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Grayhound

Delusional.

On 2/1/2021 at 4:05 PM, ocnblu said:

Watched that episode, Cody is a NUT!! Destroys all his really nice trucks and cars in many different ways for his YT channel content.

2 hours ago, smk4565 said:

The CT5 interior is entry-lux, much like a CLA or Acura TLX.  CT5 isn’t an E-class competitor.

 

This article is about the CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwing cars that are very well equipped, loaded in fact, with real carbon fiber inside and out and now you've flipped it again by talking about the base model CT5. Here's a refresher if this article wasn't enough.  https://www.cadillac.com/future-vehicles/ct5-v-blackwing

The CT5 you say you sat in was probably a base model Luxury trim, often times the auto shows only have what the local dealer has available at the time. The CT4 and CT5 I sat in at the my local auto show were the well equipped Premium Luxury trim, not the base or high end Sport or V Series trims. The CT5 I've driven was a loaded V Series.

Similar to this $67k example...definitely an E Class competitor. 

Spinner

2 hours ago, smk4565 said:

The CT5-V and the Sonata have the same dimensions, doesn't mean they are competitors.   Because, price point.  Cadillac has no E-class competitor, neither do Acura or Infiniti or Lexus since killing the GS, although the LS500 is S-class size for E450 money, so maybe that competes.

CT5 is nicer than a Charger, Dodge interiors are terrible, but my point was just because something has horsepower and size of an M5, doesn't mean it competes with an M5.

Your points are horrible as usual. Because, price point, is right. We aren't talking about a $350k Rolls Royce we're talking about the same class of luxury cars within the usual delta price range, you brought up the cheap Econbox cars and a muscle car that only has the V8 in common.

Right, it's not just about horsepower and size it's also about fit and finish and quality of all materials especially inside...like the luxury class interiors that Cadillac, BMW and MB have that a Dodge, Kia or Hyundai DO NOT have. 

23 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

Since the CT5 is really a C-class competitor, the C63 is 3,900 lbs, thus the CT5-V doesn't have a weight advantage.

 I don't see CT5 as an E6/M5 competitor any more than I see a Hellcat Charger as an E63/M5 competitor, because the E63/M5 are like $30k more and far more luxurious than those other cars.

 

After you JUST mentioned the sizes of the CT5, 5 Series and E Class are near identical, but yeah they aren't competitive because the price point, that's ludicrous.

Yeah, because the antiquated chassis and cheap interior in the Dodge Charger is the same build quality as a Cadillac CT5. LMFAO!! 

Just 2 hours ago you stated 👇🏼

smk4565

11 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

  I don't t think the weight matters that much, although less weight is one less obstacle to overcome.

Pretty much every BMW engine is under rated, that is why you have to compare to their performance numbers, not their horsepower number.  

Weight absolutely matters!

I know, Bimmer has been playing that game for years, I was being facetious. It is annoying though, just give us the REAL numbers play the game you're in Bimmer!

7 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

The M5 has AWD and can actually use that 627 hp plus that car is under rated, Car and Driver dyne tested it  and got 617 horsepower and 606 lb-ft of torque at the wheels, so that engine probably makes 700 hp at the crank.  The M5 is a full second quicker 0-60, and a CT5-V is 200 lbs less than an M5, that V8 Blackwing will probably make that weight pretty close.  There is also the M5 CS that drops like 200 lbs of weight.  

So Bimmer has to lie about their engines' output to win? Got it. No way it's 700hp at the crank. The CS M5 is $143k as well, just means it's a limited run model.

GM's eDiff and Torque Management System with latest gen. StabiliTrak is pretty awesome and being a sedan it puts the weight over the back axles better unlike a lighter coupe setup like the 755hp C7 ZR1. AWD also adds a lot more weight, the main reason that M5 is a hog at 4,350 lbs curb weight and 5,380 lbs. gross, that's insanely heavy for a sedan in that class. And it only loses 150 lbs in the CS, that isn't going to make much difference with performance. 2019 CTS-V in the same class as the M5 was only just over 4k lbs.

https://www.caranddriver.com/bmw/m5

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/2021-bmw-m5-cs-to-have-626-hp-weigh-154-pounds-less/ar-BB1ck9Rz

17 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

There's not going to be much, if any, 5-series/CT5 cross shopping with a $20k spread in base price.

There will be if it's the CT5-V Blackwing 668hp to the top M5 CS's 627hp and the CT5 is a much lighter car that's not really all that much smaller. I fit fine in the CT5 at 6'3" so it shouldn't be problem unless they are just brand loyal to Bimmer. These CT5 Blackwing's are going to be beasts on and off the track.

https://www.caranddriver.com/bmw/m5

12 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Especially after they already had all of the engineering and tooling paid for. They should have kept it around just because they already paid to make the dang thing, get something out of your investment. 

Exactly! Top Bean Counters be damned!

16 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

They should have kept the CT6 in production.

Agree, 100%. Having driven a CT6 3.0TT V6 and the CT6-V Blackwing 4.2TT V8 I know firsthand just how bada$$ of a car they are. They drove like a much smaller car because of the lower weight chassis and components and the excellent latest gen. GM Magnaride suspension. I was blown away that GM top brass never gave it a fighting chance. From what I hear, they were selling quite well for that class/segment too. I'm told by a Cadillac dealer buddy of mine that CT6 Blackwing's were sold while still in transit if not a special order, and standard CT6's didn't sit on the lot for long unless it was the underwhelming 2.0T powertrain, which got axed here in the U.S. in 2019. That I-4 was really only made an option for the Chinese market with the extra tax levied on engines larger than 2.0L over there.   

Nice detailed write-up. Thanks, W. Maley.

Pretty sweet cars. I watched the Live Reveal that evening thinking it might be like the C8 Corvette was. Nope, wasn't a live Reveal just a prerecorded video of the engineers and designers chatting about the cars. 

I looked into reserving a CT5 Blackwing right after the video and reservations were already full, only 250 but still pretty crazy. They would be a great investment as you could flip one for a considerable profit. I'm sure dealers were sitting on the Reserve Now button once they officially launched as well.

Anticipation and hype was there, still had a countdown clock with pic of both cars running on the track. 

Just that legendary exhaust rumble at idle and raspy scream near redline of these awesome LS/LT engines in these V Series cars along with the Gen. 2 and 3 CTS-V's is something that is and always will be mentioned in the automotive world.  Even the 3.6TT note in the ATS-V and this CT4 Blackwing sound pretty mean when wound up. 

Wednesday

Faint

1 hour ago, smk4565 said:

All GLS's can tow 7,700 lbs (if you get the optional class IV hitch which is like $500 or something).  And the Maybach GLS seats 4. And you are right, it isn't comparable to an Escalade.  Escalade buyers have to drive themselves, Maybach owners pay someone to drive for them.  

They could put a 36 inch touch screen in a Kia Forte and probably only raise the cost of the car by $500.  So everyone will have screens, what isn't cheap is actual leather, wood, metal, suspension systems, powertrains, etc.  

So NOW you agree that Maybach GLS doesn't compare to the Escalade when you brought it into the post earlier?!👇🏼 Or did you just want to sound like a typical conceited Mercedes owner? Will you ever make up your mind? 🤯

10000/1 in sales Cadillac Escalade to Mayback GLS for a reason and it's not just the cost difference, it's practical usable space and more for your money, something that most reasonable people can agree on.

smk4565

And NOW you also agree with what I stated earlier when you quite comically compared a Kia to a Cadillac and I brought up the high grade leather, real wood, real carbon fiber and real aluminum trim pieces that a Cadillac has that the Kia doesn't.👇🏼 Not to mention one is a Luxury make and the other is an Econobox.

I think you've once again dug that hole deep enough...

USA-1

6 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Interesting drone footage....the red stuff is transmission fluid, not blood. The drivers are not bleeding, the trucks are. Although the driver of the green truck is in critical condition. 

 

Yep, got nasty up North towards Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon. ADOT closed the I-40 and I-17 North on Tuesday after a huge storm hit. We had quite a bit of rain here in "The Valley of the Sun" Phoenix Metro. Definitely was depressing PNW Winter weather, gloomy gray clouds and constant rain for a couple days, don't miss it.

Hawaii

41 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

The G-wagen sells well, probably the #1 selling vehicle in the world with a starting price over $125k. 

The CT6-V was the same price as a base V6 S-class and they killed it off because Cadillac was still not competitive in the segment.  Just like the XLR, STS-V, ELR bombed.  If any of these top end Cadillacs (outside of Escalade) had any success they'd still be here, GM top brass isn't going to just cut profitable, well selling products.  We'll see what $100k Cadillac comes next, but they haven't had a good track record.

And sure I will compare a Maybach GLS (which goes up to $190k) to an Escalade, because you said Mercedes wishes they had an Escalade competitor, when in reality they have an SUV that costs up to double the price of an Escalade, and sells better globally than the Escalade.  

All these SUVs cost more than an Escalade:

Mercedes GLS, Mercedes G-class, BMW X7 (BMW X8 coming soon), Audi SQ8/RS Q8, Lamborghini Urus, Porsche Cayenne, Bentley Bentayga, Rolls-Royce Cullinan, Aston Martin DBX, Maserati Levante, Tesla Model X, Range Rover.  

That's over a dozen SUVs on market that are positioned above the Escalade and Bentley is working on another, Ferrari working on one as well.  Cadillac's problem is they see the Escalade as the top, when it should be more the mid point and clearly they can go above it, because the market is flooded with SUVs costing 2-3 times more than the Escalade.

They never even gave CT6 a chance! So yes, they do cut very well built cars that aren't part of the company's future plans and they were selling very well and very competitive, so do your research.

Cadillac dealer buddy of mine said CT6-V Blackwings and most CT6's were selling before they even hit the ground at the dealerships!

Price isn't a comparable metric anyway. With what you get from the Escalade it should cost $150k, but GM chooses to go after a larger crowd and they build and sell probably as many Escalade's as all the exotic SUV's you mentioned combined. 

That Maybach GLS is not a direct competitor to Escalade nice try. How much can it tow? How many can it comfortably seat? Guarantee the Escalade can tow more and it fits more people much more comfortably as well, so you get much more than you pay for. Escalade has an 8,100 lb. tow capacity and 1,640 payload cap.  Oh right Mercedes doesn't recommend towing with GLS600 and probably doesn't even have an available hitch. 

Escalade not the top Cadillac the FLAGSHIP Celestiq is on the way...

Bloated, dated look and I'll say it again that Genesis grille is cringe worthy 🤮  Far too much hype with Hyundai/Genesis for sure.

6 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Less than 15 years away...about the time I retire...maybe I can pick up a GM EV sports car then to buzz around Miami in... 

Oh that visual 😂

4 hours ago, David said:

The Drive as well as a few other web sites that have a difference access to the Tesla configuration site see's that you will have both steering wheel styles as options. They do state that they think many will not want the Playstations / XBOX rectangle steering wheel. 

Tesla Site Code Shows Refreshed Model S with a Regular Old Steering Wheel, Not a Yoke (thedrive.com)

Thanks for the correction. I knew the airplane style yoke steering wheel was a concept car. Cadillac and Buick have done the same with concepts.

1 minute ago, smk4565 said:

"Positioned to be". ?  The Cadillac brand is 110 years old, they aren't positioned yet?

What are XT4, XT5, XT6?  Front drive turbo 4 or V6 crossovers, same as Acura RDX, Lexus RX350 and Acura MDX.  Those are the top 3 selling Cadillacs too.  Why aren't those SUVs rear drive with handling and V8s or hybrid turbo V6?

Also the CT5 is Cadillac's top sedan and it starts at $36k, that is Acura TLX pricing for a midsize sedan, I suppose you could compare it to an Infiniti Q60 also for the same drive wheels to be more accurate.   But Cadillac doesn't have any high end sedans/coupes/convertibles like all the other big luxury makers do, nothing in the $100k+ range like Tesla, Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, Audi, etc.

Mercedes makes 2 SUVs that are better than the 2021 Escalade, the G-wagon is more luxurious and far superior off road, and the GLS is faster, higher performance in GLS580 or AMG trims and way more luxurious in Maybach trim.   The 2021 Escalade starts at $76,195 and the Maybach GLS600 starts at $160,500.  Where is the $160,000 Cadillac?  

You know what I meant by "positioned to be". Changes are constantly made in the automotive world. Look at MB for example, up and down the gauntlet with changes.

Good luck with that massively overpriced box on wheels G wagon that handles horribly on and off road. 

It's not that they can't make a $100k+ vehicle CT6 was just that with the Platinum and Blackwing and now the new Escalade Platinum. It's GM top brass cutting good cars that were selling and you know it.

"Mercedes makes 2 SUV's better than the 2021 Escalade" but the Escalade just launched so you have no data to support that statement just your biased MB viewpoint.

Wow now you're going to try to compare a $110k fully loaded fullsize BOF 2021 Escalade Platinum to a sub-framed massively overpriced $160k Maybach GLS600 that happens to be the ugliest SUV on sale right now with a smorgasbord waterfall grille and tacky mesh inlays below? Yeah, that makes a ton of sense.

News Flash: new $100k+ Cadillac Flagship vehicle is on the way.

14 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

100% BEVs is a separate goal and timeline from becoming carbon neutral, the various articles I've read today say they aspire to build 100% BEVs or 100% zero-emission vehicles by 2035.. (not sure if they can achieve 100% zero-emission via ICE?)

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/28/general-motors-plans-to-exclusively-offer-electric-vehicles-by-2035.html

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/28/business/gm-only-emission-free-cars-by-2035/index.html

Will be interesting to see how it goes...

It's all Automotive Corps. pandering to the EPA and competing or the "first to be" Carbon Neutral hence GM stating "largely electric" by 2035.

Nissan also announced yesterday that they would be Carbon Neutral by 2050. Audi stated late last year that they would be CN by 2050 as well...  

https://www.heraldbulletin.com/news/nation_world/gm-sets-goal-of-going-carbon-neutral-by-2040/article_af1f33f8-1dc1-5707-b0ee-5b317a1b968b.html

https://www.vikendi.net/2021/01/27/nissan-will-be-carbon-neutral-by-2050-in-the-world/

https://www.automotiveworld.com/news-releases/audi-on-the-road-toward-co2-neutral-production-sites/

6 hours ago, David said:

GM has released their plans to be Carbon Neutral by 2040 and this will come by eliminating tail-pipe emissions by 2035. 

As such this pretty much says that Chevrolet and GMC Gas / Diesel powered trucks / SUVs will be gone by 2035.

QUOTE: 

Electrification
The use of GM’s products accounts for 75 percent of carbon emissions related to this commitment. GM will offer 30 all-electric models globally by mid-decade and 40 percent of the company’s U.S. models offered will be battery electric vehicles by the end of 2025. GM is investing $27 billion in electric and autonomous vehicles in the next five years – up from the $20 billion planned before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Renewable Energy
To address emissions from its own operations, GM will source 100 percent renewable energy to power its U.S. sites by 2030 and global sites by 2035, which represents a five-year acceleration of the company’s previously announced global goal. Today, GM is the 10th largest offtaker of renewable energy in the world and in 2020, the company received a 2020 Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

General Motors, the Largest U.S. Automaker, Plans to be Carbon Neutral by 2040 (gm.com)

 

Carbon Neutral does not mean GM is going to totally stop building ICE vehicles by 2035. It just means that they are going to be building more BEV's to offset the ICE vehicles emissions for GM to set a Net Neutral Carbon footprint. It's basically the same as offsetting their CAFE number by building more EV's so they can still build Fullsize V8 gas and diesel trucks that sell very well here, as you know. U.S. made ICE vehicles are already some of the cleanliest burning in the world with our strict DOT emissions standards. We need the options to have both ICE and BEV and GM will deliver just that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_neutrality

2 hours ago, smk4565 said:

CT5 interior is fine for a $36k start price, no complaints there, CTS interior wasn’t up to par for a $46k start price.  The XT6 interior is about the same as a Kia Telluride, the XT6 is overpriced for what it is.  
 

Problem is Cadillac isn’t a premium boutique brand, they are the American Acura.  They aren’t the American Bentley as they should aim to be.

KIA? That's F'n laughable. Not even close to the XT6 in quality and fit and finish. Can you get real wood and real carbon fiber or real aluminum interior trim in the Kia? No, not even a sq. cm of it. Even the Cadillac leather is several notches above anything Kia has on the road, I believe it's called Pleather in the Kia.

Again, you're comparing apples to oranges.

I stated GM has Cadillac "positioned to be" a premium boutique luxury division, not that it currently is today, but they're on the right path.

Acura? Seriously? Also laughable. Acura doesn't have RWD and RWD based AWD sedans like Cadillac does, all Acura's are FWD and FWD based AWD cars. No comparison to Cadillac CT4 and CT5 handling and performance, just add V Series and it's game over for Acura, with no V8 even available in their lineup. 

And why would GM want Cadillac to be a massively over priced British car with horrible reliability ratings that's owned by a huge German car company also with reliability issues?!

I noticed you had no reply to my comment about the new 2021 Escalade...MB wishes they had a real Escalade BOF competitor.

53 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

The Z06 will probably run like 7:04 (assuming 10 seconds better than the C7) and we'll see what the Zora does.  Mercedes holds the Nurburgring record right now, they'll hold it for sure once the AMG One set a lap time this year.  The Corvette is going to beat them, and I know Cadillac will never build a car faster than a Corvette.

Cadillac has 2 V-series cars, which right now are both under 400 hp, and the "Blackwings" are limited to like 250 each of the CT4 and CT5 or something, so they must not expect much demand.  CTS-V was a fast car, but the M5 and E63 were faster, and Mercedes has cars faster than the E63.  Mercedes has over 15 cars with 500 hp.  Cadillac isn't committed to performance because only 2 of their 6 models have performance variants and they are the 2 slowest sellers they have.  Why doesn't Cadillac make a coupe, a convertible, a performance SUV?  They don't even have a full line of cars, yet alone a full line of performance cars.

There should have been an Escalade-V 10 years ago, and they should make a V-series of every electric car they sell.  Also Cadillac interiors need to get better, they dropped the price by about $10k going from CTS to CT5, that helps align the interior with the price you pay.  But Cadillac has often fell on their face with interiors on the more expensive cars, even going back the the XLR.

You sat in an entirely different car at the auto show than the Cadillac's I have driven. The outstanding interior in the CT6 Premium Luxury, Platinum, and Blackwing display what Cadillac can do and still does with the new Escalade, XT4 - XT6, CT4 and CT5 interiors. Go sit in and maybe even drive a new 2021 Escalade, your head will explode from the amazement.

GM has a full line of cars, trucks and SUV's with premium high-end models. Cadillac doesn't need to or want to have a full line. GM has Cadillac positioned to be a premium boutique style division like they've been in the past.