Cadillac CTS-V Coupe confirmed by Lutz

General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz has confirmed that the Cadillac CTS-V coupe has gotten the greenlight.  Lutz, a longtime auto executive now in charge of marketing at GM, made the announcement during a web-chat on the automaker's FastLane website.

"As of now the V package is planned only for the sedan and coupe," Lutz wrote.  He also left the door open for additions to the product lineup.  A sport-wagon variant of the CTS is due out in 2010, which will certainly spur some requests for a V version of the model.  To this, Lutz said that if the demand exists, "there is no reason why we couldn't do a V-Series wagon, and I would be standing in line for one, just ahead of you."

The V package gives the CTS the same 6.2-liter V8 engine found on the Corvette ZR1.  Using the 556 horsepower engine that produces up to 551 ft-lb of torque, the CTS-V sedan managed a blistering 7:59.32 lap on the 'Ring.  Helping out the driver is the Vette's six-speed Tremec TR-6060 manual transmission.  The V-packaged sedan was introduced alongside the CTS coupe at the 2008 North American International Auto Show.  This coupe should hit the market in summer, 2010.

Aside from Cadillac, Lutz was also talking Pontiac.  The company has given thought to rebranding the Pontiac G8 as the new Chevy Caprice.  Lutz told fans that the company is "studying the feasibility of bringing [the G8] in as a Caprice for both law enforcement and the public."