This 2012 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon Has Been Taken to the Next Level

• Cadillac's CTS-V wagon was one of the brand's wilder production cars. This one takes things further.
• The supercharged V-8 has been upgraded to pump out 700 horsepower, and there's a widebody kit to accommodate the rubber that'll put that power to the ground.

For years, American station wagons trumpeted suburban respectability, family values, and a practical approach to life. Not so much this find from Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos), a wild Cadillac CTS-V wagon that takes the whining and fighting out of the back seat and stuffs it under the hood in the form of a piercing supercharger howl and V-8 thunder. Throw in a widebody kit from Canepa Design, and this is the kind of wagon to have the neighborhood locking their doors and peeking out from behind drawn curtains.

The original CTS-V was released in 2004 and was available only as a sedan, although GM did tease everyone with a wagon prototype. The intent was to build a high-performance rival to the likes of the BMW M5 and the AMG versions of the Mercedes E-class.

At least in the European market, both of those vehicles have traditionally come in station wagon form, so Cadillac decided to get in on the fun with the second generation of CTS-V. After putting out a coupe that had at least a passing resemblance to an F-117 stealth fighter, GM's engineers dropped a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 with 556 horsepower into the CTS wagon variant, and invited buyers to see just how many eggs they could break while driving home from the supermarket.

C/D's takeaway: "Like the Bugatti Veyron, the CTS-V wagon makes no sense. Also like the Veyron, it is awesome." A round of applause, please, for GM doing something silly but incredibly enjoyable.

Of course, where some is good, more is generally considered to be better, and such is the case with this particular wagon. The list of engine modifications is as long as the footnotes on a Revolutionary War history book, but the standout items are a carbon fiber air intake, ported heads and new headers, upgraded camshafts and heat exchanger, bigger fuel injectors, and upgraded cooling. More fuel, more air, more bang, more power—around 700 horsepower at the wheels.

All that power is fed through a six-speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels via a limited-slip differential that has its work cut out for it. Still, at least there's plenty of tire on hand, with that Canepa Designs widebody kit allowing for 345/30 Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires on 20-inch wheels out back.

Up front are 285/40 Super Sports on 19-inch wheels, with coilover suspension, and Brembo brakes handling stopping duties. The standard CTS-V handled with more sportswagon aplomb than a contemporary AMG, and even with all the extra power, this blue bomber should be able to put it down.

It's a far cry from the Leave It To Beaver squeaky-clean image of the suburban wagon of the past, but this CTS-V is so cool you hope Cadillac at least considers making a longroof prototype of the CT5-V Blackwing. Why should BMW and Mercedes get all the fun?

The auction ends on July 15.

Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki's half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.