The super sedan has never really gone out of style — but there was a golden era when engineers treated the four-door body style as a blank canvas for pure, unapologetic performance. What started as practical transport for business executives evolved into street weapons capable of embarrassing proper supercars. Nobody was losing sleep over fuel economy or emissions. The result was some of the wildest four-door machines ever built, and the ripple effects are still felt on the used market today.BMW's M5 tells the whole story. The original packed 282 horsepower from a straight-six engine. Then BMW dropped a bombshell with the E60 M5, which arrived with 507 horsepower from a screaming V10 drawing on Formula 1 technology. This family hauler could hit 200 mph when the limiter came off. Meanwhile, Brabus took a humble Mercedes C-Class and created the Bullitt, with twin turbos force-feeding a V12 to produce 720 horsepower. It was pure insanity on four wheels.American automakers watched this European arms race closely, and Detroit wanted in. One bold manufacturer made a decision that shocked the industry: they pulled the engine from a Corvette ZR1 and transplanted it into a compact sedan. The results were spectacular. The Second-Generation Cadillac CTS-V Is A Bargain Four-Door Supercar Bring A TrailerCadillac had already proved with the rare first-generation CTS-V of the mid-2000s that it could muster up a decent sports sedan to take on the best of what Germany had to offer, but some reviews said it needed to be fine-tuned and refined. The second car, launched in 2009, answered those critics with an exterior that was more polished and upmarket — a clear evolution — along with subtle but effective tweaks such as a slightly wider track. Slightly worryingly, the weight was up by 385 pounds, to a mighty 4,292 lbs, putting the small Caddy within a few burgers of the weight of a BMW 7 Series. Luckily, the engineers had a solution. Cadillac Had A Solution For The CTS-V's Chunky Weight Bring A Trailer The weight of the 2009 CTS-V would be no match for its epic powerplant. Cadillac chose to fit a version of the engine found in the mighty C6 Corvette ZR1 — tuned for sedan duty but no less impressive. In the Cadillac, the motor was named the LSA and made a whopping 556 horsepower and 551 lb-ft of torque.Bring A Trailer This kind of power is enough to propel the Caddy to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, says the manufacturer, and on to 100 mph in 9.7 seconds. The CTS-V will cover a quarter mile in 12.6 seconds at 116 mph, and the top speed is 191 mph. For the record, a 2004 Lamborghini Gallardo tops out at 192 mph. For those who want even more, the Hennessey-tuned Cadillac CTS-V HPE1000 hits 60 mph in just 2.7 seconds. A Closer Look At The CTS-V's Engine Bring A Trailer Just how similar to the ZR1's engine the LSA is remains open to debate. On paper it looks like a less powerful version of the ZR1's 638-horsepower LS9, but there are a number of meaningful differences. The LSA uses a smaller 1.9-liter supercharger and relies on wet-sump oiling, compared to the ZR1's dry-sump setup. There Are A Few Differences Between The LSA And LS9 Engines The Caddy also made do with lower compression, cast pistons instead of the ZR1's forged items, and a single intercooler heat exchanger against the Corvette's two. So you could either call it a detuned version of the ZR1's engine, or view it as a standard Corvette C6 6.2-liter block with a supercharger bolted on — depending on how generous you're feeling. Cadillac Now Had A Sports Sedan To Take On The Best The Germans Could Offer Bring A Trailer Whichever way you looked at it, the Caddy had the muscle to go toe-to-toe with the fastest European saloons ever produced. The E60 M5, by comparison, hits 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. Cadillac also had the good sense to fit the CTS-V with a Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual gearbox, with an optional six-speed automatic with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters also available. Cadillac Made A Couple Of Other Variations Of The CTS-V Bring A Trailer For anyone wanting to take a Labrador on a supercar-chasing ride (please don't actually try this), there was also a CTS-V wagon available, which carries a certain understated cool and was a performance icon of its time. The load-lugger CTS-V is a great alternative to an AMG wagon, too. The CTS-V coupe was also on offer for anyone who preferred sleek two-door styling over practicality. Here's How Much A Cadillac CTS-V Will Cost In 2025 Bring A Trailer Used Prices Of Cadillac CTS-V (second generation)2009 Cadillac CTS-V: $20,113 2010 Cadillac CTS-V: $20,355 2011 Cadillac CTS-V: $21,465 2012 Cadillac CTS-V: $22,386 2013 Cadillac CTS-V: $23,630 2014 Cadillac CTS-V: $25,230 The Cadillac undercut its German rivals by thousands when it first hit showrooms. Sure, the original asking price seemed like serious money for a compact Caddy — but BMW was requesting significantly more for an M5 at the time. That was a substantial gap for comparable performance numbers.Today, the CTS-V represents one of the best speed-per-dollar deals on the used market. Anyone brave enough to explore its near-200-mph potential can snag a 2009 model for around $20,000, according to Kelley Blue Book figures, with the final 2014 cars commanding slightly more. Here's the surprise: that same BMW M5 that cost so much more when new has depreciated sharply, while the Cadillac holds its value better than the car it was chasing. Owning A Second-Generation Cadillac CTS-V Today Bring A Trailer The general Cadillac CTS range is pretty middle of the road when it comes to reliability, according to RepairPal. The Cadillac CTS carries a Reliability Rating of 3.5 out of 5.0, placing it 17th out of 31 luxury midsize cars. RepairPal puts the average annual repair cost at $663, indicating average overall ownership costs. Over at Edmunds, the CTS-V models come highly recommended: out of 32 reviews, 97% were five-star-rated, reflecting strong buyer satisfaction. Cadillac CTS-V Owners Love Their Cars One owner of a 2010 car wrote on Edmunds that they loved pretty much every aspect of the CTS-V: 'This car is great, luxury, features, performance, roomy and did I mention performance... The quality is as good as you can get, and I have found no problems with it.' Another said it combines performance with reliability. 'Handles well, good steering, good traction,' they said, before adding, 'I am a REALTOR, so I have to know my vehicle is reliable. This is my fifth Cadillac since 1985.'Sources: Edmunds.com; Hagerty.com; KBB.com