2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon - probably a repost +
12-23-2008, 10:34 AM
#17
AudiWorld Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 523
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think you're mistaking the GM of today with the GM of 1996.
The stuff they're building today is first rate. They have a lot of high-tech engines--only the truck engines and the high-perf Corvette LS3, etc. motors are pushrods, and I think they all have at least aluminum heads. I know the Corvette motor is all-aluminum, and the ZR-1 has titanium rods! Having worked for a tuner who built high-powered C5 Corvettes, I'll tell you that there are no complaints about those engines' ability to make big power, and particularly torque. For their current applications, they work and work well. Go try to run down a Z06 with your R8 and let me know how it turns out. I advise you to leave the ZR-1s alone, however. It'll be embarrassing (not that I wouldn't love an R8, and yes, I know they're for different people).
GM has a number of direct injection motors, including the one in the CTS. 306 naturally-aspirated horsepower from 3.6 liters, not too shabby. The direct-injected 2.0L turbo-4 in the 2-seat roadsters, and Chevy's FWD SS line makes 260 horsepower, for Pete's sake. The suckers run low 14s or better in the quarter!
They are making manual transmissions and AWD available in more and more cars. The new A4 won't be available with a manual, correct? For under $40K, how about a mid-sized 300+ horsepower wagon with AWD and a 6-speed? Isn't that what we've been asking for?
The interior of the CTS is beautiful, and this is coming from an Audi guy. Granted, Audi still sets the standard, but this ain't plastic and chintz like it used to be. GM got the message and they're evolving.
So before you dismiss all domestic cars as unreliable (coming from guys who drive Audis--lol) and cheap-feeling, go drive one so your opinion will at least be from a realistic perspective. The domestics' reputation for building crap (and there's no question they did build crap) is what got them in this pickle, but they ain't building the same cars they were a decade ago. It'll take a decade or more to fix those sins, but to simply dismiss them out of hand today is nearsighted at best.
Looking at the comments above, I'm seeing that people want a car like the new A4 but bigger (but the CTS is too small even though it's bigger than an A4). They want more horsepower, but are disappointed in Audi's decision not to bring the big guns here. They lament the lack of manual transmissions. Clearly enthusiasts are asking for this stuff--some companies are listening again...
And yes, please, I'll have my CTS wagon in silver.
PS: For those of you who think automaker failure won't affect you, I leave you only this: You might have noticed I'm not around much any more. That's because I lost my job 2 weeks ago. I'm an engineer who wrote documentation for complex electrical test equipment. The company for which I worked sold a modest fraction of their equipment to a company that made parts for a company that made electronics for cars. I was at least <b><I>three times </i></b>removed from the problem, and the ripple still reached me and about 100 other people at my company. Our country better think again about this being a Detroit-only problem we don't have to care about.
GM has a number of direct injection motors, including the one in the CTS. 306 naturally-aspirated horsepower from 3.6 liters, not too shabby. The direct-injected 2.0L turbo-4 in the 2-seat roadsters, and Chevy's FWD SS line makes 260 horsepower, for Pete's sake. The suckers run low 14s or better in the quarter!
They are making manual transmissions and AWD available in more and more cars. The new A4 won't be available with a manual, correct? For under $40K, how about a mid-sized 300+ horsepower wagon with AWD and a 6-speed? Isn't that what we've been asking for?
The interior of the CTS is beautiful, and this is coming from an Audi guy. Granted, Audi still sets the standard, but this ain't plastic and chintz like it used to be. GM got the message and they're evolving.
So before you dismiss all domestic cars as unreliable (coming from guys who drive Audis--lol) and cheap-feeling, go drive one so your opinion will at least be from a realistic perspective. The domestics' reputation for building crap (and there's no question they did build crap) is what got them in this pickle, but they ain't building the same cars they were a decade ago. It'll take a decade or more to fix those sins, but to simply dismiss them out of hand today is nearsighted at best.
Looking at the comments above, I'm seeing that people want a car like the new A4 but bigger (but the CTS is too small even though it's bigger than an A4). They want more horsepower, but are disappointed in Audi's decision not to bring the big guns here. They lament the lack of manual transmissions. Clearly enthusiasts are asking for this stuff--some companies are listening again...
And yes, please, I'll have my CTS wagon in silver.
PS: For those of you who think automaker failure won't affect you, I leave you only this: You might have noticed I'm not around much any more. That's because I lost my job 2 weeks ago. I'm an engineer who wrote documentation for complex electrical test equipment. The company for which I worked sold a modest fraction of their equipment to a company that made parts for a company that made electronics for cars. I was at least <b><I>three times </i></b>removed from the problem, and the ripple still reached me and about 100 other people at my company. Our country better think again about this being a Detroit-only problem we don't have to care about.
12-23-2008, 12:04 PM
#18
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 472
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sorry about you losing your job...
I agree with you that GM, Ford and Chrysler can and occasionally do build some pretty damn decent autos.
They may have pushrod engines or leaf springs, but some can run circles around the Euros and the Japanese...and cost a a helluva lot less to run and maintain in the process.
Pep Boys and co. also have tonnes of dirt cheap spare parts if you ever want to soup-up that pushrod engine to 1000+hp...hate to imagine how much it would cost to get the same HP out of the R8.
When the Detroit Three leave the engineers alone, cars come out OK. When the bean-counters and marketing people get involved, they come like crap.
They may have pushrod engines or leaf springs, but some can run circles around the Euros and the Japanese...and cost a a helluva lot less to run and maintain in the process.
Pep Boys and co. also have tonnes of dirt cheap spare parts if you ever want to soup-up that pushrod engine to 1000+hp...hate to imagine how much it would cost to get the same HP out of the R8.
When the Detroit Three leave the engineers alone, cars come out OK. When the bean-counters and marketing people get involved, they come like crap.
12-23-2008, 11:31 PM
#20
AudiWorld Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,125
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re:Last time I looked at a Vette the fit and finish was horrible.The steering
wheel came from the Malibu.The Vette looks good on paper but in real world it's not there.I've driven both and there is no comparison.90% of the time all that hp doesn't mean squat.