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Originally Posted by 2ndCamaro79
We ordered a Singapore Grey M5, set for production, and we will be doing the performance center delivery in South Carolina(Something you can't do with a caddy). We would have done the European delivery, but there was a time conflict. The whole experience with BMW has been amazing. There are so many ways to personalize your car, and they make you feel like your special whether you buy a 3 series or 7 series. The entire experience is truly bespoke and thought out. I love GM, and this is the first time I have purchased a european car. That being said Caddy wants to be European, and the Europeans do it better. I liked when Caddy was American luxury/performance not pseudo european luxury. The current CTS-V is all american while beating the europeans at their own game. The new CTS is a want to be german car, that falls waaaay short.
Its funny how some (mainly american press) dislike the new M5? However, all the European reviews love it?? In fact Top Gear said the new M5 was the best car being built. Chris Harris (a very honest reviewer) said the new M5 is much much better than the previous M5?? I think we here in the states have listen a bit too much to Jonny Liberman at Motor Trend. There is NO car that provides extreme luxury and extreme sport like the M5. At the push of a button you go from a exotic sports car to a modern, tech, luxury barge. There no other car that can do that as well. If you spend every second at the track, maybe there are better track cars, but then again why not just buy a track car??
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Congratulations! Hard to go wrong with a M5. I did European delivery with a friend when he ordered his M3. A little pretentious for me but to each his own. He still drives around with his EU plate on the front.
Cadillac has the V-Series Academy btw. Fly to Las Vegas, pick up your Caddy and do the performance driving course.
I'm glad the purchase process has gone so well. I suppose when you're spending north of $100k on a car you should expect it. I sincerely hope your maintenance and warranty experience is trouble-free. Those oil pump failures left a lot of new M5's parked on dealer lots for weeks waiting for parts. A family friend of ours got so frustrated waiting to drive his two-month old M5, he traded it for a Panamera Turbo!
European press and awards always go to European vehicles as they represent 90%+ of the market there. We have much more in terms of offerings and selection here which makes competition fierce and reviews more critical. It's a big, powerful performance sedan, no question. It just felt too much like a big luxury sedan with more HP and not the driver-engaged, sharp handling car of previous generations. It's straight-line speed is staggering, yet it's still over a second slower around VIR than the V sedan and coupe from 5 years ago.
http://www.caranddriver.com/features...o-2013-page-10
As for styling it's entirely subjective. I tend to find most German interiors an austere place to be. Nothing particularly interesting about them. Then Jaguar releases the new XJ and that interior is a revelation in my mind! We like what we like. I happen to think the new CTS is much more sophisticated looking design that appeals to me more than the last generation did. Yet it still follows in the "Art and Science" design language. Curious to see how "aggressive" the next V comes to look. I suppose the ATS-V will give us a clue.
Don't get me wrong, we've owned several German cars over the years and two British as well. We liked them very much. But the poor reliability, the costly repairs, the nickel-and-diming by the service departments, we just got tired of things NOT working when we needed them to work.
The second car on our list was the E63 AMG which at the time was a bit slower than the V but the interior was the nicest place to be IMHO. It just wasn't $30,000 nicer and no maintenance, no factory backed warranty for track use. It just didn't pull on us the way the V did. Didn't help that my wife had bad experiences with MB in the past.
Everyone I've talked to that has done the delivery in SC for the performance school has had a great time. Post some pics of the car and the burnt rubber on your rear quarter panels!!