By on October 29, 2009

The M5 CSL We Never Built (courtesy:bmwblog.com)

In the same week BMW revealed a one-off, 580 hp, 100+ lbs lighter “M5 CSL we never built” (in the words of the M division’s head of development, Albert Biermann), BMW USA’s VP had this to say about his firm’s absence from Cadillac’s CTS-V Challenge:

We have no fear of comparisons by objective bodies, but it’s different if the person doing the comparison has a dog in the hunt

Not that the point lacks validity, but would BMW’s tune be different if the M5 CSL were a production model? We’d like to think so.

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10 Comments on “What’s Wrong With This Picture: How The Mighty Have Fallen Edition...”


  • avatar
    Richard Chen

    The M3 has the best time so far at Monticello

  • avatar
    TZ

    A CTS-V just beat the M3’s time. 2:48.9 vs 2:50.4

    Updates here, as well: http://www.facebook.com/cadillac

  • avatar
    ohsnapback

    A CTS-V just beat the M3’s time. 2:48.9 vs 2:50.4

    Not for long. Two beats of the M3 by Heinricy and Link:

    John Heinricy (Cadillac test driver)- Cadillac CTS-V: Top Lap: 2:46:560

    Aaron Link (Cadillac development engineer)- Cadillac CTS-V: Top Lap: 2:48:902

    Michael Cooper (Who is this guy?)- BMW M3: Top Lap: 2:50:424

    Jack Baruth- Cadillac CTS-V (TTAC): Top lap: 2:51:153

    Bob Lutz- Cadillac CTS-V (VP of Marketing, GM): Top Lap: 2:56:321

    Wes Siler- Mitsubishi Evo X (Jalopnik): Top Lap: 3:08:126

    Archan B- Jaguar XF-R: Top Lap: 3:15:670

    Michael M- BMW M5: Top Lap (so far): 05:17:580

  • avatar
    bomberpete

    If you want to beat your chests over Baruth’s “win,” go right ahead. But why should BMW play into what amounts to GM’s publicity stunt?

  • avatar
    therealtruth

    Like it or not, there is not a car in BMW’s stable that can lap faster than the CTS-V. Publicity stunt or not…

  • avatar
    dolorean23

    I think the real nugget take-away here gentlemen is that we are actively discussing a Cadillac vs. BMW as actual competitors. Completely fantastic.

  • avatar
    cwmoo740

    556 hp is just an incredible amount. Besides, the M5 is how old? We’ll have to wait until the next-gen twin-turbo V8 M5 to take down this CTS-V. The story would be different if that car was already released.

  • avatar
    Bimmer

    How the heck ///M5 could be a CSL, it’s a Sedan!
    CSL = Coupe Sports Lightweight.

  • avatar
    PeteMoran

    They could only find ~100 lbs??

  • avatar
    energetik9

    I’m biased because not even for a nano second would I pick a CTS-V over an M5. That being said, who cares. This isn’t that much different than the recent Lincoln MKS test at 14000 feet (sponsored by Ford) where, surprise, surprise, the Ford beat almost every competitor.

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