Re: First Drive: 2008 Cadillac CTS - Motor Trend and C&D
Here's the car I actually see as a competitor to the 3.6 DI AWD CTS
2008 BMW 535xi
AutoWeek | Published 07/25/07, 2:09 pm et
AT A GLANCE:
2008 BMW 535XI
AS-TESTED PRICE: $70,905
DRIVETRAIN: 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged I6; awd, six-speed automatic
OUTPUT: 300 hp @ 5800 rpm, 300 lb-ft @ 1400-5000 rpm
CURB WEIGHT: 3946 lb
FUEL ECONOMY (EPA/AW): 19/22.2 mpg
OPTIONS: Adaptive cruise control ($2,400); night vision ($2,200); premium package, including leather upholstery, integrated garage-door opener, auto-dimming mirrors, ambient light package ($2,100); navigation package ($1,900); sport package, including multicontour front seats, sport steering wheel, shadowline trim ($1,300); head-up display ($1,200); premium maintenance package ($1,200); comfort access system ($1,000); cold-weather package, including heated front seats, headlight washers, heated steering wheel ($750); park distance control ($700); satellite radio ($595); rear sunshades ($575); HD radio ($500); lane-departure warning ($500); fold-down rear seats ($475); iPod and USB adapter ($400); rear side airbags ($385); heated rear seats ($350)
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OUR TAKE: We probably shouldn’t have been surprised to find that a 5 Series will run north of $70,000 when you slather on all the bells and whistles, but with a base sticker of $52,375, those extras add up to near a whole new Mini’s worth. Given that perspective, we don’t know how many 5 Series shoppers will opt for the six-cylinder optioned out to the gills—that is, unless even Bimmer buyers are becoming more conscious of fuel prices.
As for its driving characteristics, it is everything you come to expect from BMW. We were particularly interested to find out just how well the twin-turbocharged I6 from the 335i would perform in this heavier application. The old motor was frankly underpowered and required you to really stand on the throttle to get anywhere. With this, power is available instantly and moves the 5 forward swiftly. At no time did we want for the extra jolt of the highline V8. Throttle response is superb, and the steering, naturally, is near perfect.
If there is one thing we’d love to see, it is the paddle-mounted shifters. The drive-by-wire auto-manual in this car sits in the standard shift position, but BMW insists on doing something that’s counterintuitive (and it needn’t be): In most cars, pulling the shifter toward you shifts the tranny down a gear, while pushing it forward shifts up; here it is reversed, and more than once we found ourselves upshifting when we wanted to downshift.