2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe

Much like Rusty, I had forgotten how docile and livable the CTS-V is around town thanks to its light clutch and magnetic ride control dampers. The only real downside to the manual transmission is the gear whine that sometimes penetrates the luxurious cabin, but given how easy it is to execute smooth shifts I can overlook the occasional whine. Cadillac offers a very good automatic transmission for the CTS-V line as well, though I'd be a bit embarrassed to have one in a V Coupe, I would probably opt for it in the sedan. Perhaps the CTS-V's 556 hp and 551 lb-ft of torque can feel so sedate because the car has such fantastic grip, acceleration, and refinement that you don't realize how fast you are actually going. Watching the digital speedometer try to keep up with the car's acceleration during a hard launch is always entertaining. It's surprisingly quiet inside the cabin cruising at high speed, which is no small accomplishment on a B-pillarless vehicle. I'm going to step out on a limb here and say the CTS-V is the best non-German car with which to take on a stretch of unrestricted autobahn. Nothing else comes with this mix of capability and refinement. Phil Floraday, Senior Web Producer