Jeremy Clarkson
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From
October 12, 2008
Cadillac CTS-V
The Stig’s car has blown up. It’s not surprising really, given the way he drives, but whatever, he now needs a new one. His requirements are very simple: it must have a “loose back end”, several hundred horsepower, almost no suspension, extraordinary acceleration, a vivid top speed and a traction control system that can be turned off, completely and for ever.
Lewis Hamilton’s tail-happy McLaren would be ideal except for one minor, but important, detail.
The Stig also insists that his new car must be capable of at least 35 miles to the gallon.
Yes, even Top Gear’s peculiar racing driver, a man who eats raw mince and fills his spare time by chasing sheep, has noticed that the economy has gone wrong and that he must have an everyday car that is economical.
You may think he has a point. Buying fuel is surely the most painful experience known to man, partly because petrol pumps deliver it so unbearably slowly, and garages are such unpleasant places, with their horrible pies and silly country and western CDs on special offer, and partly because the cost is just so enormous.
It costs nearly £100 to fill my car, and 210 miles later I have to spend another £100 to fill it up again. And for why? It’s not like spending £100 on a delicious supper, which would be memorable and pleasant. We only use fuel to get us to work, which is boring, or to the shops at weekends, which is hateful.
Fuel is like washing-up liquid: something you must have in your daily life but that is extremely boring. And that’s why all of us want to go as far as possible between fill-ups. And that’s why most people think it makes sense to make fuel economy a central pillar of their new car-buying decision.
Don’t be so sure. The figures put out by governments and car manufacturers are theoretical, which is a Greek way of saying “wrong”.
You are therefore basing your buying decision on nothing but hot air and probabilities. And this can lead to much disappointment.
Making the situation worse are the bores you bump into occasionally at the local Harvester. They always tell you that they manage to get 80mpg from their old Vectra. This is not true. They are making it up in a desperate bid to appear clever — which they aren’t, or they wouldn’t have a Vectra.
Whenever someone, and they always have a branded bomber jacket, says they achieve more than 70mpg from a family saloon, stick your fingers in your ears and hum. Because all they are doing is trying to make themselves feel better about the awful hand God has dealt them.
Sadly, however, people believe preposterous mpg figures like this are possible. And that the official government figures are accurate too. Only the other day, I received a letter from a Mr Disgruntled of Kent, who had bought a Mercedes Smart car, expecting to drive for several years between trips to the pumps. And then found to his horror that it was doing only twentysomething miles to the gallon.
He has taken his car back to the garage, which says there is nothing wrong with it. But the garage is wrong too. There is, I’m afraid. It’s called “the person behind the wheel”.
Unlike Bomber Jacket Man’s Vectra, a Smart car is capable of 70mpg but only if you drive it with extreme care. And plainly, Mr Disgruntled, you are not doing this.
It’s not easy, and it’s not pleasant, indulging in what the Americans call “hypermiling”, but the effect on your wallet can be profound. If, for instance, you have a BMW 5-series and you get 25 to the gallon, I reckon you could pretty much double that. Without your journeys becoming appreciably longer.
It’s all to do with how you brake and how you accelerate. It’s about finesse, reading the road ahead, anticipating, treating the pedals and the steering wheel as though they are made from stained glass. It’s about the shoes you wear, and turning the air-conditioning off.
Maybe it would be a good idea to make all this a part of the driving test. At present you are told how to stop and how to reverse round a corner, but at no point will an instructor tell you to accelerate briskly, and to build up speed when going down a hill so you can ease off the throttle when going up the next one.
You may be tempted by all of this, but I’ll warn you. It is extremely boring and unbelievably tiring. Popping into town for a pint of milk can become more exhausting than trying to hop there on one leg. And for what? So that you achieve 50mpg, which is still 20 less than Bomber Jacket Man claims to get from his old Vectra without really trying.
It’s probably better then, if you want to save money — and we do — to choose a car, and then see if another manufacturer can sell you something similar for much less.
And that brings me, briefly, to the BMW M5. It’s a little bit complicated perhaps, with all its various settings, but provided you have the time to set it up properly, it goes, stops and steers with a panache and a zest that’s extremely rare among four-door saloons. Lovely, except it costs £65,890, and these days you could buy an island for less.
So now we arrive at the Cadillac CTS-V, which you can buy, in the UK, for about £47,000. That’s a saving of roughly £19,000. And that equates to approximately 3,800 gallons of fuel. You could drive an M5 as though it were made from bits of your children from now to the end of time and you’d never make up the difference.
So what, then, are the drawbacks to the Cadillac? Well, first of all, it’s a Cadillac, so everyone will think you are a Wilmslow pimp. And second, this hot version will be available with only left-hand drive.
Depreciation? Yes, a Cadillac will plummet as though it’s being fuelled by melted-down Bradford & Bingley executives. But the M5 is not exactly a 10-year government bond, is it?
So make no mistake: financially, the Cadillac smashes the M5, completely and utterly. And here’s the next part. Round the Nürburgring, it smashes it again. With an ordinary part-time racing driver at the wheel, an automatic version of the hottest ever Caddy went round in 7min 59sec — a record for any four-door saloon.
Part of the reason is its 6.2 litre supercharged V8, which develops a dizzying 556bhp. That’s 49 more than you get from an M5. The Cadillac is mind-bogglingly fast. The manual version I drove will hit 191mph. And it accelerates with a verve that truly leaves you breathless. It also makes an utterly irresistible growl. Like an AMG Mercedes but more refined. More muted.
And now you are expecting the “but”. But there isn’t one. Maybe the steering is a bit too light, but other than this it handles beautifully when you have the Ferrari-style magnetic dampers in “sport”, and rides soothingly when you switch the knob to “comfort”. This is unusual for an American car, which usually can do neither thing properly.
Even more surprising is the interior. Trimmed by the people who do the Bugatti Veyron, it is — and you won’t believe this — a nice place to be. The seats are by Recaro, the leather is hand-stitched and the graphics don’t appear to have come from Amstrad circa 1984. You would swear you were sitting in something European.
Of course, you’d expect the illusion to be gone when you look at the exterior. It isn’t. There are no badges written in the typeface used on northern wedding invitations. There’s no onyx. Maybe the chicken-wire radiator grille is a bit sudden, but then again, have you seen the front of a Bentley recently? No. I’m sorry but it’s a good-looking car, this.
As you may have gathered, then, I like it. I believe that ultimately an M5 would be more satisfying, a touch more crisp. But if you had an M5 you’d have to drive it carefully, to save fuel. With the Cadillac, you can blast through the recession at 191mph, knowing you made the savings when you bought it.
The Clarksometer
You'd be mad to buy anything else
ENGINE 6162cc, V8
POWER 556bhp @ 6100rpm
TORQUE 551 lb ft @ 3800rpm
TRANSMISSION Six-speed manual
FUEL Not available
CO2 Not available
ACCELERATION 0-60mph: 3.9sec
TOP SPEED 191mph
PRICE £47,000 approx
ROAD TAX BAND G (£400 a year)
RELEASE DATE December
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I'll stay with my 1999 STS thanks .......
Ian, Portland, USA
I think that comparing the new caddy with the now 4 year old M5 isn't fair. A comparo should be done when the new M5 arrives next year as well as audi's RS6.
Alex , MCKINNEY, USA
We'll have to memorise this review for all the furious Americans who think Clarkson is biased towards their car industry.
If only GM could keep it up.
Jones, Cairns, Australia
Uh.....that Ferrari-like damping.........that was developed by Delphi in the US and has been used on Cadillacs for years. Ferrari comes late to the game using magneto-rheological damping technology.
John, Dayton, Ohio, USA
I don't think the exterior of the Caddy is good-looking.
Not at all.
Mind you, the interior looks pretty pretty.
Ben, Scotland,
Great car, shame they aren't making a left hand drive. Looking forward to a cheap used bargain in 2011.
Rory Sexton, Norfolk, UK
I will stick to my 2008 Nissan GTR thank you.
The build quality and engine performance of the Cadillac will always be questionable.
Davey , Jamestown, Rhode Island, USA
Just thought i'd pop in with a mention of a car that Jezza's no fan of: The Ford Escort. Ours rolled off the line in 1990, it's a 1.3 and in spite of it's age it was able to get us from medway to Nottingham earlier in the year on about 3/4 tank of fuel (it holds about 47 litres)
Chris, Medway, Kent
I'm an expat living in Kuwait where 95 Octane costs 14 pence a liter, 99 Octane costs 20 pence a liters... the road network is the best in the world and taxes don't exist. 47,000 pounds here would get you your CTS-V... and a lovely C200 for the miss... thank god i moved!
Jonathan Lohan, Salwa, Kuwait
Am I missing something? "We only use fuel to get us to work, which is boring, or to the shops at weekends, which is hateful." I couldn't agree more. However, I was under the impression that JC liked cars and was forever burning fuel simply to enjoy himself. Has he seen sense and bought a bike?
Trek Madone, London, UK
Not having read all the comments to avoid duplication, apologies if so, but having just done my driving theory test questions (and passed, yey!) there are questions on fuel efficient driving. So the bureaucrats are doing something already. Double yey!
andrew barnes, LONDON, UK
It is the epitome of American perfection. The sexiness of Gov. Sarah Palin (and she is extraordinarily sexy). Her wink is, let's face it, draw-droppingly gorgeous. But there is one BIG problem. Left hand drive. The impractically of having drive everywhere in reverse on our Kiwi roads kills it for me
Bruce Millner, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
Jeremy,
I think you need a brief (very brief)hiatus from reviewing cars. Please review television.
Start with "Top Gear Australia".
I await your output
Rob, Sydney, Australia
Well, well, well............at last an American car that should give the Germans something to worry about.
Well done GM!
Henk Otten, Leidschendam, Netherlands
Never mind the car, I just like the social commentary.
Thalia, London,
I'll take Clarkson's word on the performance, but it's still too big. I guess until the British start building real sports cars again, I'll stick with my Honda Insight.
(80.8 mpg on my last trip through the wilds of Nevada - 101 mpg Imperial :-))
james, Nevada, USA
I totally agree with Geremy on giving 4 stars to almost every car he writes about. They are all fairly good and all very similar to each other.
Jay, London,
I never thought I'd want an American car again. And I never, ever wanted a Cadillac, but now I want this car. I've driven it. It's amazing. Still, I admit I still wasn't ready to be seen in a Cadillac and bought a BMW instead. If GM can keep this up, I promise I will buy American next time.
Stephen Morgan, Oakville, Canada
I agree with the statement that official govt mpgs are theoretical, but they are all we have to go on as buyers. My issue is not that I can't achieve the official MPG, it is that in some cars it is easy to do (Audi) and others it is barely possible (BMW) presumably because test regimes are different
steve, Kingston upon Thames, UK
As a London Cadillac and Corvette Dealer I am so happy to hear / read Mr Clarkson giving this awesome beast the respect it truly deserves.
M5s, AMG Mercs, Audi S-Lines your goose is well and truly cooked!
See you on the motorway... in my rear view mirror. :))
Nikki Cowan, London, UK
This car might be tops, but what are the chances that 2 versions down the line it'll have become bigger, fatter, softer and generally worse?
Still, good to hear that the US can still make good cars, I was beginning to lose all hope.
Pete, cardiff, UK
In a couple of years look back and judge this car both on looks and durability. Truth be told if I could afford a ZR1 I would march down to the dealer to place the order, and walk out with this Caddy and a smile to go with it. This thing can almost keep up with a Z06!!!
Chris, Chicago, USA
As an American currently owning a british car, ('05 Lotus Elise w/ aftermarket eaton supercharger) which I love, I'm more suprised to hear Clarkson liking this more than anyone. After all the articles and research it might be time to go back to an American automaker. Finally
Murph, somewhere, USA
Finally the Clarkson beast has been tamed. Finally a smidgen of respect. Finally a fabulous American car. BM-Who?
xjug1987, Atlanta, USA
"Maybe the chicken-wire radiator grille is a bit sudden"
Well, yes, in much the same way that walking in front of a speeding express train is "a bit sudden". That's the fugliest front I've seen on a car since anything Renault ever did.
You've got to love that engine, though...
Ade, Wallasey, UK
Good car design is not rocket science--small firms like Lotus do it with much less than GM.
Bad corporate decisions, not poor engineering skills, made American cars lousy. GM tried to sell cheap cars with flash and low-interest leases.
Cars like the CTSV say they are learning, but is it too late?
David A. d'Ancona, Toronto, Canada
Glen from San Diego, did you actually read the article? I guess Americans are so used to getting bashed these days, they automatically respond defensively.
"Clarkson is being consistent as a gimmick-loving Brit when he says he'd rather have the gimmick on wheels (BMW M5) over this fabulous car."
Gareth, Baltimore/Leicester, US/UK
Um glenn, he didnt say he would rather have the M5... read it again...
Bob, London, UK
I'm guessing GM is getting Opel to do most of the work. Heck, they're in Germany, and they have access to the Nürburgring, the most infamous track in existence.
Lorinc Del Motte, Sackville, NB, Canada
Julian, Twickenham, UK --> That is a very ignorant statement you are making. I own a 15 year old Pontiac Bonneville and the interior is nice and well kempt. Its also in once piece. Same can be said for my other not-so-old American cars, another 1996 Bonneville and a 97 Caddy.
alex, Barrington, USA
Quote: "It costs nearly £100 to fill my car, and 210 miles later I have to spend another £100 to fill it up again. " That would work out at about 11 mpg so which car are you driving Jeremy?
Paul, Martham,
If that's a Bugatti Veyron interior then I'm glad that I saved the money and bought a second hand Alfa!
David Lewis, Aylesbury, Bucks
'...you can blast through the recession at 191mph.....'. funny that...!
Felix, Nairobi, Kenya
Not a good idea coasting up to junctions (Mr Miller of Tonbridge) or anywhere come to that. When you are coasting, presumably in neutral, the engine is using fuel to keep running at idling speed however on the overrun the engine management system cuts off the fuel supply completely.
Andrew Scales, Leigh on Sea,
I like Clarkson even more now he is scootering on a Vespa. It's so cool! I obkect to loud Japanese scooter, they are uncool, for teenagers. Vespa's are for sophisticated and handsome gents!
Telma, Guildford villages, Surrey
It is hideous. M5 anyday... not that I'd ever waste that much cash on a new car.
Simon, Edinburgh,
That car is so insanely beautiful that I visit this site every few hours just to see it. Please, Times Online, provide us with higher-resolution photos in the future.
Mattias, Tartu, Estonia
I drive to the speed limits and keep up with the flow. But I don't rush into corners when i know I will have to slow down, I coast up to junctions and only accelerate hard when overtaking. My 3 litre diesel Vel Satis has averaged 38.7mpg over the last 1500 miles of commuting and a few motroway trips
Kevin Miller, Tonbridge, Kent
The Caddy may look good now, but wait a few years and that cabin will have disintegrated into its integral parts - having solved the design, performance issues, this is the biggest problem of US cars.
Julian, Twickenham, UK
HELLO!!!!
Second hand anyone?oh sorry 'pre owned',anyway just save even more of your hard earned and heavily taxed loot and buy a two year old M5,C63AMG,RS4,etc etc.big saloons drop like lead balloons.
john , newcastle,
My Alfa does about 23-25 mpg, though will get 30mpg if u stick at 80mph all day (or until it runs out of petrol) - as if that's ever gong to happen. It does have very shiny chrome pipes under the bonnet though.................
Paul, London,
Clarkson is being consistent as a gimmick-loving Brit when he says he'd rather have the gimmick on wheels (BMW M5) over this fabulous car.
Now if only Cadillac traded in its terrific chassis and superb brakes for a V-button on the steering, i-Drive and four gimmicky suspension settings, it'd be #1.
Glenn, San Diego, USA
Sietze, Dordrecht is right, it is hideous. It has the style of the houses you see in american horror movies from the 80s, like Stephen King's Salem's Lot, for example.
Vlad, Sofia, Bulgaria
Don't be fooled by all this talk of powerful cars - Clarkson is currently zipping around on a Vespa scooter of all things.
Phil Medway, Singapore,
This is not the first American car Jezza liked, remember the Ford GT? Sadlyhe got fed up with the aftermarket alarm. He does give credit when it's due, and it is amazing that GM and Ford are making the best cars in their history at a timwhen they might not survive.
Joe Campbell, Hattiesburg MS, USA
All the talk lately is about fuel economy. I have had a 2002 Honda Civic LX with 115hp for the past 6 years, and consistently it delivers 38-45mpg(US), way above the EPA estimates for that year. I never do hypermiling, which is dangerous, I do try to do 70 on the highway. How you drive is a big part
Evan, Georgia, USA
C'mon Clarkson, a car guy like yourself should know that the Magnetic suspension first appeared on the market IN A CHEVROLET CORVETTE!!!
It was developed for the 2003 Corvette in conjunction with A/C Delco which was then licensed by Ferrari and adapted for their uses.
Dan, Vernon Hills, USA
A Comment on the “holier than thou” “eco-driving” fraternity; Have you noticed that if you see a Prius on the motorway it’s inevitably screaming down the outside lane at what must be near enough it’s top speed???
tim, Bolton,
It must be a really great thing to drive indeed if Jeremy Clarkson, of all people, fails to mention it's hideous.
Sietze, Dordrecht, The Netherlands
"Clarkson likes an American car??? Stop the presses!
Daniel, Naples , USA"
I can't believe it either. Next thing you kow the World's banking system will be on the verge of collapse.....oh wait!
Thumbs up to Cadillac, at long last they are producing some very decent and great value cars.
Paul, London,
It's amazing what GM can do under an enormous amount of pressure. The CTS and the CTS-V are prime examples of this. I'm glad that Mr. Clarkson liked the vehicle and, unlike his US counterparts, didn't go out of his way to find faults in it simply because it's American. I appreciate the honesty.
Leonard, Amherst, New York, USA
£47,000? Are you out of your cotton-picking mind? But hey, someone has to pay retail.
Andrew Milner, Karuizawa, Japan
Clarkson likes an American car??? Stop the presses!
Daniel, Naples , USA
I think the end of days is at hand. Jeremy actually likes a Caddy inside and out.
Katriel, Boston, USA
Very nice JC, very nice indeed. Credit where its due. Becareful though you don't want to come off now as being boring by not pointing out anything particularly bad about this all-American brute right? LOL
Michael, Pasadena, USA
I want one.
Aaron , Indianapolis, USA