Bob Lutz' CTS-V Throw-Down Draws 120 Applicants

I don't know if GM could get a Porsche Panamera there even if they wanted to. There just are so few that have been shipped to the US so far let alone bought.

It should be a slam-dunk for GM.

The CTS-V is indeed a great car so if they stomp over the competition they can proclaim that they are the "Standard of the World" again, but if they lose they can play the value-card... they can always advertise that they lost to a car costing $XX,XXX more by only X seconds - or whatever the situation ends up being.

It's a win-win situation no matter what... and GM FINALLY building some great cars, they should take this opportunity to show off their goods.

Chavis10:
Don't forget the C63 AMG (base price $57,350); Caddy ($58,575), both 4-door V-8 Sedans. I think the CTS does have around 100hp more.

So GM will shoot for more publicity and still prove the same point that has been seen in even IL comparisons which is: the CTS-V is a little faster.

It beats the M5 at the Monticello Motor Club track by 1/2 of a second in this R&T article:

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=31&article_id=6963&page_number=2

I wonder if the new M56 will be included. Both are pre-production.

Would someone please explain to me what the purpose of this event is? If this is supposed to attract sports enthusiasts to recognize the CTS-V among the best sports sedans in the world, then I understand.

If this is to increase the visibility of the Cadillac brand, this makes less sense. The CTS-V is the most expensive model of one car from the brand and doesn't represent Cadillac as a whole.

If this is to bring new buyers to GM, having an event touting the top crust products of the company doesn't make sense at all. Advertising how good a $50,000 car is does nothing to sell $10,000 Aveos and $20,000 Malibus (i.e. the cars that a majority of people buy.) I would think that touting your "meat and potatoes" products would do better to increase your market share rather than advertising your desert.

I don't see much of anything wrong with this competition but I'd rather see competitions using vehicles that the average family can afford. Vehicles like the Malibu, Cobalt, Equinox would have been excellent.

I think Lutz should have produced a comparison that backed up GM's claims of superior fuel economy against other manufactures like Honda and Toyota that GM consistently blasts in its celebrity infested Chevy commercials. Given the fuel efficiency is the current priority over track times, I think it would have been the smarter choice. =)

Always amusing...

Alas, I don't have a four-door that could beat it.

I agree with the author of this post, as far as stunts go this one is a good one! It's a shame that is what it has come down to for GM, what 60 day test drives and stunts like this. Whatever works, though. Right?

@Altimadude00

Companies that have the supercars like the Audi R8, Corvette, Viper, M3, CTS-V and the like have them partially to attract people to their brand. the CTS-V is based on the CTS (obviously) so somebody would get one of those. The M3 is based on the 3 series, and someone could get one of those.

The Viper in particular was used as a marketing item. Before it Dodge did not have very much of a face. Since that was released, most all of their cars have had the 4 quarters thing. So it helps with brand recognition and people sometimes like the Malibu more because it's made by Chevy who makes the Corvette (for example) or whatever. I'm not saying that's the best logic, but some people do.

Altimadude has obviously never heard the old saying, "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday." The CTS-V has a lot more in common with other Cadillacs than production-based race cars have with true production vehicles, yet I bet more than a few purchase decisions have been based on racing successes.

Ok. So the V is great, we got that. How about BUILDING some cars. I tried about 2 weeks ago to find one to drive. One within a hundred miles.

I entered the challenge with my '10 SHO. I'm SCCA registered and active, and have a long, storied history with cars. I will be VERY disappointed if 'Lutz' doesn't choose me, or another SHO, as a contender. With the track pack (which my car has, other than that it's stock down to the tires), the SHO should wipe the floor with the Caddy, and all the while my ass will be either cooled or warmed, depending on the weather. I'm curious to see if the GPS shows the track while I'm on it, and curious to see if GM's OnStar solution keeps saying "Turn left here. INSERT QUARTER TO CONTINUE!"
I'm also VERY curious to see Lutz or his 'ringer' actually set the time, and I want a look under the hood of the V that they use, as well as a glance at the tires.
The host has to follow the rules as well, or the competition is null and void.
I have money set aside, if I am chosen, to both make the trip up there and to buy some stickier rubber if I do see that their car doesn't have stock tires.
It's an interesting idea, I just don't think GM has the ability to pull it off in a fair environment.

"the SHO should wipe the floor with the Caddy"

Then you woke up in a cold sweat.. The CTS-V is in a whole different league that the SHO or any stock Ford sedan will ever see.

The SHO has mediocre brakes and is way down on HP (but not weight) to the Caddy.

I agree with hondacura4 in that the CTS-V is in an entirely different league than the SHO. It should be as it is WAY more expensive. I do hope, though, that Lutz includes jays83gsl's SHO (although incuding the new Lincoln MKS with Ecoboost would make more sense). It will be fun to monitor the results of this showdown by Lutz and his crew. And, for the record, I believe that they would be stupid not to keep this challenge totally above board. I would expect that they will do the right thing regardless of the outcome.