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Motor Trend ATS-V, C-63S AMG, M3 Comparo


Bruce Nunnally

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The BMW M3 has long reigned as the king of the sports sedan segment. However, two new challengers have arisen: the Cadillac ATS-V and the Mercedes-AMG C63 S. The Cadillac was honed on the Nürburgring, and with its twin-turbo V6, packs 40 more horsepower than the M3. The mighty AMG, on the other hand, is based on the brand new C-class platform and sports a 503 horsepower twin-turbo V8. Does either challenger have what it takes to steal the belt from the M3? Find out on this episode of Head 2 Head.

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Bruce

2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing

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So with all that, IMO, it comes down to personal preference. (I swear, the car magazines will change their criteria for best, just about always, to put the American car 2nd or worse). I'll leave it at that (or I will start swearing).

Chuck

'19 CT6, '04 Bravada........but still lusting for that '69 Z-28

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Looks like Crest has 2 ATS-Vs in stock; starts near $60 but gets over $80 quick

http://www.cadillac.com/tools/2016-ats-v-coupe-build-to-locate.extapp.html?tp_gmna-btl=%2FlocateNewVehicle%2FShowDetails%3FdealerSelected%3Dtrue%26selectedVehicle%3D1G6AN1RY0G0100701%26x-zipcode%3D75023

VEHICLE DETAILS

VIN: 1G6AN1RY7G0100694

MSRP Standard Vehicle Price $62,665.00

INSTALLED OPTIONS TOTAL $18,040.00

Carbon Fiber Package $5,000.00

Power sunroof $1,050.00

Red Obsession Tintcoat $995.00

Jet Black, Leather Seats w/Sueded Microfiber Inserts $0.00

Brembo® brake calipers, Dark Gold $595.00

8-speed automatic transmission $2,000.00

Safety and Security Package $1,500.00

18 polished wheels $900.00

Performance Data and Video Recorder $1,300.00

RECARO® performance seats $2,300.00

Luxury Package $2,100.00

Sueded microfiber steering wheel $300.00

Destination Freight Charge $995.00

TOTAL MSRP $81,700.00

PRICE* $81,700*

Standard Vehicle Price $62,665.00

INSTALLED OPTIONS TOTAL $17,045.00

Carbon Fiber Package $5,000.00

Power sunroof $1,050.00

Black Raven $0.00

Jet Black w/Saffron Inserts, Leather Seats w/Sueded Microfiber Inserts $0.00

Brembo® brake calipers, Dark Gold $595.00

8-speed automatic transmission $2,000.00

Safety and Security Package $1,500.00

18 polished wheels $900.00

Performance Data and Video Recorder $1,300.00

RECARO® performance seats $2,300.00

Luxury Package $2,100.00

Sueded microfiber steering wheel $300.00

Destination Freight Charge $995.00

TOTAL MSRP $80,705.00

PRICE* $80,705*

Mercedes of Plano has 1 AMG 63S

Price Breakdown

BASE MSRP$71,900

TOTAL OF OPTIONS$13,180

DESTINATION & DELIVERY$925

TAX/OTHER FEESNot Included

$85,505

Bruce

2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing

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Car & Driver was once Sports Car Graphic; they renamed the magazine in 1961 to broaden its appeal outside the under-two-liter imported roadster people. Editorial attitude internally was mixed in the early years but has long been pretty cosmopolitan. But, although C&D positions itself as an enthusiast magazine, in the trenches it is an industry mag and to some extent a trade publication. For example, they once (1980's) had an editorial defending the practice in the L.A. area of pricing new cars $2000 or more above MSRP, saying that supply and demand is king of defining value in new cars - while imports did not do that, and deals up to 20% off MSRP were and are routinely available to the persistent and knowledgeable.

On the other hand, C&D has led the way among auto enthusiast mags in pointing out the best of American makes. In about 1965, Motor Trend or someone declared an American car as Car of the Year or equivalent, and letters to C&D reflected the outrage of the imported roadster fans - except one, who pointed out that his Alpha 2000 had once been driven away from in a curvy country road by a Chevrolet Impala whose driver he was sure had not seen him, because it had a bale of hay in the trunk. And C&D had a column in which they had pointed out that the 1958 Plymouth Fury with performance options exceeded all the imports in a comparison test in that issue (better acceleration times and near-equal skid pad and such), but no one noticed, etc. And C&D has had full recognition of the Corvette as a true sports car from its first issues in 1955, something that most other publications withheld until at least the 1990's.

When the Opel was first imported to the US and sold through Buick dealers about 1970, they gave one to C&D to review. These first imports were price leaders and did not put the best foot forward for Opel. C&D photographed their sample in a scrapyard, overshadowed by mountains of crushed cars. The text was hilarious. Buick would not advertise in C&D for a decade after that.

In most automotive mags, the bias toward imports, particularly overpriced imports, has always been an interesting phenomena to me, as I see no economic benefit in palpable bias in a trade or enthusiast magazine. I think it may be like a weather-vane politician, slanting their prose according to current sales figures, except that the bias exhibited itself long before imports had significant market share, there must be something else there too.

CTS-V_LateralGs_6-2018_tiny.jpg
-- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes
-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data
-- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC
Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars.

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So, for a little more than $80K, you can own the best truly driveable street car on the world for a small fraction of the cost of its competition, and none of the disadvantages of the competition:

  • Huge ostentation
  • Damage-prone swoopy air scoops and fenders
  • Essentially bumper-less front and rear
  • Seating for two (at the most!),
  • Difficult entry and exit, and
  • Overall arrest-me styling.

The only obstacle is that 90% of the customer base for that type of car WILL NOT BELIEVE that the ATS-V is what it is, enthusiast reviews and Nürburgring times or no. But put it out there and keep it out there, and the world will come around, like it did with the CTS-V.

I still have some trouble with people thinking my CTS-V is just a V8 in a CTS. The fact that the handling is its forte is lost of most people, most of who simply don't believe it.

CTS-V_LateralGs_6-2018_tiny.jpg
-- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes
-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data
-- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC
Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars.

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I finally took the time to look at the first and last parts of the video. The BMW had fallen by the wayside early and wasn't mentioned i the last part. The Mercedes AMG and ATS-V were timed in a typical-looking road course and seemed about equal, probably because they didn't have more than one driver.

After pointing out that the ATS was better controlled, more refined, and out-performed the Mercedes AMG in every metric, they gave it to the AMG.

Reminds me of an old Olympics where a boxing match in Russia resulted in the Russian being knocked out; the Russian umpire held up the unconscious Russian's arm and declared him victor!

CTS-V_LateralGs_6-2018_tiny.jpg
-- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes
-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data
-- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC
Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars.

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