pjinca

Oh, I can absolutely agree. American automakers can make one hell of a truck (best things they produce) this thread was about their cars and no way those things can compete. As I always say when people rant about the CTS-V - let's line up the M5, C63, and CTS-V - Gather 100 people and tell them they can pick any one of the 3 for free. What percentage choose the Caddy? As a guess I'd say less than 10%

bighersh

If you line them up prior to the race, I think your numbers are accurate.

But, after they race- I think it'd be about 33.3% each. If anything hurts the CTS, it's not the styling- it's the availability.

People will gravitate to the M5 or CLS63 because they (in that form) are not cars you see every day. Even the "cheap" versions of those cars if bought new, will run you in the $40 - $50K range for the entry-level versions. Having a price point starting in the upper $20K range while it moves units, also reduces exclusivity. So, in the USA, the E60 and Benz will always be taken over the GM. There is no $29,000 version of the E60. So, people will place a higher value on perceived exclusivity, than they wil on something there is a good chance a neighbor has a few doors down.

However, if we have the same presentation in Germany, where BMW and MB are a dime for fifty- I guarantee you the exclusivity of the CTS-V will make it the most sought after.

I spent 2 yeas in Wurzburg, Germany and I saw BMW's and Benz's like you see Chevy's, Ford's and Honda's in the US. 3, 5, and 7 Series BMW's, and C, E, and S class Mercedes as taxi cabs kinda nullifies the rarified air feeling owners of the same cars would enjoy in the US. As beautiful as they are here, they are nothing special once you leave the USA and go to Germany.

However, back when I was there, the German guys and girls were madly in love with the Ford Mustang GT. I guarantee you a sexy machine like the CTS-V, would get similar attention in Germany that the Bimmers and Benz's enjoy in the USA. Especially once they see how it performs.

pjinca

They also loved the Ford Capri in Europe and THAT was a POS.

dbae1978

Congrats to GM for making the world's fastest production sedan. but we all know that BMW was the original manufacturer while the others have been playing catch up to BMW. BMW will continue to push the envelope once the f10 m5 is released and once again have every auto company scrambling.

pjinca

Also, I am sure even CTS-V owners drool over David's "little toy"

bighersh

Just goes to show how subjective being subjective can be.

pukka

I used to get alot of comments about my T-Blazer, so the CTS-V would definitely turn heads.

swajames

Struggling to understand why some of the posts here are bench-racing an as yet unreleased car in the F10 M5 and telling us what it will do the CTS-V... Until we actually get to see and drive the F10 M5, we really have absolutely no idea how well or otherwise it compares to the CTS-V or even the current E60 M5. More to the point, the bench racers appear to be forgetting that the LSA engine in the CTS-V is related to the LS9 powerplant in the ZR-1 (638 bhp, 604 lb/ft). It's not going to be difficult, at all, for GM to extract more power from the CTS-V. If it chooses to do so, GM could easily take the LSA and thus the CTS-V to well over 600hp.

One final point. The tests are showing that the CTS-V handles just about as well as the M5. It isn't, despite some suggestions here to the contrary, only suitable for straight line duties.

bighersh

Pukka-
1992 Camaro RS (5.0L) - Fully Restored, Teal Green, Custom Interior, Custom Sound, T-tops, OEM Z28 Foglamps, 140mph Speedo, and Rear Spoiler, Too many suspension, drivetrain, and exhaust mods to list

************************************************** *********

That was my dream car... Mine would have been a 1991 though. That Teal Green was my favorite color too, V8 with those broad 5-spoke 17" wheels.

I ordered mine in Saudi Arabia after Desert Storm through AAFES. The first one I ordered was burgundy with beige interior, loaded, 5.0L V-8. I can't remember if I opted for the leather/pleather or not- but she was pretty. A few weeks later, I got a call from AAFES where they adviced me GM stopped taking custom orders for the 1991's and weren't taking orders for the 1992's, so I could have any color 1991 Camaro RS I wanted, as long as it was black, white, or red. I chose red, RS, V8, 5-Speed.

Well, I got back to the states circa June 14, 1991- and all my buddies who had gotten back in April 1991 all had nice new cars (E4 7 below mobiles- Civics, Sentra's, Corolla GTS's, Jetta's, etc..) and I was still walking- but, mine was to be delivered to a dealership in Phoenix on July 15th. So, I had another month to wait.

I had ants in my pants, and about $3K in my pocket- so I was ready to get my car right now. I called AAFES to see where to send the last $2,000 of the $2,500 I had agreed to put down. They told me I owed them $2,750. Looking back now, it was only $750 between me and my dream car- but I got mad. Turns out the sales guy in Saudi gave me $750 in rebates that AAFES Car Sales would not honor, regardless of the fact that I had a contract in my hand. My choices were to either pay the $750, or cancel the contract. Like an idiot, I cancelled the contract. I mean, I had it in writing, and those bastiches would not honor it.

Everything was set up. I was approved through AAFES for the buy, my allotment for the payment was set ($232/month for 60 months) first payment due July 22, 1991. All I had to do was give them $750 more than I had planned to (Which would have totaled a $3,250 down payment on what was a $15,000 car back then. Certain I could get a car at the local stealership, and not have to wait another month- I told them off, then cancelled the purchase order (Which reminds me- Did AAFES ever send me my $500 back???), and proceeded to the Chevy dealership in Sierra Vista, AZ to get my new Camaro. I was sure I could because the same day, my buddy got back from Lakeland, FL in his brand new 1991 Camaro RS, (albeit a 3.1L V6) 5-speed. Him going and buying my dream car, only made me more anxious to get it.

Anyway- I started hitting the local Chevy dealers in Sierra Vista, AZ and Tucson, and no one would give me a similar deal to what I had with AAFES, or to what my friend had gotten in Lakeland- even for the V6. Worse yet, I could not get financed for a Camaro at all, no matter how basic it was. As it turns out, having no credit history is worse than bad credit. I had no credit history, and even with 2K down, no one would touch me on a Camaro RS... My buddy was 2 years younger than me, but he got his. The difference was, he had a credit card (and credit history) where I had none.

Eventually, GMAC approved me and that's how I ended up with that 1991 4-cyl, Chevy Cavalier VL Coupe, with no AC, roll-up windows, and not even a cassette player- 5-speed 9with no tachometer, just a "shift" light. I hated that car, I still bummed rides from people- I didn't want to be seen in it, but it was transportation. Eventually, I learned to like it. Tint, rims, and a stereo helped too.

I didn't really start liking it until I drove it from Ft. Huachuca, AZ to Augusta, GA (Fort Gordon) for about $56 total in gas money, of $800 or so the Army paid me to drive my own car there. The rest went into HPNB (Hip Pocket Natinal bank). That car would easily hit 30 MPG. I'd fill up every 5 hours, and would be just under 1/2 tank. if I pushed it, I'm sure that car could have gone 500 miles+ on one tank of gas.

Yep, I see you like the Camaro too- Yep, I let $750 kept me away from owning my first true sports car, and God-only knows how many speeding tickets...

Congrats on both of your rides.

pukka

What's scary is that although this motor has a redline around 6k, it runs perfect and can still pull at 7-8k. Now it can rev like the M and bring buttloads more torque too. It would be interesting to see how well the CTS-V is designed and built to handle that much power.