Clarkson: 2009 Cadillac CTS-V smashes the BMW M5

“If you had an M5 you’d have to drive it carefully, to save fuel,” writes Clarkson. ”With the Cadillac, you can blast through the recession at 191mph, knowing you made the savings when you bought it.”


LOL! Now that's funny!

Interesting indeed. Those are very strong words, coming from Clarkson. It is possible that the CTS-V outdoes the M5 just like the Corvette outdoes everything this side of $100k (and a ways beyond that too), but I doubt BMW has anything to worry about because the impression is far more important than the reality. BMW execs are able to send their kids to school with that belief being held by the general public so take it easy with them!

I would love to see this up against the C6 RS6 Saloon.

It is pretty lofty to set your sights on a god like the M5 and in many ways out do them. But when you are an American car company, it is staggering. I would think Audi or Benz would have pulled this "coup d'é|tat" off, anyone other than GM. I thinking most are in shock, then disbelief. This could have happened awhile ago if GM would have pulled their head out of their own tail.

The major issue with GM is cost cutting in vehicles due to numerous business related issues. When the $hit hits the wall GM can do anything.

I think the title of this piece is misleading, he said that money no object the M5 is the better car, so I don't think he feels that the CTS-V "smashes" the M5. We can all go to the hospital to wish him well and ask him what he really meant.

I really don't mean to offend any Cadillac owners out there but have a look at the thing.

I don't own a Caddy, but it looks good to me.

Hey kid, why don't you ride your bicycle down to the local Caddy dealer and actually look at a CTS-V in person. I think if you got your head outta your butt you would be able to see that the CTS-V is VERY competitive with the M5.

damiko, Take a ruler and measure a new caddy then measure the panel gaps on a new BMW, a Lexus, and a Caddy. I would venture to say the Lexus will have the smallest gap then the Caddy, then the BMW. I am just guessing based upon seeing the cars at different times but overall I would say there is a difference of +/- 2 mm on different makes. Overall the difference would NOT be statistically significant.

Or the gap in your wallet for spending 80K on a bmw without getting anything for it. You don't get better performance, substantially better material, or even better options.

"If you had an M5 you’d have to drive it carefully, to save fuel,” writes Clarkson. ”With the Cadillac, you can blast through the recession at 191mph, knowing you made the savings when you bought it.”

thats gotta hurt M5 owners badly

and to come to think of it, the only BMW's worth the purschase are the 335i and 135i. everything else it seems like BMW is riding on pure hope and luck on their "name" to carry out their extremely out priced models. 5 series gets attacked by the M45/XF. any M model by the GT-R and other rising super cars, etc. yes i know what you idiotic BMW, queer cheer leaders will say: "oh not everyone wants hardcore performance; we also want comfort"

BS btw

You lost me at "pure hope and luck." Seriously, stick to Hot Import Nights and leave the adult toys to the big boys.

i could care less where i lost you, "gooch"

as for adults with big toys, i'm sure my maxima is way faster than what you own and i'm probably way younger than you as well. just wait until I'm done with college and i'll show you some serious "big toys"

PS, its makes you look like a fake when you talk like you own big with no proof for display, kinda like the usual trolls around here.

The M5 might cost more, but at least the company will be around in two years' time to honor the warranty. The only people I can see buying the CTS are fat Americans in their 50s and 60s who confuse quality with patriotism. Seriously, would anyone under 40 ever buy one of these?

So, 3 years between the release of the current M5 and the CTS-V and this is somehow supposed to indicate that GM makes better cars than BMW. Please! An impressive time around the ring, but I still have my doubts. Keep the reviews and info coming. The only thing this proves is that BMW uis the class leader because everyone sets their sites on BMW.

Let's get back to reality now, Japanese school girls.


Quote from the real article which NEVER mentions anything about the M5 being "smashed" by any Cadillac.

Clarkson conclusion quote: AS YOU MAY HAVE GATHERED, THEN, I LIKE IT, BUT I BELIEVE THAT ULTIMATELY AN M5 WOULD BE MORE SATISFYING."

...enough said.

The BMW M5 is STILL the better car. I am sure that for the folks that worry weather they can afford to fill the gas tank, the Cadillac might be the better choice. However, for the car enthusiasts who want only the best, the BMW M5 is still the undefeated king.

and here is the link to the WHOLE article not the BS paragraph posted under a completely inappropriate, MADE UP title on a GM tool site.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article4920262.ece

+ 1 BOOST for Simple Honest Ability to read.

"still the undefeated king" what does the Audi have to do to get you people to understand that the RS6 will eat the M5?

"Quote from the real article which NEVER mentions anything about the M5 being "smashed" by any Cadillac.

Clarkson conclusion quote: AS YOU MAY HAVE GATHERED, THEN, I LIKE IT, BUT I BELIEVE THAT ULTIMATELY AN M5 WOULD BE MORE SATISFYING."

...enough said.

The BMW M5 is STILL the better car. I am sure that for the folks that worry weather they can afford to fill the gas tank, the Cadillac might be the better choice. However, for the car enthusiasts who want only the best, the BMW M5 is still the undefeated king."

Blah blah blah blah.

"the BMW M5 is still the undefeated king."

Well - except for the CTS-V that kicked its ass....

"While the BMW M5 may be more satisfying,"

Misleading title.

wyomingkid,

in the real world people who buy BMWs M5 CAN afford to pay for the gas. If you are in a position where you choose an inferior car(the CTS-V) over an M5 because you can't afford to pay for gas, you are not in a position to buy a car like that in the first place.
M5 is STILL the best car in the segment. End of story

utah, that's true, but in this case the CTS-V will be close enough in price to the M5 that I don't see a huge value proposition. It will probably be $75K to the M5's $90K. While that may look like a lot it isn't to the people who can afford it.

However, the thing about the CTS-V is that it doesn't have to be called a value car to make sense. I would buy it for the same reason I would buy an M5--because it's awesome.

Did I say it was meaningless? I said it wasn't a big factor. They will compare these cars on their merits and probably won't end up deciding based on MSRP. If these people were as smart with money as you say they would just be buying used anyway. Which "average" millionaires don't often do.

The projected price of the CTS-v is $65k so thats a a $25k diiference. The rich still want to get something of value if they pay more. I don't know if the rich will pay that much for a little more satisfying. On the other hand, they might spend that much for prestige value. The average millionaire do drive themselves and have very average cars(their kids get the fancy cars). Its usually the wannabe millionaires who make a nice salary(no net worth) but spend it all on a fancy car to impress their friends who buy these cars. Now the ultra rich who are worth tens of millions of dollars who have limos.

you bmw fans are crazy. bmw makes a great car yes but you lost your like patriot fans here 18-1 get over it. for the guy that says bmw doesnt make a true performance car do you not know what the M stands for? And as for satisfaction give me a break i will be plenty satisfied when i smoke an m5 have 50 k left over to also have a 535xi for bad weather. grow up boys bmw isnt the end all but the cts-v just ended this conversation

@MarkAnthony - Saving money & Running from a M5 priceless... BUT...
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So many BMW "fan boys" need to relax and not sound so OC Housewife(ish) about the M5...
It's a decent car, yes... It has a technological marvel for an engine (guess you get that when you put a purpose built racing motor into the engine bay). Yet the engineers made it sound like a delivery truck with a pitch tone (too bad). YAY, thanks to RD Sport (USA) or Racing Dynamics they did what the M-Engineers didn't do for the M5 with a exhaust that brings the testosterone of the car out... Yet at $3k that is...
The CTS-V is one of the few sport sedans I have seen YET that sounds evil looks evil and is evil quick. You have to commend the CTS-V racing pedigree in SCCA Speed World Challenge. Cadillac really surprised people with the CTS-V dominating power. You better believe the 2009 CTS-V will put the pressure on Hands Down...!
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They are BOTH great cars and will hold there own!

If you have the money to buy an M5 sure you have the money for gas.

The Cadillac looks ugly, all cadillacs do. IMO.

very impressive it beat the now old M5 thats a brute. lets see if they can continue the tradition of keeping up with the BMW M engineers

You must feel real happy when you beat a 3 year old designed N/A M5.

Also I want to point out the reason the car is cheaper is because all the current Cadillacs all look the same. I bet they also use the same chassis for most of the models besides the SUV.

please gm FINALLYT caught up with the germans you name one car that gm made prior to this plastic caddy that ever beat an M5 or even better a BMW or AUDI or Mercedes. excluding the corvette because its not a sedan......I will help you NONE they finally caught up so they can have their little bragging rights for now it wont last long like everything else GM makes.

now where does the STS fall in being that it has almost the same dimensions as the CTS. Is the STS going away.....things that make you go HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM???????

I pefer the Cadillac to the M5, but Jag's new XF-R will be the daddy of luxury saloons.

Why link to the eGM mention when there is only 10% of the article?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article4920262.ece

Clarkson liked this Caddy far more than the eGM mention let on.

M5 is clearly a better car...and I know Star loves to ramble on about how bad japanese cars are...what about bmw's german competition? Not that im putting the new c63 amg in the same class of the m5...but the person you quoted yourself and who you clearly give importance to...likes the benz better than the new m3...the c63 is better in everyway according to clarkson...and like star likes to finish up...END OF STORY, Ha, ha, ha.

Ha, ha...funny that you say that. I just picked up my brand new C63(I had on order) half an hour ago and let me tell you....the car is FREAKING AWESOME! Man, the sound ....and all that torque. All I can say is... WOW! I thought the 335i I traded for this was nice but this Mercedes is....I need to catch my breath...WOW!

Misleading title on an Autospies thread... whats new...

indeed...the c63 is something huh? that's what i have my eye on for my next car.

The CTS-V is smaller, half a ton lighter and has more horsepower.
What do you expect?

a crappy quality car that will start breaking down in no time...thats what i expect. haha

I love those UK limie bastards! Even though they are very biased they know how to put on a show! No one can deny the ZR1....

why does it say SMASHES the M5. doe that mean the M5 is the bench mark. why not say smashes the AMG or RS