Leather Fwd Nr Mechanic Special Call Today For Details on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Cadillac prepares to top its own 'Ring record with upcoming new CTS-V

It was a big deal back in 2008 when the original Cadillac CTS-V clocked a lap time of 7:59 at the Nürburgring, making it the fastest sedan ever to lap the Nordschleife to that date. Not many four-doors have bested that time since - the list consisting pretty much only of the Porsche Panamera Turbo - but now hot hatches are lapping faster than that, so you can bet that the new one will manage an even better time.
Now we've spotted the upcoming new CTS-based performance sedan several times before undergoing testing in locations around the world, but this is the first time we've seen it at the Nürburgring, apparently using the Goodyear Dunlop test facility as its base of operations (and still wearing Michigan manufacturer plates, incidentally). Considering how well the outgoing CTS-V performed and how much further you can bet Cadillac will push the envelop this time around, a new sedan lap record is almost a certainty - and we can only hope for an all-out war between Europe's performance sedan power houses to ensue.

Cadillac CTS-V spotted with big exhaust, new grille?

If you thought Cadillac was content to leave its twin-turbocharged Vsport as the range-topping CTS, think again. Behold, our first good glimpse at the next-generation Cadillac CTS-V sedan, sporting more aggressive styling (somewhere under there), meaty quad-exhaust pipes, and what very well could be a new face for the V-badged Caddies.
Creating an all-new grille design seems like an awful lot of work just for a prototype, so it's very possible that the vertical-bar treatment you see here could make its way into production. Our spy photographers have pointed out that they've seen this same sort of grille treatment on prototypes for the smaller ATS-V sedan, and we've heard V-series models may soon have greater differentiation from the standard vehicles that sired them - that seems especially necessary if Cadillac insists on expanding this whole Vsport range.
Regardless of how its front end looks, the CTS-V ought to be a real monster. Industry sources say we can expect to see a supercharged version of General Motors' 6.2-liter V8 under the Caddy's hood, and considering the current car already makes 556 horsepower and 551 pound-feet of torque, we wouldn't be surprised to see a decent increase in both of those numbers. After all, one of the CTS-V's main competitors, the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, is currently putting out 550 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. Could this mean a 600-hp Cadillac is on the horizon?

GM, Pilot will build EVgo fast chargers at 500 truck stops across U.S.

All of our maps showing electric vehicle charging stations across the U.S. are going to need an update. Today, General Motors, Pilot and EVgo announced plans to work together on a nationwide DC fast charging network. The plan calls for 2,000 charging stalls that can deliver up to 350 kW to be installed at up to 500 Pilot and Flying J travel centers in the U.S. The goal is to have DC fast chargers available in 50-mile intervals across the country. The new charging stations will feature GM's "Ultium Charge 360" branding and "Pilot Flying J" logos but will not be limited to drivers of GM EVs. The plugs will use CCS connectors and be available to anyone. GM EV owners can take advantage of benefits, including the ability to make exclusive reservations, get discounts on charging costs and streamline the charging process with Plug and Charge and in-vehicle apps that can provide real-time charger availability. The first installation phase will take place in 2023, and "the bulk of the installations" should be completed by 2025, EVgo CEO Kathy Zoi said during a conference call with reporters announcing the plan. "We're gonna get going immediately and commence all of that engineering and planning stuff," she said. "We've got a pretty orderly plan." Pilot CEO Shameek Konar said the company expects the new EV charging stations to coexist with the current fuel infrastructure. "An average Pilot Flying J location is about 10 acres," Konar said. "This will be in addition to all of our gas pumps. The way I think about it is, this is a new source of energy that is going to coexist with gas for quite some time. We can debate how long, but we need to serve both groups of customers." Installing DC fast chargers at hundreds of Pilot's travel centers — aka truck stops — means there should be food, drinks, restrooms, WiFi and even showers available while you wait for an EV to charge. Pilot recently announced its “New Horizons” plan that will invest $1 billion in upgrading Pilot travel centers with more premium amenities, including expanded seating and lounge areas. While the exact amount of time it will take to charge an EV using these new stations will vary on the EV and its current state of charge, most EVs can refill from a low state of charge to around 80 percent in 20-30 minutes on a fast charger. The new stations are future-proofed to deliver up to 350 kW, a charge rate that few EVs today can handle.