.CTS-V Challenge driver and M3 owner Michael Cooper gets pat on the back from BMW
by Jonny Lieberman (RSS feed) on Dec 14th 2009 at 5:29PM
Michael Cooper and his Cadillac CTS-V-challenging BMW M3 - click above for high-res image gallery
This guy. So, some of you no doubt remember the Cadillac CTS-V Challenge. If you don't, here's a refresher: General Motors vice-chairman Maximum Bob Lutz challenged any journalist to bring a CTS-V competitor to California's Laguna Seca where the 77-year-old Lutz would mop the floor with he/she and whatever fancy-pants, Euro sedan they done brung. Of course, the event got moved to New York's Monticello Motor Club, and to guarantee that the Cadillac didn't lose, GM brought in a backup pilot, John Hienricy, the company's noted hot shoe engineer and race car driver. And then every other manufacturer (Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar) decided not to play into GM's marketing ploy, and withdrew their cars' support.
To be frank, we here at Autoblog toyed with the idea of throwing our hoon-hat in the ring, but after Heinricy became Cadillac's ace in the hole, we figured the whole challenge was unwinnable (we've driven with Mr. Heinricy – he's that good). While it would no doubt have been fun, totally playing into General Motor's hands like that (by also losing), well, not so much. Luckily, privateer Michael Cooper and his BMW M3 wasn't in on our conference call.
Mr. Cooper showed up to the Caddy Challenge and laid down a 2:50.424, beating not only Bob Lutz's 2:56.321 in the way more powerful CTS-V, but our pals Lawrence Ulrich (2:53:026) and Jack Baruth (2:51:153), both of whom were driving the big supercharged Caddy. Not surprisingly, Heinricy blew the doors off of every single person, ripping off a 2:46.560. Probably while flossing. But let's not overlook young Michael Cooper, who with 142 less horsepower and a boatload less torque to work with came in less than four seconds behind John (ringer *cough* ringer) Hienricy.
BMW was so taken by Mr. Cooper's feat of good driving that they reportedly invited him down to their North American headquarters in New Jersey and gave him a BMW Performance Multifunction Steering Wheel. How else to thank the guy that tossed such an effective monkey wrench into GM's marketing plans? BMW installed the wheel in Cooper's M3 while he was given a ride in a special BMW Performance enhanced 335i Sedan. So, one more time, a hearty Autoblog congratulations to Michael Cooper and his Cadillac CTS-V challenging BMW M3. The one with the fancy new steering wheel.
Cadillac CTS-V Challenge: So Yeah, BMW Kinda Won
Let's be clear about something here: The CTS-V Challenge was not, strictly a fair race. It was a publicity stunt. Cadillac acknowledges this. Still, as a publicity stunt, it was a hell of a lot more fun than basically every other car-maker publicity stunt we've attended.
And it's a stunt that a young guy, who claimed to be a Skip Barber school graduate but not a racer, won in his BMW M3. His fast lap of 2:50:424 was the fastest single lap of any driver that wasn't a ringer (Heinricy, Link and Redman). No other CTS-V could touch him.
Here, for the record, are the final lap times of the day:
Mystery Driver (Johnny O'Connell), CTS-V, ringer, 2:45:537
John Heinricy, CTS-V, ringer, 2:46:560
Aaron Link, CTS-V, ringer, 2:48:902
Brian Redman, CTS-V, ringer, 2:49:596
Michael Cooper, BMW M3, private owner, 2:50:424
Jack Baruth, CTS-V, journalist, 2:51:153
Lawrence Ulrich, CTS-V, journalist, 2:53:157
Bob Lutz, CTS-V, The Bob, 2:56:321
Michael Mainwald, BMW M5, private owner, 3:05:398
Wes Siler, Mitsubishi Evo, journalist, 3:08:126
Chris Fairman, CTS-V, private owner, 3:14:292
Archan Basu, Jaguar XF, private owner, 3:15:670
Tom Loder, Audi RS4, private owner, 3:15:702
Read more:
http://forums.motortrend.com/70/7881...#ixzz0ZtoXYA9c