some cars with otherwise perfectly fine rear ends.
 
#73 ·
Maybe it's not the same thing but years ago (about 1993) Cadillac started using rears that were only previously used in GM trucks, and IMMEDIATELY started getting complaints about gear noise (gear whine). The fix was to replace the gear sets with beveled gear sets. Seems that the ones originally used were NOT bevel cut because they were used in trucks and since the cabin noise level of a pick-up is a good deal higher than a Cadillac limo.....
Get the picture?
Maybe this is a similar issue?
 
#75 ·
Katshot said:
Maybe it's not the same thing but years ago (about 1993) Cadillac started using rears that were only previously used in GM trucks, and IMMEDIATELY started getting complaints about gear noise (gear whine). The fix was to replace the gear sets with beveled gear sets. Seems that the ones originally used were NOT bevel cut because they were used in trucks and since the cabin noise level of a pick-up is a good deal higher than a Cadillac limo.....
Get the picture?
Maybe this is a similar issue?
First that I have ever heard of the "beveled gear" explaination....LOL.

Hypoid gears are always lapped and fitted for the axle so I don't know where "beveling" is involved. I'll have to go find out.

I know that in the RWD Devilles...er...ah...Broughams...the rear axle source was changed several times and the final time in the late 80's early 90's the ring gear diameter was increased which is the rears with the most whine complaints. I suspect that the larger diameter, heavier duty ring and pinion contributed to the increased noise. The larger the ring gear...the greater the propensity to whine.
 
#76 ·
b4z said:
I just saw that the STS-V weighs 4300lbs!!

Dang. that thing got heavy, fast.
The CTS-V weighs 3850 and the STS_V is 450lbs more.
All that performance stuff really puts the lbs on.
Where is everyone seeing this 4300 number? Every time I see it I go into denial because it is so depressing. The E55 AMG doesn't even crack 4100 and I usual expect Benzes to be heavy. Less power, a LOT less torque, and significantly more weight. A lot less horsepower than an M5, a lot more torque, and significantly more weight. Whoopee doo. A let down considering it was hot on the trail of the CTS-V which blew everything away.
 
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