Media dumps

[JKM]

 

[Finally-a-V]

Well, like my mother used to say.....if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything.....but, I'll just say this....Ugh, what a tool!

 

[rubberduck]

Well, like my mother used to say.....if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything.....but, I'll just say this....Ugh, what a tool!

you can take the boy out of the country but you can't take the country out of the boy.

 

[Todd]

Tremec's New Six-Speed Manual Fits the Mid-Engined C8 Corvette​

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a69265125/tremec-six-speed-manual-transaxle-chevy-corvette-c8/

Here’s (I think) our trans compared to the new “C8” Tremec in photos I took yesterday at the SEMA show.

The new trans is HUGE and ours actually is surprisingly small to what I envisioned.

 

[Roadhawk]

Thanks for posting. This was great fun to watch. All are great cars from a great era and are on par and deliver better driving experiences than most "performance" sedans or equivalent today (which mostly are now SUVs).

That being said the CT4V BW is a better all around car and a better enthusiast driving experience than any of them...even considering the aesthetically superior V8 experience (and all of these are fantastic top of the class V8s). Its also a better daily and long distance driver with updated features done right...and not overdone for the most part. I can do without much of the new tech....thats just me.

Still - the Caddy can be pushed harder and I would argue is a more rewarding and exciting drive - its range of capability is greater - due to its vastly superior chassis and overall handling dynamics (as it should be given the advancement of time). I doubt any of the older sedans could keep with the Caddy on a track or on a serious mountain road. Sure they are good and wouldn't be completely blown out but I really think the Caddy is quite a bit better.

Jason is all wound up about it not having the V8 and I get that - but performance wise its really a non factor (and without even a tune - just with intake and throttle body I've got +70 whp at redline). The V6 sounds good and good enough IMO (but sure V8 sounds would be even better and I get how that adds to the experience).

The shame IMO is that BMW, Mercedes & Audi have all lost their way when it comes to pure driving enthusiasm. None of them make a worthy fun driving performance car. Alpha got it right (but didn't offer MT here). Of the 3 I certainly expected more from BMW, Kudos to GM/Cadillac for getting it right and keeping the spirit alive. Those of us who care are a small percentage of the population - I get that...and I guess at least there will always be Mazda...lol

 

[Champale]

Thanks for posting. This was great fun to watch. All are great cars from a great era and are on par and deliver better driving experiences than most "performance" sedans or equivalent today (which mostly are now SUVs).

That being said the CT4V BW is a better all around car and a better enthusiast driving experience than any of them...even considering the aesthetically superior V8 experience (and all of these are fantastic top of the class V8s). Its also a better daily and long distance driver with updated features done right...and not overdone for the most part. I can do without much of the new tech....thats just me.

Still - the Caddy can be pushed harder and I would argue is a more rewarding and exciting drive - its range of capability is greater - due to its vastly superior chassis and overall handling dynamics (as it should be given the advancement of time). I doubt any of the older sedans could keep with the Caddy on a track or on a serious mountain road. Sure they are good and wouldn't be completely blown out but I really think the Caddy is quite a bit better.

Jason is all wound up about it not having the V8 and I get that - but performance wise its really a non factor (and without even a tune - just with intake and throttle body I've got +70 whp at redline). The V6 sounds good and good enough IMO (but sure V8 sounds would be even better and I get how that adds to the experience).

The shame IMO is that BMW, Mercedes & Audi have all lost their way when it comes to pure driving enthusiasm. None of them make a worthy fun driving performance car. Alpha got it right (but didn't offer MT here). Of the 3 I certainly expected more from BMW, Kudos to GM/Cadillac for getting it right and keeping the spirit alive. Those of us who care are a small percentage of the population - I get that...and I guess at least there will always be Mazda...lol

Excellent post, Roadhawk! Agree 1000% with everything you stated. That video was interesting because he has stated in other places, including his Carmudgeon podcast, that the 4BW is the best driving sports sedan ever made.

 

[rubberduck]

Thanks for posting. This was great fun to watch. All are great cars from a great era and are on par and deliver better driving experiences than most "performance" sedans or equivalent today (which mostly are now SUVs).

That being said the CT4V BW is a better all around car and a better enthusiast driving experience than any of them...even considering the aesthetically superior V8 experience (and all of these are fantastic top of the class V8s). Its also a better daily and long distance driver with updated features done right...and not overdone for the most part. I can do without much of the new tech....thats just me.

I agree the 4BW is a better Swiss Army knife car compared to the 5BW. When including factors of cost (street and track), fuel economy, long hauls, spirited street driving, and track. The 5BW really has too much power on hand to tap affectively on the street. Some people say that holds back the fun. I suppose it is true for people that expect to go balls to the wall on redline the street.

I’m older and more mellow and get immense joy out of street cruising in comfort. But trust me, street cruising means something much different to me than the average driver. Some redline driving can be obtained on highway on ramps. In Arizona these are much different than the east coast. They are like 3/4mile long straight-aways long. Plenty of time to get up to speed and then slow down as to not hit traffic going twice the 75 speed limit. I also burn plenty of rubber and get sideways pretty regularly. Maybe mellow is not the right characterization? But compared to my young days so I would say it’s mellow.

 

[Matt27]

Thanks for posting. This was great fun to watch. All are great cars from a great era and are on par and deliver better driving experiences than most "performance" sedans or equivalent today (which mostly are now SUVs).

That being said the CT4V BW is a better all around car and a better enthusiast driving experience than any of them...even considering the aesthetically superior V8 experience (and all of these are fantastic top of the class V8s). Its also a better daily and long distance driver with updated features done right...and not overdone for the most part. I can do without much of the new tech....thats just me.

Still - the Caddy can be pushed harder and I would argue is a more rewarding and exciting drive - its range of capability is greater - due to its vastly superior chassis and overall handling dynamics (as it should be given the advancement of time). I doubt any of the older sedans could keep with the Caddy on a track or on a serious mountain road. Sure they are good and wouldn't be completely blown out but I really think the Caddy is quite a bit better.

Jason is all wound up about it not having the V8 and I get that - but performance wise its really a non factor (and without even a tune - just with intake and throttle body I've got +70 whp at redline). The V6 sounds good and good enough IMO (but sure V8 sounds would be even better and I get how that adds to the experience).

The shame IMO is that BMW, Mercedes & Audi have all lost their way when it comes to pure driving enthusiasm. None of them make a worthy fun driving performance car. Alpha got it right (but didn't offer MT here). Of the 3 I certainly expected more from BMW, Kudos to GM/Cadillac for getting it right and keeping the spirit alive. Those of us who care are a small percentage of the population - I get that...and I guess at least there will always be Mazda...lol

Agreed - I also think there's a difference between the 15 year old Germans and a CT4 as a daily. Possible the E9X would be more fun as a weekend far given how special the engine is, but I'd feel bad putting 10k miles a year on one and it would suck dealing with the inevitable maintance issues as you get to 60, 70k miles.

No such issues with a new car, especially given the lengthy powertrain warranty Caddy gives you.

 

[Super Saloon]

Excellent post, Roadhawk! Agree 1000% with everything you stated. That video was interesting because he has stated in other places, including his Carmudgeon podcast, that the 4BW is the best driving sports sedan ever made.

I’m guessing part of this has to do with the fact all 3 of those vehicles are listed for sale by Hagerty and it was a Hagerty video. He wouldn’t really be doing his part as a salesman for the company if he came out and said these are great, but buy a Blackwing instead. Probably also why he leaned into the V8, which promotes all 3 of the cars for sale. Notice they also didn’t compare it to a CT5 BW, which is probably more on par from a price adjusted inflation standpoint and what those vehicles would have competed with at the time. A great video regardless, all of those cars are amazing machines.