2009 CTS V gets 556hp officially

MILFORD, Michigan — The wait is over as GM today released official specifications for its 2009 Cadillac CTS-V performance sedan. Its 6.2-liter supercharged V8 will produce 556 horsepower and 551 pound-feet of torque.

The 2009 CTS-V was unveiled in January at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, and in May teased fans with its record-setting run on the famed Nürburgring test circuit, but until today, official specs including horsepower and torque ratings, had not been announced.

According to Cadillac, the CTS-V will charge from zero to 60 mph in just 3.9 seconds, crossing the quarter-mile mark in 12 seconds flat at 118 mph. Equipped with the six-speed automatic transmission, the CTS-V is electronically limited to 175 mph, while the six-speed manual will allow drivers to reach 191 mph. If these numbers prove true, the CTS-V should handily beat the BMW M5, a car tagged by product chief Bob Lutz as the Cadillac's main target.

Stopping power is provided by Brembo brakes: 14.6 inches with six-piston calipers in the front and 14.3 inches with four piston calipers in the rear.

What this means to you: The baddest sedan in the land may finally wear an American badge. — Kelly Toepke, News Editor