Revelation: A Chevy That’s Better Than a BMW

[ccap41]

Is the New Camaro More Entertaining to Drive Than a 3 Series?

"Here’s a sentence I never thought I’d write: The Chevrolet Camaro is a better, more entertaining car to drive than a BMW 3 Series. In more than 30 years of testing cars I have experienced several moments of dazzling, crystalline revelation: that the original Mazda Miata was the most sublimely, delicately, intuitively tactile sports car ever built; that underneath the seductive scarlet curves of a Ferrari 348 lurked a sulky, evil-tempered bunny-boiler; and that the Ford Raptor was one of the most original performance vehicle concepts from a mainstream automaker, an entertaining and engaging ride that was also uniquely and uncompromisingly American.

 

This one, though, was totally unexpected.

 

That’s partly because I’d have never thought of driving Chevy’s ponycar and BMW’s iconic sport sedan back-to-back, over the same roads. It is, after all, not an obvious comparison test; no one will ever cross-shop these cars. However, the 2016 Camaro SS and BMW 340i were both contenders in this year’s Car of the Year competition, and I just happened to drive one immediately after the other during our testing. Then I went and drove them each again, just to make sure I wasn’t imagining things.

 

I wasn’t. In terms of pure driver appeal, the 455-hp, naturally aspirated, 6.2-liter, V-8-powered, six-speed-manual Camaro simply outclassed the 320-hp, turbocharged, 3.0-liter, I-6-powered, six-speed-manual BMW. The Chevy had more tactile and communicative steering, crisper throttle response, better brake feel, superior high-speed body control, and sweeter chassis balance. It danced around the handling track, feeling remarkably light on its feet. Turn-in response was quick and authoritative, and with all the electronic nannies off, it could drift through corners with Ken Block confidence levels. I got out of the Camaro grinning. When I exited the BMW? Not so much."

 

Read the rest: http://www.motortrend.com/news/revelation-chevy-thats-better-bmw/

[ccap41]

I guess it just never really clicked in my head until I read that little bit. Sometimes you read and article and just hear the exaggerating that it going on non-stop and think nothing of it..they all do it with every car they like even the sligtest. And, of course, vise versa.

 

Good, short, fun article to read.

[David]

wow, very cool, I hope Chevy Plays this up!

[Cmicasa the Great]

Considering the bones that it is built on.. the ATS is better than the 3Series, outside of the backseat room    , and the Camaro is lighter, more sport focused.. this seems like a no-brainer. GM platform engineering is essentially, at this point, second to none. 

 

I did a test run in the ATS -V today.. literally hopping out of the Stingray, and came away feeling as tho Cadillac had done the same thing.. 'cept they put all the education they gained from that C7 run.. into a Cadillac vehicle that simply blows away the competition. Talk about a great handler.. Why would anyone think the Camaro would be any different

[hyperv6]

This cars platform makes it very compelling. While it may not have the BMW image for the image chasers the Chassis shines in ways the more expensive car is no longer shinning.

The real treat is we have not even seen this taken to the next level yet.

This was the first Camaro in history that got things handed down and not up. That makes a big difference. A Cadillac derived platform makes for a better Chevy vs. a Chevy derived platform handed up makes for a Cadillac. Like water and economics it all goes down hill not up.

Also the Camaro is not the car it used to be but then again BMW 3 is not what it used to be either.

[Cmicasa the Great]

This cars platform makes it very compelling. While it may not have the BMW image for the image chasers the Chassis shines in ways the more expensive car is no longer shinning.

The real treat is we have not even seen this taken to the next level yet.

This was the first Camaro in history that got things handed down and not up. That makes a big difference. A Cadillac derived platform makes for a better Chevy vs. a Chevy derived platform handed up makes for a Cadillac. Like water and economics it all goes down hill not up.

Also the Camaro is not the car it used to be but then again BMW 3 is not what it used to be either.

 

 

 

I think this is quite obvious. The XTS to Impala donation proves it to be a perfect model. The Impala is great, but only because the XTS is magnificent. The flip side of that was the ELR. I think going forward.. GM has learned it's sense of direction

Top.. to bottom

[hyperv6]

Well in the XTS Cadillac had to take a Buick Chevy platform to make it good enough to be a Cadillac and then it trickled back.

I expect to see more investment by Cadillac and it trickle down accept for the Trucks and Larger SUV models.

As for the XTS being Magnificent that is a bit of a stretch. It was made into a much better platform than it was but it is no Alpha or even close to what the Omega are. Just look at the details of the underside of the CTS and you can see they did not just fix this one up as it was engineered from the day the pen hit the paper to develop it. That is what we will see more of.

I see Chevy getting more Opel Trickle down in their FWD cars into the future. They will like the new BU have a more Euro feel about them. They will still handle but they will ride and remain much more composed on the real roads of America.

[El Kabong]

This cars platform makes it very compelling. While it may not have the BMW image for the image chasers the Chassis shines in ways the more expensive car is no longer shinning.

The real treat is we have not even seen this taken to the next level yet.

This was the first Camaro in history that got things handed down and not up. That makes a big difference. A Cadillac derived platform makes for a better Chevy vs. a Chevy derived platform handed up makes for a Cadillac. Like water and economics it all goes down hill not up.

Also the Camaro is not the car it used to be but then again BMW 3 is not what it used to be either.

 

 

 

I think this is quite obvious. The XTS to Impala donation proves it to be a perfect model. The Impala is great, but only because the XTS is magnificent. The flip side of that was the ELR. I think going forward.. GM has learned it's sense of directionTop.. to bottom

It's the only way to play in today's automotive world. If all you have to work with is middle-of-the-road stuff it's just too much of a hassle and expense to band-aid it upwards.

[Cmicasa the Great]

Well in the XTS Cadillac had to take a Buick Chevy platform to make it good enough to be a Cadillac and then it trickled back.

I expect to see more investment by Cadillac and it trickle down accept for the Trucks and Larger SUV models.

As for the XTS being Magnificent that is a bit of a stretch. It was made into a much better platform than it was but it is no Alpha or even close to what the Omega are. Just look at the details of the underside of the CTS and you can see they did not just fix this one up as it was engineered from the day the pen hit the paper to develop it. That is what we will see more of.

I see Chevy getting more Opel Trickle down in their FWD cars into the future. They will like the new BU have a more Euro feel about them. They will still handle but they will ride and remain much more composed on the real roads of America.

 

 

Actually there is a few things that the Super Epsilon II has that the Lacrosse on Epsilon II does not.. then there are the active suspension augmentation and technologies that went into making the XTS.. a Cadillac.

 

The XTS is a MAGNIFICENT car. Perspective of course, but from the point of view of a person wanting a well handling, comfortable, balanced luxury vehicle. From an Enthusiast point of view.. the XTS is basically a POS. 

[hyperv6]

Well in the XTS Cadillac had to take a Buick Chevy platform to make it good enough to be a Cadillac and then it trickled back.

I expect to see more investment by Cadillac and it trickle down accept for the Trucks and Larger SUV models.

As for the XTS being Magnificent that is a bit of a stretch. It was made into a much better platform than it was but it is no Alpha or even close to what the Omega are. Just look at the details of the underside of the CTS and you can see they did not just fix this one up as it was engineered from the day the pen hit the paper to develop it. That is what we will see more of.

I see Chevy getting more Opel Trickle down in their FWD cars into the future. They will like the new BU have a more Euro feel about them. They will still handle but they will ride and remain much more composed on the real roads of America.

 

 

Actually there is a few things that the Super Epsilon II has that the Lacrosse on Epsilon II does not.. then there are the active suspension augmentation and technologies that went into making the XTS.. a Cadillac.

 

The XTS is a MAGNIFICENT car. Perspective of course, but from the point of view of a person wanting a well handling, comfortable, balanced luxury vehicle. From an Enthusiast point of view.. the XTS is basically a POS.

The Epsilon based XTS is a magnificent car for where we have been but not where we are going. It is a case where for an older platform it was taken where it was never expected to go. The replacement we will find as used in the new Lacrosse will be better from the get go just based on the fact GM has the money now to take it to where it can be.

It is not just perspective but a generational thing of platforms and the money that can be afforded to make it right from the get go. I think the lacrosse will shock many on just how much it will changed and we should see it soon.

As for the Cadillac they are moving away from this as it is not where their segment is anymore in that price range. The XTS was a bridge from the past to the future. At t he price they are charging people expect and normally get more.

Now keep in mind I never said it was a bad car but I hesitate to call it magnificent but I would call it the best of that platforms types era.

Edited November 18, 2015 by hyperv6

[Cmicasa the Great]

Excuse me for not quoting.. after awhile HERE the quoting in the posts gets to be a distraction. Just too many.

 

I feel what U are saying. The XTS was never supposed to be anything other than a "bridge" to accommodate Cadillac buyers after the demise of my most despised of all Cadillacs.. the DTS. I hate that car for what it stands for. There had been massive discussions about the XTS because many were disappointed that the ZETA based XLS and later DT7 had not been produced and we got the Epsilon based vehicle. My thoughts were that it was not a bad thing for the brand, as long as we knew it was interim. I submitted that having a FWD base and optional AWD was no different than what Audi was doing with the A8 globally.

 

The XTS, from the start, was always a place-holder. Even Brian Nesbitt made that clear when he was in charge of Cadillac and it debuted. The CTS is the mid-luxury that Cadillac needs. The CT6 is the interim Flagship also occupying the top end of that Mid-Lux until we are finally presented with the "Messiah" CT7 or 8. But it is not going away.. it simply is the Major, the Commanding Officer because the Colonel, then General hasn't arrived yet. The XTS.. well is pretty much going into the National Guard (Buick). LOL... I'm having an Air Force luncheon today

[hyperv6]

I was going to say you were going Patton on me but Air Force? You were then going Lemay on Me LOL!

The trouble at Cadillac has been it has been transforming from the bail out. They have changed leadership several times and each time they have set their goals for future product higher. The truth is the XTS at one time around the bail out was the flagship. It was replaced and then the CT6 was the flagship. Then finally Johann and his crew came in and now the CT7-8 and it's better funding has become the flagship.

The XTS went from flagship to bridge and now it amount to less Audi and more future Buick.

That has been the biggest issue for Cadillac as while these changes will help it has sent a mixed message to customers who have no clue what has been going on internally. All they see are ever changing goals and higher prices with no idea where this is going. At this point it is too soon to say much as they have nothing to really present and they also have to not over shadow what product they have now to carry them forward to the coming product.

Growing pains!!! Painful but at least progress will be made.