It's got the right engine - we could debate pushrods-vs-OHC for hours, but the LS6 is a beautiful engine - it's more compact than the M5's S62, makes comparable HP and torque, and is VERY tunable (you can punch one out to 7 liters and have it look completely stock, if you want.)
At least on paper, it's got a great chassis - the design is better than most of the Germans (certainly better than the Macstrutted E39) and they've spent a lot of time on the Nordschleife tuning, we'll see if they got it right.
It should be a lot cheaper than most of the obvious competition.
Cons:
It's still fugly.
If material quality is similar to other CTSes it won't be up to BMW/Benz levels.
It's got the Cadillac nameplate (but then, what all this is about is trying to fix the Cadillac image, we'll see if it works.)
I am actually looking forward to this car. While I would never buy a CTS, I am interested in seeing how much they improve the car with this V series. An XLR V or STS V would be very interesting indeed . I have always had a soft spot for Cadillac since it was my first car ('93 STS). It would be great to see some competetion for BMW. It will only make them stronger.
The CTSv gets a limited-slip diff, something Jaguar, Mercedes, etc. can't seem to be bothered with.
It also gets four different driver-selectable settings in its stability control, including one that's supposed to be tailored specifically for track use.
I'm with TC on this one ... I'm looking forward to it coming out even though I have no interest in ever owning one. I think it'll be the first serious attempt by an American manufacturer at an M5 competitor. With 3.73 gears and a Tremec T56 transmission, it's set to seriously haul. It's overweight and I don't expect it to be nearly as agile or tactile as the M5, but it will probably be "good enough" for many people.
I'm not a fan of Cadillac styling these days, but you have to admit ... it's totally distinctive and you instantly recognize it. Some of the other designs from other manufacturers are melding together and a corner-of-the-eye glance is sometimes not sufficient to identify a car. Its very sharp, very edgy design is definitely something that sets it apart from other manufacturers. Good of them to do something different. They certainly have their own following.
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'01 M Shoe, Sapphire Black Metallic 368S/4
Thanks for sharing the pictures. I hate to say it, but the car does not look that bad . At least it is much more aggressive then the regular CTS. I cannot wait to test drive one and see what the XLRv and STSv will look like. Muscle Car Era is starting over again .
Originally posted by chazzy I'm with TC on this one ... I'm looking forward to it coming out even though I have no interest in ever owning one. I think it'll be the first serious attempt by an American manufacturer at an M5 competitor. With 3.73 gears and a Tremec T56 transmission, it's set to seriously haul. It's overweight and I don't expect it to be nearly as agile or tactile as the M5, but it will probably be "good enough" for many people.
Overweight? It's at least 150lb lighter than an M5. Of course, the M5 is overweight too.
I expect it will be as agile and probably more tactile than the M5, its chassis design is a good bit better than the E39 including a decent aluminum SLA front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering. And it's got the kind of brakes we have to pay another $4K to get.
Of course, the proof of the pudding is in the tasting.
Quote:
I'm not a fan of Cadillac styling these days, but you have to admit ... it's totally distinctive and you instantly recognize it.
Some of the later 'art & science' designs look pretty good. The biggest problem with the CTS, IMHO, is the tall beltline.
It definitely looks better in CTSv form - I wouldn't call it pretty, but it's muscular and well-tailored. I could live with it.
As for other makers' identicars - if I see one more car with the headlights stretched back along the hood, I'm going to unload lunch right on said headlights.
I'm intrigued. If this thing comes in anywhere under $50k (current plain-jane one is 35k I think), I'd buy one. It's fugly, but looks are lower on my scale than on most enthusiasts'. I don't care too much about what other folks' experience of my car is --- it's all about the drive. Also, there's something fun about being in the ugly, slow-looking car and walking away from the sexy, fast-looking one. Something about the showmanship of understatement. Or, put another way, speak softly and carry a big f'n stick.
The parts list makes for a potentially great drive, especially for a guy addicted to torque, and American engineers seem better at designing drivetrains that can handle drag-style launches on a regular basis without injury. Should be a fun 4-door.
I really like the look of this CTS, and performance should be excellent. One thing that would prevent me from purchasing however is if the car does not have a hand operated emergency brake. A manual high performance car with a foot operated parking brake is total BS. The only interior shot I've seen does not appear to have a 'hand brake'. Does anyone know the answer to the above if you've seen the car in person?
. I have always had a soft spot for Cadillac since it was my first car ('93 STS). It would be great to see some competetion for BMW. It will only make them stronger.
. At least it is much more aggressive then the regular CTS. I cannot wait to test drive one and see what the XLRv and STSv will look like. Muscle Car Era is starting over again
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