Car and Driver Comparison

[bowtie_dude]

Comparison Test Review: 2006 BMW 650i vs. 2006 Cadillac XLR-V vs. 2007 Jaguar XK vs. 2007 Mercedes-Benz SL550 vs. 2006 Porsche 911 Carrera

Article

They placed the XLR-V last, and though at first I said "Figures ," in that group of cars, the XLR-V simply doesn't cut it. The Caddy isn't a bad car, but in a group of those kind of peers the car needs a better interior and better all-around refinement. The only problem I had with the review is C&D's typically snide attitude towards domestics which they can't seem to get rid of, even when the car is outstanding in its own right.

Thoughts?

[capriceman]

I used that page for toliet paper.

[tmp]

I'm not even going to give them the page views.

[jbartley]

It's a crap-taculous review. They complain about the caddy's price, but it is the biggest and lightest in the bunch. I don't see how the jaguar which has a crappier engine, is slower, and has dubious build quality beats an XLR-V.

If they wanted to do this correctly, it would be:

SL 55 amg, xlr-v, and the porshe

the jaguar and 6-series are not needed, as they are 4 seaters, and if you are going to compare them, at least compare ALL high performance models, not just one and then rip on it's price.

[FAPTurbo]

I used that page for toliet paper.

169501[/snapback]

That's not a bad idea. I got a big one brewin' .

Maybe I'll pick myself up a copy.

[speedy_2]

I used to have a subscription to C&D until they went European biased with everything.

[GMman]

I've been engaged a discussion about this very article over on the Buick Concept/Future models forum. I tend to believe that C&D, as well as MT have biases toward many foreign makes. I have subscribed to both for around 17 years and have come to that conclusion over a period of many years....

Their "VERDICT" is very telling...I quote: "A good choice if you MUST be seen in a domestic vehicle."

That would describe me.

I don't like the car getting marked down for such subjective catagories as: questionable styling. In addition, the "attenuated driver involvement" thing gripes me too. These writers are looking for a very specific kind of car driving experience. They apply those same expectations to every vehicle they "test" which means that when a Cadillac is "isolated" that is bad or when a truck drives like a truck, that is bad. I suspect most Cadillac buyers like isolation (as do Lexus buyers) because of the "luxury" portion of this equation. If they don't want "isolation", they buy a Corvette. These are the same people who repeatedly state they "don't get" SUVs. I consider myself someone who appreciates a vehicle for what it's designed to do. I admit, I've never driven the XLR, but based on other reviews of it and the reviews the Corvette earns, it's sad, but not suprising, to see the XLR at the bottom of the list.

[HarleyEarl]

Most cars are so good now, that it's almost meaningless to have these comparos. The testers have to resort to nitpicking.

The Cadillac XLR-V is a perfectly credible luxury droptop and does not need to apologize for anything.

I wonder if the customer looking for this type of car reads up on it first. Are they as consumer driven as someone say, buying an Ion?

Edited July 30, 2006 by HarleyEarl

[razoredge]

OK, I reluctantly am reading this artical. So as I go heres what Im hearing

"The car is numb", "tailhappy" yet it achieved the second fastest lane change speed.

Its brakes are "wooden"............ Well hell we all know what wooden brakes feel like............remember the old horse and carraige with wooden brakes.......... I think their fimiliarity with wood centers around the left or right hand. Now is that Oak or Pine ? Old growth or regrowth.........."hell we dont know its just wooden, got it? wooden! "

Imagine that someone over 6 foot tall finds a two seat roadsters........"accommodations on the tight side"

that wire mesh grill is awsome ! I wonder what these same guys said about the "waffle iron" grill on the 300 ? What about the Jag still haveing the same oval grill they've had since the 50's only with a Chevrolet chrome bar ? Or how about the Porsche looking vaguely different from its origional..........."oh wow, looky looky its another 911 Porsche.............how bout another one just like the other one ? How about the grill on that Benz..........sure looks an awful lot like the louverd grill on the standard CTS/XLR.........I of course realize that thingy in the middle makes it priceless, then the Beamer oh yes............how bout another one just like the other one.

I will concede that the interior on the Caddy needed to be better styled, some things about GM I just dont get, considering the interior styling of the Auroras, even my old LSS, the 63 Riviera, the 96 Riviera and some of the concept cars we have seen. Whats with this squared of choppy crap more resembling that of the 84 Fiero ?

So its high price "confined it to fifth place" disregarding its retractabe hardtop, standard heads up, "brilliant dynamics provided by StabiliTrak", is "easily the quickest car here", all that plus " smooth and tranquil freeway cruise"............................................... sounds like a dead last finisher to me whatchall tink ?..................................

I cant continue, it will just be too sickening to hear them slobber all over that Benz and Beemer. Do these guys ever get up off their knees or do they just gulp, gulp, gulp ?

See they just didnt have a choice, no way could they put a Caddy ahead of a Beamer and they just werent impressed with the Beemer so there simply was nothing left to do to save face in light of all things important. After all priorities are priorities.

yeehaw Im a car test pilot

[njtex]

"See they just didnt have a choice, no way could they put a Caddy ahead of a Beamer and they just werent impressed with the Beemer so there simply was nothing left to do to save face in light of all things important. After all priorities are priorities."

What didn't they like about the 650? It's the only one of these cars that I have driven and I didn't like it either. I was amazed at how much of a boat the 650 turned out to be. It's just not at all like the BMW's of old. It's a cruiser and not a "driving machine" in my opinion anyway.

[chevelle454]

C & D sucks. In the test of the Z06 vs Porsche vs Ferrari. The Z06 comes in last of course, even though it costs less then half of the others and out performs them on everything. MORONS!

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

"A good choice if you MUST be seen in a domestic car"

Says it all.....

Both their arrogant bias and their agenda...

"Long term asthetic appreciation" ?!?!?!?!?!?! WTF is this?!??!?! The Charmin ultra convention or something?!?!?!?!

Are ALL of Car & Drivers writers LADIES now?!?!?!?!

And they pan it for it's styling.... Well, not everyone likes the 'open mouth SALMON mounted on the wall' look of the XK either... Or the "Bangled, plastic, Buick novelty spare tire trunk" look of the BMW either...

Okay, I get it.... Now the domestics have to LOOK a certain way to gain approval now too?!?!?!?!?

Because the car is smooth and refined, it's "numb" ?!?!?!

Then at the end, they credit it's peer with making it look bad... The same way they creditied the G6 convertibles peers with making it look good.... Placing blame... Not cool C&D..

Oh well, GM will sell all they make and at a healthy profit too.. Things are looking up, SCREW Car & Driver and the FEW yuppies who are DUMB enough not to see their BLATANT BIAS and AGENDA to ruin GM & Ford.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

P.S.

I still can't believe that the MUCH HERALDED styling is a detractor....

Plus, the Jag is a domestic too..... Are they too dumb to realize that?!?!?!

[FAPTurbo]

To be honest, unless the styling is SO awkward (think Kia Amanti) or directly and greatly interferes with the driving experience (Blind spots, etc), it should not be commented on. The way a car looks is subjective.

People make Bangle Butt comments, but I've met people that actually like it. People hate the Chrysler 300, others love it. In an informal place like this, I figure we can say what we want about styling, but in a automotive review, well, they should leave the styling to the reader.

[tmp]

well, I've driven the XLR and the SL500 back-to-back on a track. I'm not a "professional" auto writer like the kids at C-D, but my impressions were more favorable towards the Cadillac on handling: the brakes, acceleration and steering on the Benz seemed to be half a tick off between turn-of-the-wheel and turn of the tires, etc. I'm 6'2" with a 34" inseam. The XLR is a tight fit, the Benz is more expansive. The Benz has incrementally nicer materials (very slightly) but the Benz dash layout is goofy looking and the ergonomics aren't as good (and I'm sorry CoMand sucks). I think the XLR looks great, but a little unfinished at the airdam, and the Benz is festooned with those freaking plastic gills all over the place that C&D would have a field day ripping if GM dared to put them on the G6

[bcs296]

Has anyone who subscribes to Motor Trend read their one-on-one comparison of the XLR-V vs SL550?

I have to give MT credit here; they gave a MUCH, MUCH fairer and non-biased review.

Conclusions were that the XLR's styling, performance, and sound system trumped the Benz.

On the other hand, the SL was more composed with the top down, had less ergonomic issues, and handled slightly better. Of course, this is one area that has irked me since the XLR came out. Due to the incredibly narrow tires that Caddy insists on equipping the XLRs with, it is always outperformed in the twisties which is just a crime considering the Vette chassis that lies underneath.

In the end, they gave first place to the SL but stated that when it comes to the two of them, each attracts a different buyer. Old money people wanting to fit in will go for the Benz; Younger buyers who rate performance as a higher priority and want to be uniquely different will go for the XLR.

Edited July 31, 2006 by bcs296

[Cadillacfan]

I wasn't expecting much from this article. It doesn't matter how nice the car is, Car & Driver will find something wrong with it if it's made by a US company.

I love this line about the BMW:

We thought it odd-looking with the top down and arguably ugly with the finned top up. All things considered, the BMW 650i is lucky it didn’t finish fifth.

So, they pretty much came out and said that the BMW stayed out of last place not because it's better, but because it's a BMW. Throughout the article, they kept giving the car excuses. Meanwhile, the Cadillac receives none.

[GMman]

I wasn't expecting much from this article.  It doesn't matter how nice the car is, Car & Driver will find something wrong with it if it's made by a US company.

I love this line about the BMW:

So, they pretty much came out and said that the BMW stayed out of last place not because it's better, but because it's a BMW.  Throughout the article, they kept giving the car excuses.  Meanwhile, the Cadillac receives none.

174315[/snapback]

Ya know, that's a great point. I agree that C&D (and MT) is biased about their ranking/reporting, but I didn't come to that conclusion from just this article. This stuff has been going on for years. We just have to take it for what it's worth....(good photos).....