Why are you guys are required to wear Nomex safety suits and a HANS device, put a cage in the rear (I suspect around the fuel tank, or perhaps to protect data-logging gear) and wear a 5-point harness while testing a car this far along in development? Since this car is close to its debut, shouldn't the new CTS be dialed in to the point where it's safe enough to test without all of the safety gear that was mentioned? I mean, all of the tests you do should be repeatable by a consumer in a production car whilst remaining as safe as a test-driver decked out in safety gear, right?

I think I already know the answer to this question, but I'll ask it anyway: will racing seats be an option on the CTS-V?

Half of the people reading this are laughing right now while the other half are pondering this idea. Those who think racing seats are out of place in a Cadillac probably also think the same about whatever monstrous V8 you're putting under the hood of the CTS-V.

For what it's worth, here's my suggestion: go find a Ferrari with the optional carbon fiber sport seats. Duplicate the shell in polycarbonate (or some other plastic), wrap it in a mix of leather/alcantara that befits Cadillac's level of luxury and offer it as an option - or as part of a sport package with stiffer shocks, short throw shifter, etc...

I'm an enthusiast who can afford a CTS-V and this is the type of option/package that would draw my attention to the V and away from the other "alphabet" performance sedans.

It seems as though you are getting ready for a race yourself. You must take the car up to some very high speeds and test the car to its ultimate limits.

i realize you are all smart engineers, but doesn't the addition of the roll cage change the dynamics of the car, the very thing you are tuning on the track?

I hope proper bucket seats never make it into a Cadillac. I hate the park bench hardness of BMW seats and love the soft seats in my STS. I like the idea of the powerful engine but with a soft ride and seats.

OK gents, you got my attention. I was about to by a new Infiniti G35 until I saw the previews of this vehicle. I can wait. As long as this car gets better mileage than my '04 Denali, I found my second car.

I'll do a new post soon taking on more of your questions on the safety equipment. Michael, good question on the roll cage. Yes, it does change the dynamics a little bit. Keep in mind, the roll cage only is used for certain track tests, the majority of the time it is not present in the car in other tests. So we can quantify the impact of the cage precisely. Then we will do run a few track tests later in the process without the cage to confirm our conclusions.

Mackingu, good question. Yes, the car is very "dialed in." But it is still pre-production, meaning it has elements that may not be finalized. So, it's appropriate to take some extra care in special cases like this, compared to a regular production car. Often a car like this is equipped with experimental or future content. This could include components planned for future model years, or even sometimes other cars entirely! Or even content that we will end up rejecting or changing for one reason or another. As one of the guys actually inside these cars, I'm grateful we take reasonable precautions for high-speed stuff in test cars. It's a good idea, keeps us totally focused on the task at hand rather than wondering about the preparations.