This Cadillac CTS-V Wagon Is No Ordinary Grocery Getter

Remember when station wagons meant wood paneling, sensible cargo space, and a gentle hum from the engine? This 2012 Cadillac CTS-V wagon on Bring a Trailer is here to blow those memories out the window. 2-liter V-8 has been massaged to deliver a staggering 700 horsepower at the wheels, thanks to a laundry list of upgrades including ported heads, a carbon fiber intake, bigger injectors, and upgraded cooling.

A Canepa Design widebody kit wraps around Michelin tires so wide, 345s in the rear, they look more at home on a racetrack than a driveway. This isn't the kind of wagon that hauls groceries quietly. It's the kind that makes neighbors peek through the blinds.

Cadillac originally launched the CTS-V in 2004 as a sedan, but for the second generation, they decided to take on European heavyweights like the BMW M5 and Mercedes E63 AMG, both of which offered wagon versions. So GM dropped a supercharged 556-horsepower V-8 into the CTS wagon, and the result was, as Car and Driver put it, a vehicle that makes no sense and is also awesome.

This particular example takes that philosophy and runs with it. A six-speed automatic sends power to the rear wheels through a limited-slip differential, while Brembo brakes and coilover suspension keep everything in check. Up front, 285/40 tires on 19-inch wheels help point the blue bomber where it needs to go.

The auction closes July 15, and if you've ever wanted a family hauler that sounds like a thunderstorm and looks like it escaped from a video game, this is your chance. It's a wild, impractical, utterly delightful reminder that sometimes automakers should just have fun. Here's hoping Cadillac is taking notes for a future CT5-V Blackwing wagon.