Newly created Michelin tires affixed to debut Caddy wagon

Michelin partnered with Cadillac engineers to develop an exclusive Pilot Sport PS2 tire specifically designed for the recently unveiled CTS-V Sport Wagon show car geared toward foreshadowing the automaker’s next addition to its V-Series performance line.

“The tires support high levels of grip in track conditions, while also affording excellent performance on the road,” says Don Butler, Cadillac’s vice president of marketing.

The vehicle is set to go into production during the latter part of this year, with initial sales in North America followed by export markets including Europe and the Middle East. The new model rounds out the V-Series offerings, which include all variants of the CTS family’s sedan, coupe and sport wagon body styles, he reports.

“The CTS-V Sport Wagon is a natural extension of both the V-Series and the CTS lineup, offering an uncompromising performance car to enthusiasts who want the extra room of a wagon,” Butler explains. “The V-Series Sport Wagon is another hallmark of the dramatic presence and power of Cadillac vehicles.”

The exterior is finished in Midnight Silver, first seen on the Cadillac Sixteen Concept, and accented by lustrous Liquid Silver-finished wheels and a black chrome finish on the grille’s mesh insert. The rear fascia, upper spoiler and center high-mounted stop lamp are also unique to the show car.

Inside, the vehicle is trimmed in exclusive black leather with Alcantara accents. The upper section of the instrument panel and upper door panels are covered in the same premium leather, accented with midnight Sapele wood, while the microfiber material and stitching is applied to the lower door panels, pillars, console lid, headliner and steering wheel center.

The show car features fine-grain black leather-trimmed Recaro seats with Alcantara seat inserts. The seat inserts are divided in the center and accented with dark gray stitching, while the V-series logo is laser etched into the seatbacks. Obsidian Black accents grace the center stack, console, steering wheel and door panels.

Electronic sensors at all four wheels literally “read the road” every millisecond, making constant adjustments to damping to create virtually instantaneous and extremely precise control of body motions, according to Butler. “This is of particular benefit for a high performance car because it helps keep the car very composed during hard cornering, acceleration, braking and other dynamic maneuvers.”

Brembo brakes are at all four corners, including powerful six-piston calipers in the front and four-piston calipers in the rear.

For more information, visit www.michelinman.com and www.cadillac.com.