2012 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon is Our Bring a Trailer Auction Pick of the Day

This Opulent Blue over Ebony leather 2012 Cadillac CTS-V wagon, currently up for auction on Bring a Trailer, has less than 30,000 miles, and its three pedals are proof it was optioned as God intended.The rear-drive-only Cadillac CTS-V wagon used a 556-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 and was offered with either a six-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission. As of this writing, the bidding for this 29,000-mile example has reached $75,000 with the auction ending on Saturday, April 16. Bring a Trailer’s highest winning bid for a CTS-V happened last year, when a 2011 CTS-V wagon with just 7400 miles sold for $96,500.

We’ve often used the phrase “They don’t build ’em like they used to.” In some ways, we should all be thankful they don’t. Today, cars are generally safer, quicker, and more fuel-efficient than they’ve ever been. Of course, those contemporary benefits come at the sacrifice of some of our favorite cars. But a car like this 2012 Cadillac CTS-V wagon is something automakers had never built before and are unlikely ever to build again.

The CTS-V, sold in every solid-roofed body style short of an SUV or pickup, legitimized Cadillac’s performance efforts. The first generation (2004–07) was only available with a manual transmission and found itself among competitors such as the Audi S4 and Mercedes-Benz C55 AMG. The wagon wouldn’t arrive until the CTS-V’s second generation in 2010, and its existence made as much sense then as a 556-hp supercharged V-8 wagon with three pedals and Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires would make today.

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It’s an obvious BaT pick of the day for us because anytime a CTS-V wagon is mentioned, it’s personal. C/D was there for the birth and first 40,000 miles of our long-term 2011 CTS-V wagon, so this unusually awesome automobile holds a special place in our hearts. It won three consecutive 10Best awards in the four years it existed. Have you heard one of these bad boys roar in person? It’s borderline catcalling toward automotive enthusiasts.

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This example is a particularly good one, not just because of its lack of mileage, but because the Opulent Blue paint and Ebony interior are better suited to the car’s sporty instincts than pearl white paint with ice cream guts are. It’s also an excellent example of collectorship. In September 2019 this CTS-V wagon sold on BaT for $68,000. As of this writing, the current bid already exceeds that by nearly $10,000 with five days of bidding left.

When new, the CTS-V wagon started at $64,290, or roughly $83,600 when calculating for inflation. A six-speed manual transmission, magnetorheological dampers, Brembo brakes, and 19-inch Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires were all standard equipment.

During our testing, the thunderous station wagon launched to 60 mph in just 4.0 seconds with a 12.3-second quarter-mile time at 118 mph. That’s not too far from today’s sassiest saloon, the 603-hp twin-turbo Mercedes-AMG E63 we’ve tested that reached 60 mph in 3.0 seconds and a quarter-mile in 11.1 seconds at 122 mph.

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An uneven comparison, given their 47 horsepower, $59K price difference, and 11-year discrepancy, but they share the biggest symptom of a car that won’t sell in the U.S.: feverishly fun to drive, acute wagon shape, and internal bruising of the pocketbook from an unquenchable thirst. The added availability of the manual transmission for the Cadillac makes it more obscure, but in a good way.

The lines of what car enthusiasts love and what the general car-buying public is actually purchasing might forever run parallel, but the CTS-V wagon is a mark of passion. It will be interesting to see if this specific example beats the CTS-V on BaT that brought $96,500 last year.

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