Motor Trend: Cadillac CTS Vsport vs Lexus GS F Sport

[kevm14]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9faBE_ceJY

So this is like halfway between the performance of my V and the V2. By the way, Lexus is doing a good job in this segment! Kudos to them. But for about $60k each, the Vsport just runs away...no contest. As a 550i competitor, the V6 twin turbo makes sense. Also, it sounds pretty good.

60-0 in 98 feet!!!

[kevm14]

Automobile first drive: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/dr ... ts_vsport/

Highlights:

In Vsport trim, the 2014 CTS is 400lbs lighter than the BMW 550i.

It uses "naturally created" induction noise which is pumped through the audio system. I am not pleased with this but the engine also sounds abnormally good for a V6 turbo (even from the outside), so that's something.

The Vsport rewards those for whom handling comes first, acceleration second. The Vsport comes standard with Magnetic Ride Control (MRC), which is now optional on the base CTS; the system offers Touring, Sport and Track settings. Although the stability control can be turned off completely, it lets you rotate the car and steer with the throttle in normal Track mode. Try that in one of the German or Asian competitors. This lets you enjoy trailing-throttle oversteer. Overcook it in a corner, and stability control kicks in, but only long enough to make sure you're not swapping ends. It shuts down once oversteer is under control. This is easier than you think: you can feel the 50/50 balance in the CTS, which handles as much like a two-seat sports car as a big luxury sedan allows.

How about that? Not surprising, even the older StabiliTrak on my CTS-V is really sophisticated (and in Competitive Driving Mode, performs a lot like the description above - ask Adam). The Germans had it 2 years before GM put it in the C5 (1997) but it's obvious it is one of the best, if not THE best when using the criteria "does it allow me to do anything fun?"

This one is really interesting:

"It's easier to give a good-handling car a smooth ride than to make a good ride handle," Leone says.

I can see that. It's probably more expensive to make a good handling car than it is to make a good riding car. But once you make the good handling car, it's fairly simple to add ride quality (less trivial to keep the handling while doing so, though I suppose it comes down to shock tuning and unsprung mass as major contributors). Making a good riding car handle well...reminds me of the B-Body. Very hard to add handling without quickly ruining the ride (compared to what's possible in 2014).