M/T: Audi S6, Lexus GS F, Cadillac CTS V-sport

[kevm14]

http://www.motortrend.com/news/comparis ... B7F08DF0FF

Takeaway: the CTS V-sport fulfills the mission of this class of car the best, with the cruising ability of the S6 and the athleticism of the GS F. So this car fits the Cadillac mold that I outlined in the Camaro thread. For what the GS F costs, you could have a CTS-V so....

I also like the bonus comparison at the end with the old versions of each car.

The CTS-V made its debut with a 5.7-liter V-8 making a modest 400 hp and 395 lb-ft of torque. The 420-hp CTS V-Sport’s twin-turbo V-6 matches the original V’s 0-60 and quarter-mile times.

“The Caddy’s turn-in is scalpel-sharp, the front end bites hard, and just as the car is beginning to push, a squeeze on the throttle brings the rear end out ever so gently and the nose back in line. Few sport sedans—or sports cars, for that matter—are so beautifully balanced and neutral.” Arthur St. Antoine, February 2005

I would argue that is EXACTLY how my car handles. Perfect description. Though it seems to require FG2 shocks and decent front camber.

[kevm14]

You know what would have been a cool sidebar to this article? How the substantially cheaper SS and Charger SRT8 would compare here. The SS comes pretty darn loaded at $47K and would have performance in the same ballpark as the GS and CTS. It would probably have the most space and is a pretty sweet driver's car. The Charger is a sledgehammer in comparison to any of these cars, but the brute force of that 6.4 would make it the fastest in a straight line (at least in trap speed). Like the SS, it has a very long list of equipment at a sub-$50K price.

Reply from the article's author:

Wait til you see the print issue version's sidebar

Yeah baby! The SS actually has some finesse and may be a very solid budget replacement for the cars reviewed, as far as size and performance. The SS has decent features but will not duplicate the higher end luxury or refinement. Just like Chevrolet should be.

[bill25]

Those 2 cars were not included because they aren't in the same category. These are luxury cars. The lightning laps are where segments cross and price per lap time is shown.

[kevm14]

Well the SS and Charger are the cheapest things available that have the space and performance of the tested vehicles, making the comparison interesting.

[kevm14]

Reply from the article's author:

Wait til you see the print issue version's sidebar

Yeah baby! The SS actually has some finesse and may be a very solid budget replacement for the cars reviewed, as far as size and performance. The SS has decent features but will not duplicate the higher end luxury or refinement. Just like Chevrolet should be.

Frig sacks. Free M/T from auto show ended on the March issue. Now I have to get it on the newsstand. Or a gas station.

[kevm14]

Bought the issue at a gas station. I made this PDF easily with my phone and I could have done this right at the gas station I suppose...

Anyway, here is the promised sidebar.