We walked away from our 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe test car smitten with nearly every aspect of its design, performance, fit and finish, and technologies. So, when a 2012 model appeared in our parking lot last week, we were excited to reacquaint ourselves with what some of considered an old friend. Since little has changed externally from 2011 to 2012, we will only reiterate our initial feelings about the CTS-V Coupe: In our eyes, the lines on the CTS-V Coupe represent the best use of Cadillac’s Art and Science design language to date. The coupe is just drop-dead gorgeous. It is both cutting edge and classy. It takes the best angle of the sedan—the front—and adds the right curves and lines to the back and profile to make it an absolute stunner. It is shorter and lower than the sedan that spawned it. It also features a faster windshield rake, nearly flat rear window, and touchpad door openers that purge the need for conventional handles and give the profile a clean look.

Cadillac calls the CTS-V Coupe the “most dramatic model in the V-Series range of high-performance luxury models,” and, although it has been awhile since we set foot into the sedan or wagon, our memories remind us that it is also the best performing. It’s easy to understand why. The coupe weighs 13 pounds less than the sedan and a more astonishing 183 pounds less than the wagon. It also features shorter overhangs and a slightly wider rear track.

Follow the jump to read more about the 2012 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe.

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