Save The Manuals! BMW M3 vs Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing [Top Gear]

Mani59 · 12-24-2023, 10:02 AM

Quote:

“Where did all the manuals go?” asks Jethro Bovingdon as he drags his poor, withered left leg behind him. Because the rise of the EV and the proliferation of the auto has seen manuals all but disappear from UK shores. America, on the other hand, is positively rolling in them. Weird.

So we grabbed two of the most-exciting manuals on sale in the US that we don’t get back in Blighty, and set about proving once and for all that manual beats auto. To do this we required several things: Jack in a competitive car with an auto-box (OK, we might have fiddled this bit), an empty race track, and some skids. Lots of skids.

GolfCoyote · 12-24-2023, 10:12 AM

Weird that they didn’t compare it to the CT4 instead.

Sidebar, new Top Gear is so far off the mark from OG Top Gear. These 3 have zero chemistry.

SwankPeRFection · 12-24-2023, 10:41 AM

I haven’t watched the video yet, but this is a terrible comparison in regards to power ratings. Base M3 against the 600+hp version CT5?

bri1042 · 12-24-2023, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GolfCoyote

Weird that they didn’t compare it to the CT4 instead.

Sidebar, new Top Gear is so far off the mark from OG Top Gear. These 3 have zero chemistry.

Even Cadillac seems to forget that the CT4 exists. There's a pretty good chance it was a "we have this available" question.

I don't mind "my" car losing to the CT5 by half a second considering the price difference, size difference between the two, gas mileage, etc...

SwankPeRFection · 12-24-2023, 12:28 PM

^^^ It’s nothing even a base CSL flash can’t fix and that’s base BMW levels of tune.

Trojan4evr · 12-24-2023, 12:31 PM

Damn, you guys are quick to post. I liked the video and love my "poverty speck" G80 even two and half years after I got it.

LuvMyE92 · 12-25-2023, 06:49 AM

I read that TG had been canceled. Now I know why.

GolfCoyote · 12-25-2023, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuvMyE92

I read that TG had been canceled. Now I know why.

Top Gear UK is done.

Top Gear Australia however seems like it might capture some of that magic (fingers crossed). Comes to Paramoint+ in 2024.

vbb · 12-25-2023, 08:07 AM

I've driven both of these cars (well, the G82 which I own, not the G80, but still). I posted about my experience here: https://g80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...6&postcount=58

I've mentioned it several times, but for me, I would not have this car in anything but the manual transmission. I turned a corner somewhere between my 30s and crossing over that 40yr old barrier--and the proliferation of ridiculously quick appliances, err electric cars probably helped this--but I don't care at all about having the fastest version. The driving dynamics are what moves me these days, and rowing your own gears is an integral part of it.

MT6 · 12-25-2023, 12:49 PM

Once M3 is only offered in Competition, I wonder if BMW will be kind enough to deliver an ECU update via iDrive to increase boost for G80 M3 owners to level up with Comp’s HP

That would be nice

12-24-2023, 10:12 AM	#2
GolfCoyote First Lieutenant 580 Rep 360 Posts Drives: 2024 M3 Comp xDrive Join Date: Dec 2023 Location: PNW iTrader: (0)	Weird that they didn’t compare it to the CT4 instead. Sidebar, new Top Gear is so far off the mark from OG Top Gear. These 3 have zero chemistry. __________________ 2015 VW GTI (446whp/414wtq) 2024 M3 Comp xDrive
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12-24-2023, 10:41 AM	#3
SwankPeRFection Captain 1223 Rep 857 Posts Drives: S4 Join Date: Dec 2023 Location: NA iTrader: (0)	I haven’t watched the video yet, but this is a terrible comparison in regards to power ratings. Base M3 against the 600+hp version CT5?
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12-24-2023, 12:28 PM	#5
SwankPeRFection Captain 1223 Rep 857 Posts Drives: S4 Join Date: Dec 2023 Location: NA iTrader: (0)	^^^ It’s nothing even a base CSL flash can’t fix and that’s base BMW levels of tune.
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12-24-2023, 12:31 PM	#6
Trojan4evr Lieutenant Colonel 494 Rep 1,922 Posts Drives: 2021 G80 M3 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Socal iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 BMW/ E82 135i [1.00] 2007 BMW/ E90 335i [5.50]	Damn, you guys are quick to post. I liked the video and love my "poverty speck" G80 even two and half years after I got it. __________________ '21 G80 M3 '11 E82 135i DCT (Gone but not forgotten) '08 E90 335i (Gone but not forgotten)
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12-25-2023, 06:49 AM	#7
LuvMyE92 Occasionally frequent poster 3000 Rep 2,744 Posts Drives: CT5V-Blackwing Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: RTP NC, USA iTrader: (0)	I read that TG had been canceled. Now I know why. __________________ Current inventory: F22 & G05 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing w/3 pedals Past: E24,E28(3),E34,E36,E37,E38(2),E39(4),E46,E89,E92 (obviously),F01,F06,F10,F30,F87,G12,G30(2),G82(2)
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12-25-2023, 08:07 AM	#9
vbb Captain 1866 Rep 935 Posts Drives: 2022 M4 manual Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: present iTrader: (4)	I've driven both of these cars (well, the G82 which I own, not the G80, but still). I posted about my experience here: https://g80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...6&postcount=58 I've mentioned it several times, but for me, I would not have this car in anything but the manual transmission. I turned a corner somewhere between my 30s and crossing over that 40yr old barrier--and the proliferation of ridiculously quick appliances, err electric cars probably helped this--but I don't care at all about having the fastest version. The driving dynamics are what moves me these days, and rowing your own gears is an integral part of it. __________________ Previous notables: '05 S2000 \| '07 335i \| '09 ISF \| '08 911 Turbo \| '09 911 C2 \| '15 Cayman \| '15 RCF \| '17 MX-5 RF \| '17 C7 Corvette
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12-25-2023, 12:49 PM	#10
MT6 Lieutenant 722 Rep 415 Posts Drives: '23 M3 '19 CTR '14 Accord MT6 Join Date: May 2023 Location: NorCal iTrader: (0)	Once M3 is only offered in Competition, I wonder if BMW will be kind enough to deliver an ECU update via iDrive to increase boost for G80 M3 owners to level up with Comp’s HP That would be nice
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