I think that's how GM can maintain their mark up and hold back, by using cheaper suppliers. There's no hold back in an Audi and the mark up is dog shit.

I don't even know if we can calculate the true "mark up" in a GM product since they're owned by the government... So how much money they really have we'll never know. That is precisely why I am anti-GM, they just don't do anything for me anymore - and I grew up loving Vettes more than anything.

The fit and finish is incredible on the CTS-V, that I will say. In my opinion, it's about on par with Audi and certainly BMW. BMW, in my opinion, has been slipping.

Other GM products (Chevy) on the other hand, still need help.

 

Yes indeed.

 

This thread is the equivalent of saying "Oh boy, Rosie O'Donnell is single again. I think I have to kick that hog Brooke Burke out of our Mediterranean condo!"

 

What's even more ironic? The fact that this 'race to be the fastest' is really a joke. Most buyers will NEVER drive the car in any manner that would require a ridiculous quarter mile. I'm tired of the old 'cubic inches = bigger dick' argument.

Give me a rock solid sports sedan, that I can drive it like I stole it 95% of the time, and can continue to do so for many reliable miles, with Autobahn safety, and a wonderful balance between engineering and aesthetics and driveability, and I'm a buyer of a domestic car again.

My last sedan may not have been a very fast one (2007 E350 RWD Sports Sedan) But I'll tell you one thing, that car was VERY well built, rock solid in sun, snow and rain, averaged 29.6mpg on the highway (even the way I drive cars), sounded good once the exhuast was broken in, and looked even better.

With ZERO issues.

The fit and finish was spectacular and after driving the car the way I do (not beating on it, but not like a typical sleepy mercedes client lol) after 30k not a squeek, rattle or noise came from the car.


I've seen many domestic cars traded in with less miles with more squeeks and rattles then I'd like to remember.

give me a $50k+ sedan to do all the above in a Cadillac that looks handsome and not like a damn transformer, and Cadillac won't have enough cars to sell they'll be so popular. And they WON'T have to give clients the stupid A plan, or X plan or what ever the F they call it- I call it -giving MONEY away to move a sub-par product.

 

In the last C+D comparo, they said the panel gaps on the CTS were smallest of the three. They're getting there...quit being so closed minded.

 

I posted some impression of the car after Uboat checked it out and I went to the same dealership to look at the same car:

https://teamspeed.com/forums/off-top...tml#post214314

 

Do you guys consider the Merc E a sports sedan? I think a European would only consider the 5er and the XF 'real' sports sedans, MB is like our version of Cadillac and non S/RS (fwd!) Audis simply don't stack up in the handling department.

 

The 2007-2009 E Classes with RWD and Sports Package received stiffer springs and were 10mm lower then the 4 matic equivalent. Thus why I chose RWD vs AWD.

For Merc, thats a sports sedan. LOL

Its note worthy that I NEVER put snow tires on the car and ran through multiple snow storms. The car was remarkable in the snow. Not once did I get stuck or have fear of getting stuck.