Lindsay VanHulle

lvanhulle@lsj.com

DETROIT – Cadillac's newest CTS sedan is getting a high-powered boost with the unveiling of a track-ready version at the upcoming Detroit auto show.

The General Motors Co. luxury brand will debut the 2016 CTS-V high-performance sedan in January at the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center. Production on the third-generation model is expected to start in the summer at GM's Lansing Grand River assembly plant alongside the standard CTS line of coupes, sedans and wagons and the entry-level Cadillac ATS sedan and coupe.

The ATS V-series, unveiled last month at the Los Angeles Auto Show, will begin production at Lansing Grand River in the spring.

Called the most powerful car Cadillac has built, the CTS-V will feature a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engine with 640 horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque. It will reach top speeds of 200 mph — faster, Cadillac says, than competing models from German rivals BMW and Mercedes. It can shoot from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds.

Cadillac says it's designed to handle well during daily driving and on the race track. It will be the first CTS-V built on GM's Alpha platform, the same chassis used to build the ATS and the regular CTS sedan.

"There's only a precious few automakers on Earth that are making cars at this level, and this is important, really, when you think of the trajectory of our brand," Cadillac spokesman David Caldwell told reporters during a media preview last week in Detroit.

"Those numbers are in the stratosphere of the elite club of high-performance luxury cars in the world — and this was not just dominated by Europeans, it was the exclusive province of the Europeans until just recently," Caldwell said. "We're obviously very excited about it."

Cadillac has spent years working to overhaul its image, hoping to be seen as a true luxury competitor against BMW, Mercedes and Audi. Its V-series models are expensive niche products that won't sell in high numbers, but that's intentional.

Rather, the high-performance cars are meant to raise Cadillac's profile among wealthy buyers to lure them away from German competitors. Compared with regular CTS buyers, those who pick the V-series tend to be seven to eight years younger — about age 55 — and more educated, with about $100,000 in extra income, said Jim Vurpillat, Cadillac's global marketing director.

"These are the customers everybody covets," said Tony Roma, chief engineer for the CTS lineup and V-series. "They're influencers. They're people other folks ask their opinion about cars. ... And they're very discerning. They can buy whatever they want, and they want the best."

Enticing those buyers will be important as Cadillac tries to reverse slumping domestic sales of its cars and crossovers. U.S. sales of the ATS are down 20 percent for the year through November, with the CTS down about 2 percent. GM doesn't break out sales results for the individual versions or the V-series cars.

As a result, Lansing Grand River will cut its second shift in January as part of a strategy to cut Cadillac's production volume to meet demand. The roughly 450 layoffs will be temporary, however, since GM plans to restore the shift when the plant begins building the Chevrolet Camaro sports car, possibly next fall.

Cadillac launched its V-series in 2004 with the CTS. The second-generation model debuted for the 2009 model year. That version went from 0-to-60 in 3.9 seconds with a 556-horsepower engine.

A sedan will be the only CTS-V released initially for the 2016 model year.

Features include high-performance Brembo brakes, optional microfiber suede interior accents, optional Recaro racing seats, a performance tracker that can record video and data from the track and an optional carbon fiber trim package, Cadillac said.

The CTS-V also offers larger grilles and a raised hood vent to reduce vehicle lift and aid cooling. At 4,145 pounds, the new CTS-V also is about 135 pounds lighter than the previous V-series, Roma said.

GM has not released pricing. The previous CTS-V had a starting price of $60,720 in 2010. The redesigned traditional CTS sedan carries a base price of $46,025.

The ATS-V unveiled last month has a twin-turbo, 3.6-liter V-6 engine with 455 horsepower and 445 pound-feet of torque. The car can go from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and has a top speed above 185 mph.

2016 CTS-V

Type: Four-door, high-performance luxury sport sedan.

Produced: Lansing Grand River Assembly plant, starting next summer.

Platform: Alpha. General Motors Co. also builds the Cadillac ATS and redesigned CTS sedan on this platform. It will be the first CTS-V produced on the chassis.

Size: 197.6 inches, with a 114.6-inch wheelbase. At 4,145 pounds, it will be 135 pounds lighter than the previous base V-series model.

Drivetrain: Rear-wheel drive.

Engine: Basic model is a 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 engine with eight-speed automatic transmission and 640 horsepower.

Fuel economy: TBA

Price: GM has not released a base price.

Options: The new CTS-V will feature larger grilles; optional carbon fiber trim package, microfiber suede accents and Recaro racing seats; a performance tracker that records video and data from the race track; Cadillac's CUE infotainment system; OnStar 4G LTE service with a built-in WiFi hotspot

What it means for Lansing: GM's luxury division is working to overhaul its image as a luxury competitor against German rivals BMW and Mercedes. Slumping U.S. sales this year of its ATS and CTS car lines have led GM to cut the second shift at the Grand River plant to match production with demand. Cadillac leaders hope the high-performance V-series will help attract new buyers to the brand, thus increasing sales.

Other versions: Coupe and wagon versions of the regular CTS are built here, but have not yet been redesigned to match the 2014 sedan. The 2016 CTS-V only will be offered as a sedan initially.

Source: General Motors Co.

If you go

The North American International Auto Show will kick off in January at Cobo Center in Detroit. Key dates:

Media preview: Jan. 12-13

Industry preview: Jan. 14-15

Charity preview: Jan. 16

Public show: Jan. 17-25