Finally, Some Good News: Clarkson Gives CTS-V Favourable Review

[Stovebolt]

As distinct from nation-building, US-style in Iraq, where five years after it was bombed to pieces everyone needs an AK47 to scrounge for food and there are barely any public utilities exisiting?

You need to keep up with the news. Deaths are down so sharply that the blast walls in Baghdad are coming down. Since the surge violence has declined from 3,000 civilian casualties (deaths+wounded) to 300 a month.

Iraqis currently control 11 out of 18 provinces, election laws for the provinces have been passed.

As for public utilities, we are constantly working on them. Coverage has increased exponentially, but unfortunately the power available hasn't increased at the same rate.

The hardest hit are the journalists...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...l?hpid=topnews

[mpsrent]

It doesn't matter what he thinks, it won't have any effect on European sales. Cadillac is an American brand. I hate to break anyone's bubble but Cadillac is not a world class brand. In other countries it is viewed as a cheap luxury alternative that depreciates at a rapid rate. GM must do something to change this image if they really want to be a world contender.

[FBODYRULES]

good review coming from that idiot

[Cphelps]

Clarkson's "print" reviews are often less controversial than the things he says for ratings on TV. Good to see he likes the car, b/c considering he usually goes the extra mile to find things to hate on about most cars (especially American ones though), if he didn't feel the need to bring much up, that to me helps re-enforce what a great job Caddy/GM did with the CTS-V.

One specific quote I like is this one, "It also makes an utterly irresistible growl. Like an AMG Mercedes but more refined. More muted." So often reviewers like GM engine's power, but say it lacks refinement, great to see it being referred to as more refined as an M-B engine!.

[Stovebolt]

Originally Posted by mpsrent

It doesn't matter what he thinks, it won't have any effect on European sales. Cadillac is an American brand. I hate to break anyone's bubble but Cadillac is not a world class brand.

That's the way it might be viewed, but the CTS and CTS-V are world class cars. Eventually perception will match reality, given they stay the course.

[kodos78]

Eh, enjoy your Yankee LS1.

If I have to hear another "Americans can't understand..." line! Maybe if the Brits had more optimism about their future, they'd have one. At least, if our auto industry dies, we still have Silicon Valley. In America, there's always a future.

BTW, I was born in England (I'm a dual citizen). My family came here because they wanted to make it. After coming here with literally 10 pounds in his pocket, my mom and dad now have a home in Malibu.

Oh, and most of my parents relatives moved out here as well. They are doing much better for themselves than the ones still there.

On the flip side, MOST of the Aussies I know are pretty cool folks. They do say there's an exception to every rule. I'm inclined to agree.

Originally Posted by BBDOS CV8

Be careful what you say - America might have no auto industry soon! What has this to do with his review? Because someone else can't run an auto industry in England - long before he arrrived on the scene, Clarkson can't review a car for his audience? Americans can't run it either, the way Ford is losing $millions a day and bailing on JLR.



His reveiws aren't for you - it should be obvious this is an irrelevant question. You don't like it when he writes a bad review, or a good review(?????) How does that work?



As distinct from nation-building, US-style in Iraq, where five years after it was bombed to pieces everyone needs an AK47 to scrounge for food and there are barely any of the pre-existing public utilities running?



It's unfortunate Americans can't understand the subtleties of English self-deprecating humour. I laugh at his jibes. That's how they are about everything - including themselves. Americans are 'have a nice day'. The English are 'I don't see why you should have a nice day when I know I'm going to have a rotten one".



No, but the prospective British buyers might! Which is who he writes for!

And American designed and made? Maybe for the most part. But Brembo is Italian, Recaro is German, the handstitched trim is European and the Michelins? The French maybe don't have the best recent track record on wars (although Americans didn't seem to find their assistance unwelcome in the War of Independence) I'm sure you agree the French know how to make a tyre!

Without those and quite a few other strategic components non-fabrique en USA it just might be a bit less of a car...........

[BBDOS CV8]

Originally Posted by kodos78

Eh, enjoy your Yankee LS1.

If I have to hear another "Americans can't understand..." line! Maybe if the Brits had more optimism about their future, they'd have one. At least, if our auto industry dies, we still have Silicon Valley. In America, there's always a future.

BTW, I was born in England (I'm a dual citizen). My family came here because they wanted to make it. After coming here with literally 10 pounds in his pocket, my mom and dad now have a home in Malibu.

Oh, and most of my parents relatives moved out here as well. They are doing much better for themselves than the ones still there.

Funny you should mention point of origin, because I was born in Maidenhead Berkshire. I think when you leave a country, you lose understanding of it and too some degree the capacity to understand it's problems and issues.

England had it's place in the sun as the powerhouse and empire of the world then then the world changed. But it's still basically a good place, like a favourite Aunt who's let herself go.

America has had it's turn, and now it's like Steve Tyler or Eddie Van Halen, too much sex, drugs and rock and roll.

I feel sorry for the dominant, nothing is worse than being king of the hill - there's nothing to shoot for anymore and the only way is down.

My immediate family emmigrated forty years ago when I was 8 - and we were '10 Pouind Poms'. I'm glad we did.

On the flip side, MOST of the Aussies I know are pretty cool folks. They do say there's an exception to every rule. I'm inclined to agree

I could equally say the same thing about Americans. Except you, like me, are really British so I don't hold you against them.

Do you feel like being Mr Pot today, or Mr Kettle?

[kodos78]

What about when you never live in a country? What qualifies you to be so knowledgeable about America? You think you understand America while never having lived in it? I have more of an understanding of England than you'll ever have of America.

Originally Posted by BBDOS CV8

I think when you leave a country, you lose understanding of it and too some degree the capacity to understand it's problems and issues.

I could equally say the same thing about Americans. Except you, like me, are really British so I don't hold you against them.

Do you feel like being Mr Pot today, or Mr Kettle?

Small problem. I'm not British. I'm AMERICAN. Which proves that once again, you do not understand us.

[blkwrxsti]

Originally Posted by Cphelps

Clarkson's "print" reviews are often less controversial than the things he says for ratings on TV. Good to see he likes the car, b/c considering he usually goes the extra mile to find things to hate on about most cars (especially American ones though), if he didn't feel the need to bring much up, that to me helps re-enforce what a great job Caddy/GM did with the CTS-V.

One specific quote I like is this one, "It also makes an utterly irresistible growl. Like an AMG Mercedes but more refined. More muted." So often reviewers like GM engine's power, but say it lacks refinement, great to see it being referred to as more refined as an M-B engine!.

Just in case you need one for reference - here's a review he wrote on the same trip:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/dri...cle4873574.ece

He apparently saved up all his ire for the rental car. If GM PR had anything to do with setting him up with that rental, great job...

Although something tells me that his review of the ZR-1 is not going to be this positive -

"...We see this with so many American cars. Dynamically, some of them are pretty good these days. One or two are even a match for what the Chinese are doing. And by and large they are still extremely cheap. But there’s a very good reason for this. They are simply not built to last.

I spent most of my time in America this time in a new Corvette ZR1. It is a fabulous car. Mesmerisingly fast, good looking and amazing value. But after three days the damn thing was beginning to disintegrate. It made me growl with annoyance and despair.

But I think I know the problem. Because America is a new country, the people who live there have no sense of history. And if you have no concept of “the past”, it is extremely difficult to grapple with the idea of “the future”..."

After that he goes into some rant about "What Jeremy Clarkson thinks caused the worldwide financial crisis". Poor shmuck doesn't realize that he's the monkey at the zoo - thinks people actually care what he thinks about cars, or business, or history.

[wescoent]

Still waiting for an American performance sedan with AWD.

[BBDOS CV8]

Originally Posted by kodos78

What about when you never live in a country? What qualifies you to be so knowledgeable about America? You think you understand America while never having lived in it? I have more of an understanding of England than you'll ever have of America.

Small problem. I'm not British. I'm AMERICAN. Which proves that once again, you do not understand us.

OK, Mr Pot, whatever you say. It was you who made an issue out of your dual nationality to lend credence to your argument. So now, you're not really British at all? Good, you cleared that up.

This is your pissing contest, not mine. I claim/claimed no intimate knowledge of the US other than two holiday trips and what I read in the news, see on the teev and in sites like this one. I can surely comment on what the posts reveal about the people who post them

My original post was to point out some - perhaps unconscious - oxymorons or hypocrisy vis-a-vis America and other quoted nations by some people who otherwise appear reasonably fair. Maybe they don't know better, because events in America are extraordinarily well reported and analysed in the outside world - far moreso than vice versa. And I can tell you that - I've seen it for myself.

I merely pointed out in response to your attack which assumed I had no inside knowledge of Britain, but you are from there so you do; that it turns out we are from that same country. So we're even on that score.

It's apparent there is a great deal of angst about Clarkson on GMi. This would like me getting upset at Larry King, or Leno, or Letterman, or Regis, or SNL. I'm not their intended audience, so I don't expect to 'get' them or for them to make me happy. (As a matter of fact I often find them pretty damn funny).

I rate Clarkson as infotainment. Even so, it's unwise to dismiss everything he says out of hand, because he is representing what other people think, even if they're too nice to tell you. GM wants to sell Cadillacs in Europe. Well, they and their fans better give a damn about what Europeans, including Clarkson and other opinion-informers, think.

People spitting venom about him should be pleased that he gave the CTS-V several thumbs up, and even recommended it ahead of the considerably more expensive class-leading sports sedan M5! It impressed me that someone who has been so harsh about US cars could be so enthusiastic and has altered my perception positveily of the CTS.

It would have been very easy for him to just say 'well it goes OK, but it's another typical American POS'. Instead he gave it a ringing endorsement. Isn't that cause for GMophiles to be pleased?

[MalibuMaxxSS]

Originally Posted by espo19047

That is a bad headline. Many people in the US never heard of J. C. The few Americans who know who he is could care less what he thinks. Nobody needs j.c. to validate anything they drive.

I dont know him from a hole in the ground, BUT reading htis review solidifies the news theat I heard of the CTS-v being a REAL player. Good read

[nadepalma]

Originally Posted by mbukukanyau

you forgot one, Jaguar and Land Rover are Indian now.

You are right, I did forget that one! Hahahaha. I should go back and add it to my original post!

[TriShield]

Originally Posted by nadepalma

You are right, I did forget that one! Hahahaha. I should go back and add it to my original post!

They are British automakers and British run companies with an Indian parent company. What it amounts to is that they are sucking money out of their owners instead of Ford now.

[Wm Holden]

Because 556 hp will put a SEG on the crustiest old fart.