The CTS, new for the '08 model year, has already garnered autodom's biggest prize — Motor Trend's Car of the Year. Granted, this award has been won in the past by such icons as the Renault Alliance and the Chevrolet Caprice, but the boys at Trend got it right this time: The CTS is inarguably the best and most significant launch of the year, for the way it builds upon, rather than nullifies, the virtues of its predecessor. It just seems to have gotten everything right; its styling, powertrain, interior, pricing, chassis dynamics, and even marketing are blindingly great. We say blindingly because the CTS's all-around excellence is so unexpected, such an order of magnitude greater than the car it replaces, that it could be coloring people's perceptions. Is it really that good?
"What you are, is by accident of birth. What I am, I created myself. There are, and have been, thousands of princes; there is only one Beethoven." -- Beethoven
I was under the impression that the CTS was meant to compete with the 3 series and that the STS was gunning for the 5 series. Maybe I'm just misinformed?
I was under the impression that the CTS was meant to compete with the 3 series and that the STS was gunning for the 5 series. Maybe I'm just misinformed?
I was under the impression that the CTS was meant to compete with the 3 series and that the STS was gunning for the 5 series. Maybe I'm just misinformed?
I think they were being compared because they're very close in interior/exterior measurements. I would have thought the $10K price difference would have been more of an issue in the article, though.
Quote, originally posted by the article »
it's hard not to love the 5's perfect steering-wheel size, it's intuitive pedal placement
50% of those "it's" are correct
Modified by Viss1 at 2:00 PM 12-20-2007
Fox News: “The sky is green.” ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN: “Is the sky green? Our team of experts investigates.” Local news: “Is the sky green? We hit the street to find out what YOU think!” Online media/blogosphere: “It is well known that Al Gore and Dick Cheney conspired in 1998 to turn the sky red.”
Motive: great article. I like that you point out the different styles of driving for which the cars were built. It's an important point that most other magazines fail to articulate.
Quote, originally posted by crannky »
So, what is a bro? Is it like an ethnically non-descript guido?
Quote, originally posted by Turbiodiesel! »
Exactly. Closely related to brahs (bros who consume a lot of pot, reggae, and longboards), brohams (surfer bros) and dudebros (fraternity bros).
The CTS is an amazing looking car! The 5 series was ugly when it came out and it looks even worse next to the cadillac (did I just say that??). The only 5 series that starts to look as good as the CTS is the M5. And while not a fair comparison in any other arena other than pure appearance, I bet the CTS-V will give the M5 a very good run for the money!
Tom Current: 94 SLC; 08 XF LTD-6 spd Previous:06 GTI, 99.5 Jetta, 85 jetta coupe (x2), 93 Fox
C&D said the manual in the CTS is turd, yet made the car a 10-Best.
What's your point?
The automatic will likely outsell the manual in the CTS 10:1. Just because the 6-spd isn't fun to drive doesn't disqualify it from being a 10 best car.
Quote, originally posted by Art Vandelay »
Romantic? It's the automotive equivalent of the missionary position followed by gentle sobbing.
Quote, originally posted by i_baked_cookies »
The 288 GTO is the best looking thing ever created by humans.
I was under the impression that the CTS was meant to compete with the 3 series and that the STS was gunning for the 5 series. Maybe I'm just misinformed?
The first CTS was built to go between the 3 and the 5, size-wise. For this generation they've moved the CTS even closer to the 5, in terms of dimensions and dynamics. The car's chief engineer said that the 5, not the 3, was the target. Word is that the STS is a goner soon.
The first CTS was built to go between the 3 and the 5, size-wise. For this generation they've moved the CTS even closer to the 5, in terms of dimensions and dynamics. The car's chief engineer said that the 5, not the 3, was the target. Word is that the STS is a goner soon.
QFP (quoted for posterity)
I got into a rather involved debate with another regular member here (you know who you are), who insists that the CTS simply CAN'T be a 5 Series competitor because it doesn't offer a mainline V8 as an option.
I think that a well equiped car that can go toe to toe with a 535i for the same or ever less money than a loaded 335i is one HELL of a bargain. That said car is head and shoulders more attractive than those Bowel Movement Wipes is further icing on the cake.
"People just want tomorrow to look pretty much like today." - Terry Pratchett
...and the 5 series is? I see a million of those things everyday on my drive to school, and I'm usually turning my head to see which soccer mom tried to cut me off this time.
I'd take the 535i because of that engine it has. It's a beast.
I remember the first car I drove with one in it, a 535xi, for a day.
I got back in my car (which is by no means slow) and was applaud how slow and lazy it revved.
So then you've also driven the 304hp direct-injection CTS, right? That does all that on regular 87 octane as well?
As to the car being a 10-best in C&D and losing to both the G35 and 328i in the comparo - they say straight-up in the article that their 10-best car was a 6spd automatic, and that drivetrain option is absolute bliss compared to the manual. The manual car made enough funny drivetrain noises and had enough quirks w/ the manual shifting that it dropped it in the standings...not to mention that it was up against much smaller, lighter cars in that comparo (it gives up more than 500 pounds to the 3-series, since it is - as mentioned above - a 5-series competitor).
As a former 5-Series owner, I can't tell you how let down I am by the new 5. Sure, it has a great powertrain (535i/550i), but the overall vehicle just leaves me cold. It's missing a bit of the E39's je ne sais quoi, for lack of a better explanation.
CTS for me! I love the interior detailing and the solid german-esque build-quality (just slam the door shut and you'll see what I mean). There's a reason it weighs so much.
Modified by jwaters943 at 8:20 AM 12-20-2007
Quote, originally posted by PassSedanGLX »
The correlation between current/former Volkswagen ownership and being an impolite douche-canoe is in the mild-positive range.
Quote, originally posted by Reverend Road Soda »
Hi, welcome to The Car Lounge. We all hate each other and argue about stuff. It's awesome.
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