porsche911targa

As I always say, it's not the size of the engine, it's how you use it: http://editorial.autos.msn.com/blogs/autos...;_blg=1,1346514 I bet I could have beaten Lutz in my E46.

http://editorial.autos.msn.com/blogs/autos...;_blg=1,1346514

skelevirus

Damn Johnny o conell tore that shit up!

swajames

An excellent and very clever bit of no-lose marketing from Lutz. Fastest time of the day was in their car (albeit with a professional driver) and as for the "regular guys", Lutz himself losing to an M3 (and beating the M5) simply says job done - the CTS-V is up there with the best of them. No surprise that a short track favored the M3, and Lutz proves his point while having a blast. Whatever you think about GM and the CTS-V, Lutz is one of the last true car guys in the business and he's definitely got his finger on the marketing pulse.

sdg1871

+1. Lutz is a genius and always has been. As for the test results, CTS-V has repeatedly beat the M5 in performance comparos. That's why 556 bhp vs 500 bhp will do. That won't happen with the F10 M5.

porsche911targa

The CTS-V may have repeatedly beat the M5 in performance comparisons, but every time they are raced against the much older M5 they only beat the M5s by fractions of seconds. I'll still take the M5 or any other E60 over the CTS-V.

sdg1871

Personally, I'd chose a CTS-V over a 528 or 535. I actually did chose the 550 over the CTS-V which I considered when I leased my 550. Having been owned from a light by a Mitsubishi Evo, sometimes I have second thoughts as to whether I should have gone with the CTS-V given that it was about the same price as my car. If the M5 had been within my budget, I would have chosen it over the CTS-V. The M5 is a stunning looking and great handling car and nothing under $250K beats its exhaust note and engine sound.

But I still think it's unfortunate that a $65K Caddy can beat the M5 repeatedly in performance comparo after comparo which is why, to me, the F10 M5, can't come soon enough. The M5 belongs at the top of the performance heap in its class.

sdg1871

Apologies for the double post. The Blackberry Bold strikes again.

swajames

Not really. The CTS-V's best Nurburgring time beats the M5's by around 15 seconds, for example. Personally, I'd take the CTS-V over most E60 models.

swajames

I can think of a fair few cars well under 250K that have a much better exhaust note than the M5 - Maserati QP/Gran Turismo etc, Aston Vantage/DB9 etc. There are plenty of others if you set the bar that high!

Richard in NC

Is that a really true comparison? The CTS-V's best was a professional driver in a car with some mods. Safety related (brakes, 5 pt harness, etc) but also allowing more "balls to the walls". The M5 time is still shown as the Sport Auto time with an early production bone stock car. One disadvantage of the stock M5 is the 155mph limiter. I bet it was hit repeatedly around the 'Ring. Who knows how the track conditions between the runs match up as well. I'd really like to see Hans Stuck or Sabine pilot the M5 CSL prototype around the ring. If its not faster, then I'd bow to the CTS-V.

Re this CTS-V demonstration, who knows how hard the M5 driver pushed his car? They claim the M3 driver had the advantage of track experience. What if the M5 driver had never driven anywhere other than the NJ Turnpike, or LA bumper to bumper traffic?

Track experience, ability, and the willingness to push a car is the key. I personally know a newbie E92 M3 driver who matched the times of a $190k Porsche GT2 at VIR. As did my 550i. Therefore I conclude my 550i is as fast as the Porsche!!!!