It's that time of year again. The Motor Trend COTY goes to....

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KillerMRK2
The 2008 Cadillac CTS! A wonderful car indeed. :cheers:

It seems I'll be renewing my subscription. :D

Linky

Certainly the best car for the award, it looks good, it built well, and its 5 size for 3 money.

Good job GM!

I still think that the Enclave should've been the SUOTY.
 
Not surprised at all. There were a few above-average cars released this year, but if the recipe includes above-average + domestic badge, it's basically a shoe-in for MT's award. Of course, this will also prompt lots of talk about how smart they are for picking it this year, ignoring the fact their choices are usually crap and hype-based. Besides... what weight does MT's award really hold around here?

Incase anyone jumps on this, let me state that I too like the CTS, but I'm not going to pretend it's perfect.
 
I love the CTS and in two years I'll be in the market for a CTS-sized, CTS-priced car.

But I still don't like the interior. It uses too many bits from GM products I've come to know and hate, like that damn three-spoke steering wheel. This thing would jump to the top of my own list (presently headed by the Lexus IS350) if they'd just upgrade the interior a little bit more.
 
The CTS is well deserving of Motor Trend's COTY. Base priced at $32k? I'd say that's a steal for the car you get.

I saw a black one today on Peachtree. It was simply amazing looking. :drool:
 
M5Power
I love the CTS and in two years I'll be in the market for a CTS-sized, CTS-priced car.

But I still don't like the interior. It uses too many bits from GM products I've come to know and hate, like that damn three-spoke steering wheel. This thing would jump to the top of my own list (presently headed by the Lexus IS350) if they'd just upgrade the interior a little bit more.
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:odd:

gm_06cts_int.jpg

There's not a parts bin piece in there. Totally unique. The only decent Lexus is the IS250, it supposedly drives like a BMW, while as I think it was Toronado said it was an "understeery pig with too many electronic nannies"
 
What, Motor Trend freed itself from the mind control of Toyota and Honda long enough to realize that Americans actually CAN build wonderful cars?

NO WAI!!!

Seriously, the Cadillac really does deserve it. The quality and performance is all top-notch, and it has been well-received by every magazine article I've read on it... Including the foreign (UK) press. Congrats GM, it is a well-deserved win!

---

Now we need to find a way for the Lincoln MKS or the Chevrolet Camaro to take it next year...
 
Tophaticent
:odd:

There's not a parts bin piece in there. Totally unique.
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WHAT?????

BOTH of the stalks that come from the steering column are borrowed from the absolute cheapest - AND OLDEST - GM designs. Various other crappy cars use them including the Chevrolet Trailblazer. The power window and mirror switches ALL come from the crappiest GM cars. The steering wheel itself is a BARELY reconditioned version of the famous three-spoke. The door handles and lock/unlock switches are the same cheap plastic found on other trashy cars. The odometer readings are used in multiple other cheap GM cars, as is the binnacle that houses the tach and speedo.

I appreciate the effort on the middle of the interior - I really do. But please GM, go that extra step further. Please.
 
I think that It'll be between the G8/Camaro and the MKS.

EDIT:


Woah. Doug. You must be kidding. Have you SAT in the car? Have you SEEN the stalks? Well? Hm? Have you no rational thinking? Its a new interior.
 
Tophaticent
Woah. Doug. You must be kidding. Have you SAT in the car? Have you SEEN the stalks? Well? Hm? Have you no rational thinking?
Click to expand...

To the first question, no; to the second question, yes. And it's important, especially if I pay that much money for a car whose major selling point is interior. It's important to me, anyway. Audi sets a high benchmark.
 
Audi can't seem to make an interior in any color besides black. You're mental.

Previous CTS:

Cadillac-CTS_2006_800x600_wallpaper_05.jpg


Current CTS:

Cadillac-CTS_2008_800x600_wallpaper_83.jpg



Yeah, because theres obviously no difference in the wheel. :rolleyes:
 
I don't really think one can say that YSS, Audi has some really nice interiors, the redesigned A4 is a case-in-point

Audi-A4_2008_800x600_wallpaper_45.jpg


I like the CTS's interior, it just looks more expensive IMO.
 
Well, it had been the case for quite some time. Audi finally realized that it wasn't worth the effort to re-sell luxury VW models. And while I'm a die-hard VW fan, I'm not big on the whole Audi thing... They've just never caught my fancy.

But the new CTS?

The interior is shockingly upscale, it doesn't even seem like it ever could have come from GM. Simply put, it has almost ruined my taste for other GM products simply because I'm so eager to see the trickle-down of the high-quality standards to come soon. The soft-touch plastics and acres of leather really make some interesting touches, and really generally makes for a nice place to be.

Sure, I love my classic Jaguar interiors, but Cadillac is quickly setting the standards for me in the interior biz. Sorry BMW...
 
BMW only did a good job in the 3er IMO. The 5 was really dissapointing. The 7 was just.... weird.
 
Quite right, the 7er was just awkward. Then again, it set the stage for the S-Class as well... But for some reason, I found that much more agreeable.

I need to check out the updates in the '08 STS, I need to see if the goodness from the CTS made it over or not. My guess is no...
 
I guess we'll just have to wait for the Sigma II STS. Oh wait, maybe not. Its going Zeta "+" (thats what I'm calling it), so there should be some goodness to be spread around.

===

So, COTY:

What ended up coming in second? Does anyone have the issue? I would have expected both the Malibu and Accord to do quite well, but thats all I really would have expected anyway...
 
YSSMAN
By adding four rings to a VW interior?
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Audi interiors are nothing like VW ones just like how SEAT interiors are nothing like VW ones etc.

Audi still easily make the best interiors.

Audi can't seem to make an interior in any color besides black. You're mental.
Click to expand...
:rolleyes:

Audi makes interiors ina ny colour you want them to as long as you show them the money. Even then there are tons of different colour options to choose from without going the custom route.
 
It nevertheless is a VW interior. Last time I checked, VW was a "lesser" brand.

A few bits and pieces that may/may not be shared with others is acceptable in my book. It happens to everyone, from Jaguar and Aston Martin to Lamborghini and Maybach.

Sure, its "cutting corners," but do you really honestly think that "________" (insert manufacturer here) is going to design completely new parts for every model that they make for every company that they own? It would be silly to do so, and only the smallest of companies can afford to do anything remotely close to it. As I recall, hasn't Ferrari even dipped into the FIAT/Alfa parts bin on occasion? It happens.

Pissing and moaning over a single indicator stalk is rather silly, same with a few switches on the door. You're still getting the CTS for less than the competition, it still looks good and functions well, so why bother complaining?
 
For quite some time the differences between a VW and Audi interior were nil, but that has been altered (thankfully) as of late. They still share a fair number of buttons and switches, but the style certainly has changed. Furthermore, with the addition of VW apparently going all "iPod-ish" with their interiors (full screen control of all thingamajigs), that will separate the two even more.
 
YSSMAN
It nevertheless is a VW interior. Last time I checked, VW was a "lesser" brand.
Click to expand...

The difference is that while Audi and Volkswagen share the same bits that I'm getting on the CTS for sharing with lesser models, in Volkswagens, these bits are quality to begin with. Those window switches are shared but are not cheap plastic; the door handles feel costly, and the switch that activates the headlights has a particularly good feel. Compare this to the turn signal stalk on the Trailblazer (and now the CTS) which always feels like it's going to fall off.

Pissing and moaning over a single indicator stalk is rather silly, same with a few switches on the door. You're still getting the CTS for less than the competition, it still looks good and functions well, so why bother complaining?
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I'm not complaining - just saying it's not quite good enough for me!
 
Yeah, the CTS looks far better in person. The only thing I don't like is the analog clock and that huge aluminum panel surrounding it. I think they should have moved all of the controls up more, made the clock digital, and made that lower compartment bigger.

I actually fit in it, though. I'm pretty much forced to like the cars that fit me well.
 
YSSMAN
What, Motor Trend freed itself from the mind control of Toyota and Honda long enough to realize that Americans actually CAN build wonderful cars?

NO WAI!!!
Click to expand...
Mind control of Toyota and Honda? Arent we talking about the same publication that presented the PT cruiser, Thunderbird and 300C as COTY? Your bias is clouding sanity. Whats next? Are you going to claim that the GM stable is overall better than Honda's or Toyota's?
 
Better overall? Are we counting the Europeans and the Aussies while we're at it?

===

You look at cars like the Civic, Camry and Prius that had one previously and its a bit of a head scratcher. Wins for the Honda Ridgeline and Toyota Tacoma in the truck category were a bit perplexing as well.

Levels of one-sided bias are leveled at magazines all the time, and the Toyota/Honda love at Motor Trend had been an issue for a while that they had been catching a lot of flak for. If the Accord would have won this year, I wouldn't have been too upset... Its a wonderful car. But as in previous years when there are clearly better vehicles (think the Cayman vs Camry comparison last year), thats a problem.

Its nice having a win for the home-team, and I could care less if its for Ford, Chrysler or GM. We've been working hard to get back all that had been lost, and winning awards like these do a lot of good. Even the Malibu out-scored the Accord this year, which is remarkable in itself. I'm very interested to see/hear how the awards sort themselves out for Car and Driver, Road and Track, and Automobile.
 
SagarisGTB
Arent we talking about the same publication that presented the PT cruiser, Thunderbird and 300C as COTY?
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The PT Cruiser and 300C were great cars when they came out. Explain the Toyota Prius and Camry, or the Volkswagen New Beetle.
YSSMAN
Even the Malibu out-scored the Accord this year, which is remarkable in itself.
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That's because the new Accord is a total failure, just like the new Camry was. It would be far more interesting and meaningful if the new Malibu was compared to the old Accord. Anyways, my predictions: Automobile gives OTY to the CTS or the new Evo. Car And Driver is always too hard to predict, so what have you.
 
Toronado
The PT Cruiser and 300C were great cars when they came out. Explain the Toyota Prius and Camry, or the Volkswagen New Beetle.
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The PT Cruiser and 300C were not great cars when they came out.

The Civic is one of the best cars in it's class, which is a very competitive class at that. May not be the best car in the world, but it doesnt like like Honda favoritism to me. The Prius is an exceptional technical and engineering feat. To petrolheads, its not much to desire, but its a good piece of transportation with a look to the environment for many folk. Other publications gave awards to the Prius as well.

The camry is a decent car, though it is puzzling how it won this award. Ill give you that.

Edit: I dont know much about trucks, and I really dont care about them, but from what ive been told, the Ridgeline is great to drive and very comftrable and smartly designed compared to other trucks.
 
SagarisGTB
The PT Cruiser and 300C were not great cars when they came out.
Click to expand...
What was a car (especially in comparison to other cars in the size class) in 2001 better than the PT Cruiser?
What was better than the 300C that sweeped North American auto awards and got fairly good press in Europe as well?

SagarisGTB
The Civic is one of the best cars in it's class, which is a very competitive class at that. May not be the best car in the world, but it doesnt like like Honda favoritism to me.
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What did I say about the Civic?

SagarisGTB
The Prius is an exceptional technical and engineering feat. To petrolheads, its not much to desire, but its a good piece of transportation with a look to the environment for many folk.
Click to expand...
If it was the engineering of the car that gave it the win, than the original Prius should have won. But it didn't, so it obviously wasn't the engineering alone. And quite simply, it is not really a very easy car to live with compared to conventional cars. The multiple pages of reasoning behind Motor Trend's choice mostly amounted to "Because it is cool because of technology" and "Its a hybrid."

SagarisGTB
Other publications gave awards to the Prius as well.
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For actual reasons, though, and other publications have different standards of testing as well.

SagarisGTB
Edit: I dont know much about trucks, and I really dont care about them, but from what ive been told, the Ridgeline is great to drive and very comftrable and smartly designed compared to other trucks.
Click to expand...
I agree, but secretly, so YSSMAN doesn't beat me with a stick.
 

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