The Ultimate Shootout? BMW M3 vs. Audi RS4 vs. Cadillac CTS-V vs. Lexus IS-F vs. Mercedes C63 AMG

The results:
5) C63
4) IS-F
3) RS4
2) M3
1) CTS-V

— HSCenterconsole (View Profile)

Posted on 2/23/2009 4:14:32 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

the CTS-V came in over the BMW M3 thats suprising the M3 rocks this category like every time

— B7FAN (View Profile)

Posted on 2/23/2009 4:24:34 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

What on earth are the BMW 7-Series press releases doing here?

— Carboy (View Profile)

Posted on 2/23/2009 4:35:36 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

you're in Europe, right? Does MB use a different suspension for the U.S. than they do there? Admittedly I have not driven the C63, but have driven the M3 quite a bit, so all I can base this on is what all the reviews have said, but they've been pretty universal in saying the C63 was waaaaaaaay too stiff and it was bone jarring on rough roads, while the M3 with the technology package and adjustable dampers was great because it could be, well, adjusted to fit the needs of the moment. Did you drive both? What were your impressions?

— JRobUSC (View Profile)

Posted on 2/23/2009 5:20:08 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

European-spec Mercedes-Benzes have a stiffer suspension to cope with our more "twisty" roads while American-spec Mercedes' tend to get "softened up" suspensions and vaguer steering to appeal to their target markets. Not sure what the situation is with AMGs.

Also, US-spec Mercedes' get slightly different final drive ratios that are biased towards acceleration at the expense of fuel economy. In Europe it is the other way around. This explains why US-spec MBs tend to be faster but less fuel efficient than their European counterparts.

— Wimmer (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2009 6:19:11 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Well, two points here...

first of all.. "GM".. it's too late... where were you in the past few years?... how long will it take you to recover ? ... I got a 2006 Cadillac STS V8.. interior is a piece of junk.. There are pros and cons, but his kind of improvement happened with the new CTS should've been done 7 years ago, when the first sigma car was released...

second... how can I buy such car if I still can't trust the reliability ? ... Mine has now 77,000 km... It went to the dealer almost 15 times.. I got throttle body replaced twice, read differential oil leak, coolant leak, transmission reprogramming, and "Check engine" light is on most of the time... and yeah, it's on now... I don't know what's wrong that made it turn on, but thanks god the car is still under warranty... I will take it soon to the dealer for the 80,000 km service, fix the washer water leakage, fix a horrible sound coming from the front axle, plus some cosmetic things..

however, I still love the car.. but my next car will not be a cadillac for sure...

— ascari (View Profile)

Posted on 2/23/2009 4:51:56 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

Sadly I have an STS too and is having almost the same problems but also overheating, and at this point I do not want to receive recommendations of anybody, I put a new heavy duty radiator, new fans, I remove the thermostat, flush the houses etc. No problem with gaskets but still overheting. Last thing to do is to put a new waterpump. I feel that I am a good customer but if that do not fix the issue, this will be the last Caddy., even if the new Caddys are the best, I won´t give them another chance...

— Yonder7 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/23/2009 5:10:07 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

The interior in the Cadillac is a joke !! And for the money they want for one, I'd take any of the other models first. AS the article mentioned, I would choose the IS-F because it is a car you can drive long distance and at the track on the weekend. It's not the best at one or the other, it's the best combination of the two...

— AMiodynski (View Profile)

Posted on 2/23/2009 5:13:29 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

11. Septic Service Truck

— downtoearth (View Profile)

Posted on 2/23/2009 7:12:47 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3   

Your car made it to #6, must be that new state of the art soft-serve ice cream dispenser you installed.

— kablaam (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2009 6:31:56 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

You need 500hp to be in with the big boys league these days!!!

— ubercool (View Profile)

Posted on 2/23/2009 5:46:12 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

For everyones information, teknik, ubercool and staar are all the same person. The same lonely, irrational, naive person.

— henbmw (View Profile)

Posted on 2/23/2009 6:49:24 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

I don't know, the GT-R and GT2 seem to do just fine with 420/450hp respectively. It's just a number.

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/23/2009 6:52:44 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3   

i like what he saids about these cars, i agree with 4/5, not need to explain, but i would change 1 with 2 and 3 with 5, that's just my opinion

— Denali (View Profile)

Posted on 2/23/2009 7:16:45 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

What's the Lexus doin' in this list of cars?

Isn't there a Huyndai the IS-F can compete with? ;-)

— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/23/2009 9:16:29 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Well..One thing is for sure and that's don't think for one more year Lexus is going to allow the IS-F to fall off the charts. It's all a challenge to them. Toyota knows it's a matter of time to find out who has built what and see who has harnessed all that power and how the competition will hold up. Look at the new Nissan GT-R, over 450 ponies and the tranny goes to the dogs. "WHO NEXT"? I'll tell ya who....The Caddy, then the Benz C63 and it won't matter after that because Lexus will patiently wait till all the smoke clears and by then the IS-F will get a shot in the arm then, The Lexus LF-A will trump all the aforementioned and go after the dogs way at the top. So, all you Toy/Lex fans out there set back and watch how it's done. You can't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. I'm telling you Toyota is getting ready to kick some serious but!

— lexworld (View Profile)

Posted on 2/23/2009 9:59:34 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

RS4: very good car but getting dated. still a safe car to get.
IS-F: good first try but no cigar. nothing crazy about it.
C63: hammer blowing madness. love it.
CTS-V: new dog in the streets.
M3: will always be an M3

— Agent63 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2009 12:00:33 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 7   

I disagree that the CTS-V out performed the M3... but everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

— adamsaf723 (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2009 12:47:58 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Why did they even bother throwing in the c and is-f? Surely it had to be to make us laugh, since they stood no chance of coming in higher than mid-packed.

— tattedtwice (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2009 1:02:28 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

CTS has been tested here in europe too, by our standards... its the cheapest, but the cheapest too... if you know what I mean.

— andraz (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2009 6:18:40 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

None of the cars are as appealing as the C63. I love the CTS, but I love my MB

— fatandsassy (View Profile)

Posted on 2/24/2009 9:17:58 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

I want my M3 in white, Full options, 19' rims and Dual Clutch transmission.

— M53R (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2009 10:50:41 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

What about resale value,quality and all the things that make a car last,and making it reliable.

— truthpursuit (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2009 11:22:14 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Wait till the IS-F coupe appears...Lexus' second attempt will surely satisfy any enthusiast!

— Ricks2Dogs (View Profile)

Posted on 2/25/2009 6:12:54 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

The problem is with Cadillac is they rely on the sport engines that come from Corvette. "Oh we spanked the M3 and M5", why is it that? Cadillac can't come up with their own engine. That is the difference between BMW's and Caddy's. Every Asian and European manufactured cars have their own build developed engines. Hench the letter M from the BMW model. Ofcourse the CTS-V is going to out-run the M3, hell it has 100 more hp and more torque. What do you expect when you put in a ZR-1 engine from a sports-car like the Corvette. Far as interior, ha, that is a joke. I driven in many US cars and I notice the texture of leather throughout of the car is made cheap. It rips and tears way to easy just from the heat of the sun. I rather have real leather from a lamb/cow skin in an expensive car insteand of raw material because I know it will have better quality. You pay for what you get. And if they want to argue that the CTS-V is the fastest sedan in the market with its modified engine, hell, why don't they race a Mercedes Brabus CLK Rocket or the BMW M5 G-force Hurricane. Have GM get the car tuned up and then lets see who is talking when CTS-V gets burned on the track. Can't even compare! Oh wait, GM can't even afford that. That is why the car won't last. Lets see how long this car will be in the market, or will the future predict GM will shed Cadillac too, just like they did to Pontiac!!!

— Racingspills4thrills (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2009 4:10:28 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1