Update: Cadillac announced the CTS-Vs official power figures today. The car gets a Society of Automotive Engineers certification of 556hp and 551lb-ft of torque at the crank. The top power figure arrives at 6,100rpm and maximum torque comes at a pleasantly mid-range 3,800rpm.This much power is enough to move the big sedan to 60mph in just 3.9 seconds and to complete the quarter-mile in an even 12 seconds with a trap speed of 118mph. Those numbers are enough to wilt even the impressive BMW M5s figures put down with the aid of its 505hp V10. Combined with a full complement of luxury features, paddle-shifted automatic transmission, adjustable magnetic suspension and its record-breaking 7m59s Nurburgring lap time, the American sedan is headed straight to the front of the luxury sport sedan class.BMW and Mercedes both have updates due to debut at next years March Geneva Motor Show however. The new 5-series and are expected to debut along side their high-performance M and AMG variants, so the Cadillac super-sedan should soon have some company, though it appears to be a step ahead at the present.Original:The newest CTS has won accolades from the automotive press for its looks, its performance and its comfort. It is a serious rival to its German counterparts, and the first American sport sedan to do so in quite some time. But now Cadillac is upping the ante with its CTS-V, leaked today ahead of its debut at the Detroit NAIAS. The 550hp, magnetic-suspension, Recaro-seated super-sedan shows that America - especially GM - is not only capable of getting it right, it’s capable of getting it awesome.The first thing that grabs the eye when you look at the CTS-V is the gaping maw of the mesh grille. Once you break your eyes from its grasp, the bulging hood and angular headlights are the next things to steal some attention. The front splitter and aero package are also new, but other than that, there’s not much to distinguish the CTS-V from the regular CTS - but considering the CTS’s already charming good looks, that’s not a bad thing.Under the hood, the Cadillac CTS-V is packing a 6.2L supercharged V8 just like the recently revealed Corvette ZR-1, and it cranks out a whopping 550hp and a matching 550lb-ft of torque (although we’ll have to wait until April for SAE verification of these numbers). The LSA motor, while not quite as highly tuned as the LS9 powering the Corvette ZR-1 to 650hp, is still a mammoth for the performance sedan ranks, outstripping even the V10 in the BMW M5. Two six-speed transmissions will be available, one manual, the other a paddle-shifted Hydramatic automatic - a first for the CTS-V. The manual is a dual-disc clutch-equipped Tremec TR6060.Don’t go thinking this is just another American straight-line wonder that loses all composure at the first sign of the twisty stuff, either. The CTS-V’s Magnetic Ride Control makes the suspension in the CTS-V so quick reacting that Cadillac claims it’s the world’s fastest. Featuring two modes (Tour and Sport) that can be selected on the fly, the CTS-V can be adjusted to suit the driving style and conditions at hand. Massive Brembo six-piston calipers up front and four piston calipers in the rear ensure the big sedan can come to a stop in a serious hurry. The rotors (of undisclosed diameter) are slotted and vented to resist fade.The CTS-V is also equipped with a sophisticated traction control system, which is a good thing when you have so much power on tap - no one wants to pay complete attention all the time, and the CTS-V can considered as a daily driver. Although considering the Performance Traction Management system in the CTS-V is derived from the CTS-V racecar, you won’t be giving up all that much in terms of performance even with it engaged - it’s actually designed to ensure the greatest possible traction while still delivering great performance, not to slow the car and regain traction like most other traction control systems. This should be a very interesting part of the first batch of reviews - to see how well Cadillac managed to translate this racing technology to the street.That’s enough of the details for now, the pictures are what you really want, so gorge yourself on the gorgeous CTS-V.