Motor Trend LOVES the '08 as well

[carl425]

Has anyone seen the newest MT with the '08 CTS review in it? They make some awfully bold statements and it has me PUMPED to drive one of these!

And I quote "The best darn Cadillac sedan in 50 years? Easily."

As an aside, I live in Germany (US military) and finally made the trek up to the Nurburgring and had three rides around it (one in an M5, unbelievable!!!!) and I can tell you first hand that if they drove it on that course and were that impressed with it, it is one HELL of a set of wheels.

[Cadillac Jim]

In the Trans Am sports car series, the four competitive cars are the CTS-V, the Corvette Z06, the Viper, and a Porsche model. The BMWs are there but they are not competitive.

[carl425]

In the Trans Am sports car series, the four competitive cars are the CTS-V, the Corvette Z06, the Viper, and a Porsche model. The BMWs are there but they are not competitive.

I'll be honest, I don't follow Trans Am series but I can tell you that if BMW isn't competitive in it then it's because they don't want to be. I used to be anti-import or anything-not-domestic however, living here, and owning a 2003 745i, has changed my mind. That's not to say that I don't like American anymore but I'll tell you right now that nobody has made a sedan that will even think about comparing to an M5. Though I always have, and always will, love Caddy's even an STS-V is NO match for an M5. During my ride around the course with a professional BMW test driver who's driven it about 20k times, we passed a Porsche GT3 RS like it was standing still. It was absolutely the most intense thing I've ever done.

Bottom line, if money was no object, I'd take the STS-V over the M5 but ONLY because it's a Caddy not because it's a better car.

[Cadillac Jim]

The Trans Am series does allow a lot of preparation but it does require that the driveline and suspension begin with a production car. It's just not true that anyone can be competitive if they want to be. This type of sports car racing shows the limits of chassis and driveline; it isn't the look-like-a-car freight train racing yousee on NASCAR type if racing, where the engine blocks may or may not be production items but the car are tube space frame racers, like Indianapolis or the Formula racing popular in Europe.

As far as street cars go, you need to drive both cars to get a feel for which is the better car. Somebody showed you a good time in a BMW; perhaps somebody could show you a good time in a V series? Then, you still need to drive both cars. Look at the Wikipedia entries:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_CTS_V-Series (Brief stub)

http://www.cadillacfaq.com/gi/06cts-v.html (more data)

It does look like the street version has a 100 hp advantage over the STS-V (500 hp to 400 hp). I once owned a new 427 Corvette rated at 390 hp but which could be measured to have over 400 hp by clocking the 40 mph to 60 mph time in low gear, and yes, you can use more than 400 hp in a 3200 lb car on the street, or rather highway, to advantage -- once in a long while.

What about price? The Wikipedia entry seems to say that the M5 was a hand-built very low production car most of the time since its introduction in 1986 through 1999, although it may be available to anyone since 2000, but I don't see it listed on dealer model lists online.

[carl425]

The Trans Am series does allow a lot of preparation but it does require that the driveline and suspension begin with a production car. It's just not true that anyone can be competitive if they want to be. This type of sports car racing shows the limits of chassis and driveline; it isn't the look-like-a-car freight train racing yousee on NASCAR type if racing, where the engine blocks may or may not be production items but the car are tube space frame racers, like Indianapolis or the Formula racing popular in Europe.

Bottom line on racing is that it's about 60% driver and 40% car. What I meant by "because they don't want to be" is that they're not going to put most of their money and their best drivers into a series that isn't that tremendously popular. I've never heard "What wins in Trans Am on Sunday, sells on Monday".

As far as street cars go, you need to drive both cars to get a feel for which is the better car. Somebody showed you a good time in a BMW; perhaps somebody could show you a good time in a V series? Then, you still need to drive both cars. Look at the Wikipedia entries:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_CTS_V-Series (Brief stub)

http://www.cadillacfaq.com/gi/06cts-v.html (more data)

It's not just that I was shown a good time in a BMW, I own one and an STS and there's no comparison between the two of them. I still love my Caddy but it's not even in the same ballpark as the BMW no matter what facet of engineering or performance you're talking about. And I have been in GM performance (I'm pretty sure the new ZO6's qualify) and though it's impressive, it still doesn't have the fit and finish of the Beemers... Granted I haven't been fortunate enough to ride in, or drive, a V-series but I"d be more than willing to take someone up on it if they are in the neighborhood!

It does look like the street version has a 100 hp advantage over the STS-V (500 hp to 400 hp). I once owned a new 427 Corvette rated at 390 hp but which could be measured to have over 400 hp by clocking the 40 mph to 60 mph time in low gear, and yes, you can use more than 400 hp in a 3200 lb car on the street, or rather highway, to advantage -- once in a long while.

What about price? The Wikipedia entry seems to say that the M5 was a hand-built very low production car most of the time since its introduction in 1986 through 1999, although it may be available to anyone since 2000, but I don't see it listed on dealer model lists online.

Here you go, http://www.bmwusa.com/vehicles/m/m5sedan/default perhaps you didn't go under "M" models. They're spendy but you get what you pay for, and then some.

[Bruce Nunnally]

$82K plus $3K if you want "extended" leather plus dealer markup and waiting list? I would like to have the V10 engine, but it is definitely not a torque monster.

It will be interesting to see how the new CTS-V redesign turns out. If it gets 550+ hp and the rear end is bullet proof, it should make a fabulous car. The current package is sweet, so put in more power and fix the differential setup for good measure and it should be a runner.

[GreenMachine]

Have seen one on the dealer lot, very striking in person, my father is now a "shuttle" driver at the local dealership so he gets to move around the inventory and drive the cars to the shows here and there.

He drives an esclade to pick up/drop off people, and then usually drives their cars around to the front for them...yeah its a perfect job for a retiree...problem is he isn't really a car buff Just a big peoples person.

He WANTS an XLR....drove one and couldn't believe how nice they are, affording one is another story Says the seats comfort make up for the harsher ride that a sports car brings (he didn't say it like that but thats what he meant )

He was to nervous to drive a CTS-V for its owner, hasn't driven stick in over 40 years.

I'll see if I can get him to get some first impressions, pictures, etc when he gets in the 08 models.

For now though he has his eye set on an 03 Deville, possibly DHS, needs a bench seat and apparently 03 is the last year you can have a CD/Cassette combo