| Nurburgring lap times | Cadillac CTS-V |

Cadillac's upcoming CTS-V performance saloon is laying down a challenge to its European rivals right in their own backyard, as the American super saloon sets sub-eight minute laps of the Nurburgring.

The CTS-V has been testing at the German track ahead of its launch in September and is thought to have set the fastest ever time for a saloon car. Driven by Cadillac test driver John Heinricy, the CTS-V completed a lap of the 12.9-mile Nurburgring track in 7 minutes 59.32 seconds.

Cadillac intends the CTS-V to be the world's fastest production saloon car. It uses a 550bhp supercharged 6.2-litre V8 engine that powers the CTS-V through a six-speed automatic gearbox with steering wheel buttons for manual shifts. The CTS-V also comes with Caddy's Magnetic Ride Control suspension to keep the car level and stable through corners, which is just as well as the Nurburgring has at least 73 of them...

Alisdair Suttie - 12 May 2008