M3 Coupe vs. RS5 vs. CTS-V Coupe

[Kirby]

rs5 is best looking, but i'd take a cts-v. with that kind of power i wouldn't care if it had a thousand penises painted on it. i don't see myself ever buying a luxury car anyway.

 

[KentState]

This is a hard decision for me. I would almost be willing to trade in the Vette and CTS for the V if it was about 800lbs less and had a little more rubber out back. Now, if I only could choose from the 3 cars in the poll, I don't think I would be willing to do the same.

 

[EightySix Four]

This is a hard decision for me. I would almost be willing to trade in the Vette and CTS for the V if it was about 800lbs less and had a little more rubber out back. Now, if I only could choose from the 3 cars in the poll, I don't think I would be willing to do the same.

800lbs would put it at 3400lbs, only 200lbs heavier than a z06. Don't see that as happening.

 

[ViviTheMage]

That CTS-V coupe is ugly as sin.

I'd probably take the M3 over the RS5.

 

[PricklyPete]

I'm surprised the RS5 is doing so poorly...and doubly surprised how the CTS-V is hanging in with the M3. Good show Cadillac.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I'm surprised the RS5 is doing so poorly...and doubly surprised how the CTS-V is hanging in with the M3. Good show Cadillac.

I agree. Personally the RS5 seems kind of boring to me, with its DCG and AWD chassis, but it undeniably looks AMAZING and would be a great car for most American drivers, as it's very safe, comfy, and works well in a straight line. I would think most people who test-drove all three would choose the RS5, since they're not tall like me, don't drive on a track like me, and don't care about the RS5's relatively numb handling like I do.

 

[StageLeft]

Considering this post is about the CTS-V coupe, no you don't see them everywhere.





Sorry, IMO it is a negative when someone worries more about the name than the value. If the car does everything you want, why worry about the name?

Are you joking or do you really have no insight whatsoever in to the kind of buyer who pays this amount of money for a car? I am merely echoing what many would think. I am in no market now nor likely ever for any of these cars, so I wouldn't spend too much time trying to convince me to get a cts over an m3.

 

[EightySix Four]

Are you joking or do you really have no insight whatsoever in to the kind of buyer who pays this amount of money for a car? I am merely echoing what many would think. I am in no market now nor likely ever for any of these cars, so I wouldn't spend too much time trying to convince me to get a cts over an m3.

From the OP:

I realize few of us have driven 1 or more of these, but based on the reviews and your own personal opinion, which would you choose?

The question was not, "which one do you think other people would choose?"

 

[MJinZ]

Considering this post is about the CTS-V coupe, no you don't see them everywhere.





Sorry, IMO it is a negative when someone worries more about the name than the value. If the car does everything you want, why worry about the name?

What if what you want is something that isn't fugly, and is a little more classy/exotic. Aka - not an American car.

 

[PricklyPete]

I agree. Personally the RS5 seems kind of boring to me, with its DCG and AWD chassis, but it undeniably looks AMAZING and would be a great car for most American drivers, as it's very safe, comfy, and works well in a straight line. I would think most people who test-drove all three would choose the RS5, since they're not tall like me, don't drive on a track like me, and don't care about the RS5's relatively numb handling like I do.

Yeah...if you're going for track...the M3 definitely seems like the default in this group.

The RS5 does seem perfect for the US market. I'll be interested in what the final US price is once they bring it over (I believe it is confirmed that they are).

 

[StageLeft]

From the OP:


The question was not, "which one do you think other people would choose?"

Oh, well I'd still get the Euro car.

 

[Koing]

M3

Koing

 

[speedy2]

CTS-V For me. Yes, and M3 is nice. But, I feel that the magazines have such a strong bias. They're always out to find anything bad on the American car. And praise and give excuses to the Euro cars. The CTS has come a long way, and stood it's ground well. Would drive one in a heartbeat.

 

[evident]

I got to look at my first CTS Coupe today and the ass end, which I was most concerned about, was actually quite striking and looked great.

tbh thats the angle of the coupe that is the most offensive to me, it looks like a giant slanted slab wall. The regular V sedan is the nicest looking i think. i'm going to be test driving one later this week, hopefully

 

[exar333]

Asking me if I've a CTS in person is like asking me if I've seen a Corolla in person. Unless you live in the middle of no where, these cars are about as common as 3 series.

A regular CTS is about as common as a 3-series. The CTS-V is much more uncommon, and the coupe is brand-new (so thats not around at all).

I see more late-model M3's than CTS-Vs...

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

CTS-V For me. Yes, and M3 is nice. But, I feel that the magazines have such a strong bias. They're always out to find anything bad on the American car. And praise and give excuses to the Euro cars. The CTS has come a long way, and stood it's ground well. Would drive one in a heartbeat.

In fairness I think the general bias by journalists in favor of imports (which I agree exists) is a by-product of decade after decade of poor-to-marginal American cars. I've been alive long enough to observe several proclamations that GM was finally making cars that could compete with the imports, only to find that, a year or two later, it was obviously just a pipe dream and the imported cars were superior.

For most of my life, GM has been making relatively crappy cars and selling them at vast discounts, and also watering down the integrity of its model and even brand names by making awful cars like the Cadillac Cimarron, the Iron Duke-powered Camaro and the embarrassing modern Monte Carlo. In the same timeframe, BMW has been making electrifying drivers' cars that have generally pretty well defined excellence in the sports-sedan category. It's understandable, based on this history, that journalists (like the driving-enthusiast buying public) would be skeptical of being fooled yet again by GM.

 

[exdeath]

It's funny you say it as if it's something to be ashamed of. Nobody buys a car in this price range without trying to show off to an extent anyway and the Euro brands are easier to do that with.

Would be pretty embarrassing to be cocky and showing off with your BMW/Audi when a caddy blows past you like you are standing still while your engine is screaming bloody murder at 8000 rpm. Let's face it, showing off inherently means exerting dominance over someone else you perceive to be lesser, and you aren't doing that when you someone in a CTS V is raping your BMW's face.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Would be pretty embarrassing to be cocky and showing off with your BMW/Audi when a caddy blows past you like you are standing still while your engine is screaming bloody murder at 8000 rpm. Let's face it, showing off inherently means exerting dominance over someone else you perceive to be lesser, and you aren't doing that when you someone in a CTS V is raping your BMW's face.

I don't think most M3/CTS-V buyers are really stoplight racers anyway. There's no question that a CTS-V will beat an M3 in a straight line but I still find the M3 a more compelling package. I have great respect for the CTS-V, though.

 

[KentState]

I don't think most M3/CTS-V buyers are really stoplight racers anyway. There's no question that a CTS-V will beat an M3 in a straight line but I still find the M3 a more compelling package. I have great respect for the CTS-V, though.

The funny thing of the CTS-V's I've seen, they have been mostly women drivers and a few elderly at that. I wondered why a 70 y/o women would be driving something like that.

 

[exdeath]

I don't think most M3/CTS-V buyers are really stoplight racers anyway. There's no question that a CTS-V will beat an M3 in a straight line but I still find the M3 a more compelling package. I have great respect for the CTS-V, though.

The majority of BMW M/Vette/etc owners I've run into, all of them really enjoy bragging up how much horsepower it has or how they can beat everything on the road, blah blah blah. In their stock car, or how much ricer math horsepower their cold air intake added that they paid someone else to install. It takes all I have to not bust at the seams laughing.

Horsepower *IS* very important to those people, it's the first thing they brag about. I imagine those who have to have a BMW for the name, but know the CTS V has 150 more HP are stuck between a rock and a hard place and are frustrated by it, at the very least. Until they know otherwise, they have the fastest car on the planet. When they get owned in a fight they picked, only then they pout and make excuses about how "it's still a BMW" or "oh but twisties", etc, but all is fine and dandy when they are being douchebags drag racing Kia's and Camry's at stoplights and don't even know where their oil drain plug is.

I know someone personally who bought a Lexus for the name and didn't like the fact that our Avalon, a mere Toyota had everything it had plus more power. That person could have easily traded the Lexus and bought the Avalon but just had to have the Lexus for the name, so instead of getting what she wanted, just became bitter whenever car talk came up.

 

[MJinZ]

Would be pretty embarrassing to be cocky and showing off with your BMW/Audi when a caddy blows past you like you are standing still while your engine is screaming bloody murder at 8000 rpm. Let's face it, showing off inherently means exerting dominance over someone else you perceive to be lesser, and you aren't doing that when you someone in a CTS V is raping your BMW's face.

That's great but the roads we drive on aren't all straight. Some are pretty gay.

 

[MJinZ]

The majority of BMW M/Vette/etc owners I've run into, all of them really enjoy bragging up how much horsepower it has or how they can beat everything on the road, blah blah blah. In their stock car, or how much ricer math horsepower their cold air intake added that they paid someone else to install. It takes all I have to not bust at the seams laughing.

Horsepower *IS* very important to those people, it's the first thing they brag about. I imagine those who have to have a BMW for the name, but know the CTS V has 150 more HP are stuck between a rock and a hard place and are frustrated by it, at the very least. Until they know otherwise, they have the fastest car on the planet. When they get owned in a fight they picked, only then they pout and make excuses about how "it's still a BMW" or "oh but twisties", etc, but all is fine and dandy when they are being douchebags drag racing Kia's and Camry's at stoplights and don't even know where their oil drain plug is.

I know someone personally who bought a Lexus for the name and didn't like the fact that our Avalon, a mere Toyota had everything it had plus more power. That person could have easily traded the Lexus and bought the Avalon but just had to have the Lexus for the name, so instead of getting what she wanted, just became bitter whenever car talk came up.

Must have been a Lexus IS250, I mean, I can't think of another Lexus which has less power than an Avalon.

 

[thegimp03]

Around here everyone and their mother drives an Audi or BMW. I've always liked the CTS-V's...but I wasn't excited at all about the CTS-V coupe and the way it looks on the outside. That being said, I'd probably go for a M3 because I can actually see myself owning and driving one in the near future.

 

[EightySix Four]

"it's still a BMW" or "oh but twisties"

Too bad the V is faster on the Nurburgring too, it's not the end all, be all that people make it out to be, but that's pretty impressive

 

[PricklyPete]

Too bad the V is faster on the Nurburgring too, it's not the end all, be all that people make it out to be, but that's pretty impressive

I love to mention that regularly to my German colleagues...that the Z06 and CTS-V put the smack down on similar porsches/BMW's...of course I believe the Panamera now has the sedan record...but the Z06 is still holding strong against the german competition last I remember.

On the flip side, when Cadillac had their amateur face off with Lutz and other racing CTS-V's against anyone who wanted to bring a stock car...some guy in a 4 door M3 beat everyone except the professional racer in the CTS-V...just saying...the M3 is not bad around the twisties...but you give a track with any huge straits (like the Nurburgring) and the CTS-V will smack around the M3. It would have been interesting to see how the Panamera would have done in that competition if it was around at the time.