Performance-oriented family cars like the Audi RS6 Avant have only begun trending recently, so the likes of this Cadillac CTS-V often went unnoticed by the crowd. Let’s fix that!
Pictured here is a Sport Wagon, the least popular CTS-V throughout its history with barely above 2,000 units produced in 2011 through 2014. Each car came equipped with a 6.2-liter V8 rated at 564 PS (556 hp / 415 kW) and 747 Nm (551 lb-ft) of torque. It never was a best-seller, but it did pique the interest of Hennessey Performance.
The tuner outfitted the family-friendly ride with the full HPE 1100 package including forged engine components (pistons, connecting rods etc.), high-end ball-bearing turbos, reinforced transmission parts, Brembo brakes, and more. They also swapped the OEM wheels out for in-house forged ones finished in black and introduced a better stability control system.
In the end, the car slammed the ground with something approaching 1,100 horsepower, or 820 kilowatts. As far as we know, the conversion alone sucked in over $130,000 before the donor vehicle, so we understand this kind of tuning is not for everyone.
The video here shows a similar, but not identical project.