How much horsepower is too much?

For carmakers, there's always a point where the impact on drivability, reliability, and fuel economy erases the benefits of extra power, but that never seems to be a problem for tuners.

Calibrated by Karger and built by SNL Performance, this 2009 Cadillac CTS-V sedan is claimed to be the world's most powerful. With 1,309 horsepower at the rear wheels, it's hard to imagine another version of Cadillac's performance champ with more ponies.

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The tuners achieved that otherworldly power output with a pair of Precision turbochargers, an air-to-water intercooler, beefed-up transmission, and other upgrades.

A stock 2009 CTS-V's 6.2-liter supercharged V-8, by the way, produces a mere 556 horsepower and 551 pound-feet of torque.

This monster may be the world's most powerful tuned CTS-V, but it certainly isn't the only one. The Hennessey VR1200 is a twin-turbocharged CTS-V coupe with 1,226 hp. In 2012, it was declared the fastest CTS-V in the world, when it hit 220.5 mph on Texas State Highway 310.

Presumably, this madness will continue when a new CTS-V based on the redesigned 2014 model hits showrooms in the near future.

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