CTS V Wagon- 12 sec quarter mile with 120Cu Ft of cargo

DETROIT — In a continuing effort to make a mark and grab a few sales in Europe, Cadillac says that a hot rod version of the upcoming CTS Sport Wagon is, "still in the realm of possibility."

Interest in pumping up sales in the European market was the impetus for the entire Sport Wagon program. The company announced that the CTS Sport Wagon would go on sale in the U.S. in the middle of 2009 and that it would be available with the 3.6-liter V6 engine and either rear- or all-wheel-drive systems from the CTS sedan.

But with a wildly powerful 556-horsepower supercharged V8 for the soon-to-be-on-sale 2009 CTS-V and all the upgraded driveline, suspension and body pieces that go with it at the ready, "a CTS-V Sport Wagon could be a relatively easy add," said Cadillac spokesman David Caldwell. The three big German luxury brands offer wagon versions of their hottest sedans. Audi even introduced its new RS6 first as a wagon. Only one of the über-wagons is currently on sale in the U.S., the $87,000 E63 AMG wagon, and it must be special ordered.

The CTS-V Sport Wagon wouldn't be cheap either. But considering the 2009 CTS-V sedan will start right at $60,000, the wagon version would still be about $25,000 less expensive than the E63 wagon. The CTS-V Sport Wagon would naturally carry the same rear-wheel-drive configuration as the sedan, along with the 19-inch wheels carrying Michelin PS2s, and the revised front end styling, which accommodates the tall supercharged motor and provides for better cooling than the standard car's front clip. It would do the quarter-mile in the mid-12-second range and carry 121.9 cubic feet worth of cargo.

In terms of building credibility with the European audience — especially the German audience — a muscle wagon could still be a valuable asset. "The V wagon is a maybe. Not a maybe with a wink and a giggle. It's just a maybe. A V version of the coupe is obvious," said Caldwell.

What this means to you: A CTS-V Sport Wagon is more desirable to some of us than a CTS-V coupe, but is there a business case to build it? Mercedes won't likely sell even 100 E63 wagons in the U.S. this year. —