Apart from a brief stint with Chrysler (Valiant) in the 1970’s, the Australian muscle car market has been dominated by only two auto manufacturers over the course if the last forty years, Holden and Ford. That has changed in recent times with the addition of Chrysler’s 300C entering the market, in particular the hotter SRT-8 version.

Prepare for another shakeup as GM’s luxury brand, Cadillac prepare to launch one of the hottest production sedans to come out of Detroit. Due to start production in September 2008, the 2009 Cadillac CTS-V is looking to be a serious contender for our local muscle cars, seeing Holden have given the green light for Cadillac to enter their territory “within the next 18 months”.

Reportedly running a supercharged small block Chev V8 that is good for 375+ kW (500 hp), the attraction to the new motor is the supercharger that is actually integrated into the intake manifold, a feature that is also expected to be seen under the bonnet of the 2009 LS9 Corvette SS ‘Blue Devil’. (Is this what HSV are planning with the 20th anniversary model due for debut in Sydney this month?)

The Current Cadillac CTS-V is powered by a supercharged 4.4 Litre Northstar V8, boasts a hefty 350 kW, and retails for around $80,000 or $AU90,000 stateside. Expect the new model CTS-V to hit our shores by late 2009, and if Cadillac are to remain competitive with the aussie market, GM will need to recalculate that sticker price.

Darcy

[Source: Jalopnik / Holden]