Edmunds CarPool

I'm coming back to LA for another business meeting. I have tomorrow afternoon and evening free, to drive around the canyons and pretend I'm an Edmunds editor in a sports car. I hope I get something sportier than a Tauraus this time. Anyone care to give me a ride in your long term Miata???
 
I almost rented a Boxster from an exotic rentals place near LAX, but just couldn't justify the cost this time. Maybe next time my wife can tag along and she'll let me do that as long as she gets a turn to drive.

The one thing I never understood is this constant bashing of the interior materials used in the STS. I looked at every player in this segment and the STS was best in interior room and comfort, middle ground for materials. The BMW 3 and 5 series are the absolute bottom for interior luxury and materials. When test driving a new 2006 5 series, I honestly thought it had vinly seats and I asked the sales person if this was so. Needless to say, he was highly insulted. But the off-white leather in my test drive car was poor, crinkled and thin. The dashboard was plain as white bread. And the interior was too cramped for this much money. But objectivity is hard to find in auto editors, particularly when comparing to American cars.

The STS-V is more like the CLS63 and E63 AMG, both are heavy as well, but damn fast in a straight line. I remember a few months back the STS-V finished second out of 3 cars in a C&D or MT comparo. The M5 finished first, and the CLS55 last.
 
Karl what are your thoughts on the new Audi S6? Is it good enough for the M5? Based on what I've read, I expect it will be fast but too heavy, like the STS-V.
 
Still the STS-V is a pretty good bargain for what you get. 469hp and a loaded car for $75,000? Not bad.
 
Guess that puts the M5 in a class of its own....................

Baltoman, I know what you mean. I actually find the constant bashing on automotive journalist objectivity pretty tiring, especially when it comes from people who likely have their own biases PLUS don't have nearly the level/quality of exposure to vehicles that automotive journalists have.

I haven't been near the new S6 yet, but it will probably be relatively heavy simply because of the AWD system. However, the RS4 is no lightweight, and it ROCKS! Curb weight is only one aspect to a vehicle's handling. Suspension design and tuning is another huge element, and Audi is pretty good at making their cars "drive smaller" then their curb weight suggests. Chrysler is good at it too...at least when Mercedes is helping. The 300 SRT8 is way too big/heavy to truly handle well -- but it does!

You dont need to be an automotive journalist to determine whether or not a car has quality materials. I think that is the problem with many auto writers, they give themselves too much credit. I have been in most brands of luxury cars at auto shows and events and the STS interior is fine. It may not be up to Audi standards, but it can hold it's own against most anything else, especially MB interiors. The interior of the C and E class benzes is more plasticky and non luxurious than any STS, especially the STSV which has the leather dashboard. I got to compare the STS and 530 interiors at a driving event and the % series interior was dark, depressing and full of hard surfaces that did anything but scream "luxury".
 
THe STS-V doesnt have razor sharp handling because Cadillac chose to give it a compliant ride. The M5 is sharper, but probably not as good as a daily driver. The STS-V is in the same weight class as the M5 and E63 so I dont see the point in complaining about its curb weight. The S6 has less more and weighs more than the STS-V but I bet we wont read any critcism of that car. I'm also trying to figure out why the $50K CTS-V wasnt mentioned as a competitor to the RS4 you guys just tested. Why pay $20k more for the same performance capabilities?In terms of weight and body style, the CTS-V is more of a direct competitor for the RS4 than the M3 will be.

That's the great thing about 1487 -- he's always there, waiting at the ready, to prove my point about reader biases.

Just to clarify, are you saying anyone who doesn't agree with you is biased? Thats very interesting but it doesnt address any of the points I made. While the '07 E class interior may be improved, the old one was just average for this class, in fact you didnt even get wood on the steering wheel. The pre-2006 C class was extremely average considering its price.
 
BTW, when I was at that event comparing the 5 series and STS most people I observed were less than impressed with the 530 and many were surprised how much they liked the STS. But, then again they were probably all biased.
 
For the record, I do like most of BMWs lineup as long as I'm not thinking about the horrific rear end styling. My opinion of BMW is MUCH higher than your opinion of Cadillac so I'm not making these points to suggest the M5, or any other BMW, isnt a great car. I'm just saying the STSv isnt as bad as you say. My coworker just drove one in Vegas and said it was a blast, although not as fun as the much lighter Vette.