Have you seen this story on Jalopnik? So Bob 'Maximum' Lutz says he'll take on any comers with a Cadillac CTS-V - Jalopnik says OK, we'll take him on in a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG... Mercedes says no. Then they get Jaguar to agree with the XFR, but they have now also bailed at the last minute on the challenge. Pretty pathetic. Apparently the brakes aren't up to it on the Jag according to the company.

http://jalopnik.com/5391222/jaguar-pusses-...pnik-vs-gm-race

Pussies

There's a couple M5s, an M3, and an RS4 in the mix for this competition. With the XFR and the C63 out now, what does that leave...E63? Panamera?

hahaha. Fucking pussies.

They could include a IS-F just for shits and giggles.

What a bunch of fuckin pussies. I really take my hat off to GM for this. Every manufacturer has big 'performance' claims for marketing purposes, but now that it actually comes down to it, they all wimp out. What idiots!

I don't blame them. Manufacturers also tend to chose venues that flatter their own cars during press events such as this. The last thing Jag wants is people to think their more expensive super sedan is slower than the CTS-V. That would probably impact their image more than them pulling out like this.

The way Cadillac's positioned the CTS-V is brilliant though. It's highly unlikely that anything in its price range will get close to matching it on the track, and anything that has the potential to beat it costs significantly more. If they get beat around the track, they can just the cost card. "Well yeah, but you paid X dollars to half a second faster."

The CTS-V is a damn nice car...

The CTS-V is great car, especially for the states. Muscle car sound, euro performance, 4 doors, and a US badge up front.

BUT, I'd still take the M5. That V10 makes little kids cry....

I never really liked the current M5. The E39 was one of my favorite cars ever, then it was replaced by this ugly, automatic, pile of excess. The current M3 sedan is more my style.

I agree with you on the M5 part. In the styling department I prefer the E46 M3.

but the E60 does make some of the best noises a bmw can make...and you know theres that whole optional 6Speed manual....

Oh no doubt the E46 was better looking. I just think the current M3 has gotten heavier and more powerful, effectively taking the place of the E39 M5.



It DOES sound great. However, the manual option is a joke. First, it's only offered in NA. Second, M division never really endorsed it, it was something marketers did. The E60 was designed with the SMG in mind. Hence, the manual available for the E60 is exactly the same transmission from the E39...without any modifications. That's why you can never turn off the traction control on the manual, because unhindered the E60's V10 would tear that transmission to shreds (or so I've heard).

didn't they offer it in the M5 Touring in EU ?

Yeah there was/is an M5 Touring.

I, too, dislike the E60 M5...in fact, I kinda hate every E60 period. They're all ugly things with dull interiors and they seem to epitomize that period (which I hope has abated) where BMW was more about suspension stiffness and buttons to push instead of any actual driving enjoyment. Even the offering of a 6-speed in the american market couldn't save the M5. That said, the V10 is the best part of the car for sure...wish it got put into a car that wasn't a melted oversized 4-door sedan.

I love the standard E60s. The styling took a while to grow on me, but I rather like them. I especially like the interiors...and the way they drive...there's nothing quite that good in the segment (until, of course, the XF).

E46 M3 > all BMW.

This is in fact, incorrect. M1 > all other BMWs.

+1000000000000

My dad owns a 530i and i've liked the design of the E60 since the beginning. Upon watching the Top Gear E60 M5 segment I got hanged its been my favourite car ever since. I like the whole refined look which turns into a savage beast. This pics describe what I mean:

I bet you the guys in the M5 are having more fun than the GTR



Though the E39 M5 is a milf, 11 years old and counting.

I like the 507

It'd be a tough call between that and the M1. BMW's had some great cars tbh. M1, 507, 850CSi, Z4 coupe, Z3 coupe, Z8, E30 M3, E46 M3, M635CSi...and I'm sure I'm missing quite a few. The one "great" BMW I've never been a big fan of is the Batmobile, I know it's blasphemy but it never really got under my skin. Oh, and the new Z4 is going to be a great too, it's bloody gorgeous.

well there are a lot of BMW's that are freaking brilliant...now i am not a fan of the past, so i dont dwell too much into the classics. by that i mean, i used to see the M3 on the streets on Suisse, and each time, was like wow. this was years ago...so its that thought that sticks in my mind, like me wanting that car (CSL anyone?). and even today, the M3 has a presence that even the new one's don't IMHO. the other one i can think of is the Z4M, and the X6...it might sound strange, but that car is just so awesome

BMW has made so many great cars, you can't really say there is one car to define the company with.

Not saying that this is THE definitive car, but it's most definitely one of the big guns. This is pretty much the original M3, if you will. Also, this car is the car that pretty much made BMW in the US (the whole 2002 range, not just the Turbo, actually I think the Turbo never officially made it to the States; I could be mistaken...)

^Haha, I like the guy driving that 2002. He seems like a cool dude. What's with the guys they put in car photos these days?

Back on topic (but continuing with the BMW "fanboyism":

M3 Sedan with a consumer behind the wheel beat the CTS-V with Lutz. Lutz was the slowest out of the 3 GM guys at the wheel of the V.

Well the CTS-V won, but only due to the quality of the driving talent that put in those lap times. The fastest lap from anyone without racing experience was, in fact, from the privately owned M3.

I got a ride in the ring taxi this summer, on the ring it ate all the track prepped gt3's. Though i'm pretty sure that had more to do with the driving talent:



And you're right about it being great fun, drifting through brunchen

Seriously, with Sabine? That's awesome!! Is that something you can just pay for?



No!