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Mercury, after nearly being introduced to oblivion, was rescued from the void because Ford needs a brand that could be devoted to small cars. The Ford brand, still fighting off oblivion itself, has recently been devoted to fresh, new designs that provide consumers the flair and features they’ve been looking for.
Two of the hitches in those plans are the Mercury Sable and the Taurus X. The Sable, sister of the Ford Taurus, has remained so unloved that even Jill Wagner couldn’t save it (through no fault of her own). In these days of the Flex, Edge and Escape, the Taurus X is a conveyance from the Myocene era. To paraphrase Sesame Street, two of these things are not like the other… and so they are being killed, according to The Detroit News.

Ford hasn’t confirmed the demise of the two cars. However, sales of both are in decline, they fall outside the missions of their respective brands, and Ford is furiously retooling plants and planning new rollouts. In light of all that, the real question might be: why put off until tomorrow…

FPV vs. HSV is basically Australian for “Ford vs. Chevy,” but on steroids. The two performance divisions have elevated the production of the muscle sedan to an art form, with audacious looks and big power ruling the day. It’s as if the original American muscle car era never ended, but got a passport and moved Down Under. Granted, we in the States don’t have much to complain about lately, with Aussie muscle now available in a Pontiac wrapper, as well as the 21st century editions of Camaro, Challenger and Mustang waiting to wreak havoc at stoplights.

Still, the sweetest fruit is that which is forbidden, so you might be interested in the Motoring Channel’s super acronym showdown: FPV GT-P vs. HSV GTS. The FPV is based on the new Ford FG Falcon, which arrived earlier this year, while the HSV’s Holden Zeta platform underpinnings are now a couple years old. Both have V8s, both look evil, and tires break into cold sweats at the mere thought of being mounted on either machine’s rear axle. With these two rides, the differences are such that picking a winner is akin to choosing between porterhouse and prime rib. It’s not as if you’re going to be disappointed either way, but deep down, you do have a preference.

After decades of decay, Cadillac began a transformation in the waning years of the last century that would allow the brand to compete against modern luxury brands. Decrepit beasts like the late Eldorado and Seville were euthanized and, while the decision to switch mostly to alpha-numeric naming was dubious, Cadillac finally started creating cars that could compete directly with the best from Europe and Japan, and the first generation CTS was one of them.

In spite of this progress, the Germans still had something Cadillac lacked, namely AMG, M and RS models. So Cadillac devised the V-Series, the first of which was the 2004 CTS-V. Just as BMW does with the M3 and M5, Audi with the RS4 and RS6 and Mercedes with innumerable AMGs, the CTS-V had a bigger, more powerful engine; beefier brakes and tires; a suspension to match and an upgraded interior. This, however, is an arms race that has yet to subsie in spite of ever higher fuel prices. With BMW, Mercedes and Audi now offering even more powerful engines, Cadillac has stepped up to the plate with an all-new CTS-V and we had a chance to drive it at the even newer Monticello Motor Club in New York. With a new supercharged LSA engine closely related to the LS9 in the Corvette ZR1, the CTS-V makes some big promises.

American automakers started trying to create what they called Euro-sedans way back in the mid-’80s. At the time, they thought a European sedan was nothing more than a de-chromed version of a regular sedan that was stiffly suspended with a little more tire. The result of this thinking was cars like the Chevy Celebrity EuroSport and Pontiac 6000 STE. Needless to say, none of these were competitive with Audi or BMW were offering. Cadillac didn’t even try to compete at back then since it was still selling big Fleetwoods and De Villes. Fast forward two decades and GM has well and truly learned how to build cars that can attack the heart of the German sport sedan segment, as the regular 2008 CTS, which has drawn largely rave reviews since its debut last year, has demonstrated.

We got a close look at the CTS-V in June at the Milford Proving Ground and went for a ride in one so we already knew the car was fast. With 556 horsepower and 551 lb-ft of torque, how could it not be? But many past GM efforts performed well on the controlled surfaces of a proving ground environment but fell flat on their faces in the real world. So before we hit Monticello, we embarked on a 90-minute route from White Plains, NY that took us through a mix of urban stop-and-go, freeways, small towns and some twisty mountain roads.

The driving environment of the CTS-V is largely the same as the standard CTS, but with some upgraded trim like micro-fiber inserts in the seats and around steering wheel that feel rich to the touch and look great. The standard seats are based on those in the standard CTS, but unless you have an extra-wide girth, we recommend opting for the 14-way Recaros – you won’t be sorry. The standard seats are reasonably supportive and comfortable, but the lower cushions are too short. The Recaros have adjustable thigh supports, as well as adjustable everything else.

The CTS-V does transmit more of the road surface to your back-side than the regular sedan. You will not mistake it for one of those floaty, ’80s-era Fleetwoods. Nor is it anything like an early C4 vintage Z51 Corvette. The magnetic ride damping system does a great job of filtering out the unpleasantness while still letting you be aware of what’s passing underneath. Similarly, the audible feedback of the tires and exhaust are louder than a base CTS but far less than a typical aftermarket exhaust system. It’s a nice balance that lets you know you’re driving a serious automobile with very serious sporting pretensions, but that it doesn’t mind getting up and going to work each morning.



Visually, the CTS-V stands out in a crowd more than either its lesser siblings or its predecessor. The big mesh grille now has twice the open area of the previous V, a necessity to flow enough air for the up to seven heat exchangers. The CTS-V is also the first GM car to be equipped with an electric park brake. The base CTS has one of those old school foot operated jobs, but Cadillac engineers wanted more foot room for the manual transmission CTS-V.

The EPB leaves extra room for the dead pedal on which you can rest your left foot when not using the clutch. With 551 lb-ft of twisting force, the clutch needs a lot clamping force. Fortunately, the use of a dual plate clutch like the one in the ZR1 means that your left leg won’t end up being twice the size of your right. The clutch effort is nicely weighted and the travel is well matched to the accelerator and brake.



Once we got to Monticello, there was a briefing from CTS-V lead performance integration engineer Chris Berube. Along with all the technical details about the engine, he gave us a warning about shift points. Showing us the power and torque curves, he noted that most engines reach a power peak somewhere below their maximum rpm. Even without looking at the tach, you can feel the loss of acceleration as you approach the red-line. Such is not the case with the LSA power-curve. It has no peak, rather it just ends at the red-line. If the valve-train and other components could withstand higher sustained speeds, it could make even more than its advertised 556 horsepower. Thus, it’s very easy to hit the CTS-V’s rev-limiter before you know what’s happening. The speedometer and tach have red tracer LEDs that follow the needles as they arc around the dial, and as you approach red-line they start to flash.

This new Monticello track is absolutely astounding. It’s a 4.1-mile, 22-turn natural terrain circuit designed by veteran road racer Brian Redman and track architect Bruce Hawkins. We’ll tell you more about the Monticello Motor Club in a separate post later, but suffice it to say that this was a perfect locale for the debut of the CTS-V. It took some getting used to since none of us had seen the track before, especially since it’s so long, and with 500 feet of elevation change, there are many different types of turns. It’s challenging for drivers of any skill level, especially driving a monster like the CTS-V.

Like the team responsible for the ZR1, the CTS-V crew strove to build a car with immense performance that was at the same time very usable on both the street and track. A driver with less skill can thrash it without getting bitten back at every wrong move. For those with a higher degree of skill, the CTS-V offers a higher ceiling for exploring even greater limits. Switching the stability control system to Competitive mode raises all the thresholds before the system will intervene, which allows you to hang the tail out in a controlled drift before reeling it back in.



Switching the magnetic ride control from Touring to Sport will noticeably reduce body roll. Sport mode is probably a bit too harsh for use every day, unless you live somewhere with really smooth pavement. Ride quality wasn’t an issue on the perfectly contoured pavement of the Monticello track and the stiffer damping allowed the car to respond to our inputs much quicker than in Touring mode.

With a mass nearly 900 lbs more than the ZR1 and considerably less Michelin rubber wrapped around its wheels, the CTS-V could never be expected to be as nimble as the two-seat Chevy. However, any car with this much power that can put it to the ground with no hint of wheel hop or axle tramp is clearly doing something right. Cadillac uses an asymmetric half-shaft setup that has different natural frequencies on each side of the rear axle, which prevents the two wheels from getting into a race condition. Combined with the traction control system that uses signals from the stability control to vector the torque and help turn-in, driving the CTS-V extremely fast comes naturally.

Production of the new CTS-V starts in October and Cadillac hasn’t finalized pricing yet. We’re told to expect a base price of about $60,000 with only a handful of options, but the only option you really need are those Recaro seats. That’s more than $20,000 less than a BMW M5 or a Mercedes-Benz AMG E63 – and the Cadillac is faster than both. For those who crave the supercharged grunt of a ZR1 but regularly need space for more than one passenger, the 2009 CTS-V will get you shockingly close in a remarkably sophisticated package that’s a bargain in this segment.

After decades of decay, Cadillac began a transformation in the waning years of the last century that would allow the brand to compete against modern luxury brands. Decrepit beasts like the late Eldorado and Seville were euthanized and, while the decision to switch mostly to alpha-numeric naming was dubious, Cadillac finally started creating cars that could compete directly with the best from Europe and Japan, and the first generation CTS was one of them.

In spite of this progress, the Germans still had something Cadillac lacked, namely AMG, M and RS models. So Cadillac devised the V-Series, the first of which was the 2004 CTS-V. Just as BMW does with the M3 and M5, Audi with the RS4 and RS6 and Mercedes with innumerable AMGs, the CTS-V had a bigger, more powerful engine; beefier brakes and tires; a suspension to match and an upgraded interior. This, however, is an arms race that has yet to subsie in spite of ever higher fuel prices. With BMW, Mercedes and Audi now offering even more powerful engines, Cadillac has stepped up to the plate with an all-new CTS-V and we had a chance to drive it at the even newer Monticello Motor Club in New York. With a new supercharged LSA engine closely related to the LS9 in the Corvette ZR1, the CTS-V makes some big promises. Read on after the jump to see if it delivers.

Remember when Superman chose to relinquish his super powers for love in the Man of Steel’s first sequel? Without that ‘S’ on his chest, Clark Kent quickly got the crap kicked out of him by a truck driver. If the 2009 Acura RL (right) with its giant shield grille is Superman, then the Euro-only 2009 Honda Legend is surely Clark Kent. So many people have decried the new shield grille that we thought it’d be interesting to gauge reaction to the new Legend, which is basically the same car as the RL without the Acura overtones. To our eyes the Legend’s new face is as boring and uninteresting as Acura’s new grille is obnoxious, which truly does it make it the Clark Kent of cars.

While work is reportedly be done on developing a cabrio version of the Lexus IS and a lighter-weight version of the fire breathing IS-F, the IS 250 and 350 need some attention too. They’re receiving mild updates for the 2009 model year, images of which have found their way onto the web. Though not expected to officially bow until the Paris Motor Show in October, the ‘09 IS will be sporting an ever so slightly revised front end, new side mirrors with turn signal indicators, redesigned taillamps with integrated L-shaped reverse lights and a new wheel design. In true Lexus tradition, the exterior changes are about as minimal as they get and require close comparison with an ‘08 model to appreciate. We can see that the front bumper, lower air intakes and fog lights have been softened, but that’s about it. While we don’t know anything official about mechanical changes, Carscoop reports that a revised electronic stability control system will be part of the ‘09 package.

Choosing them for their portrayed image of “strength and power,” officials in Kuwait have ordered 150 Dodge Chargers to be modified as police vehicles. As the Charger is the leading volume vehicle for Chrysler LLC in the Middle East, the choice doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Delivery of the cop cars, however, isn’t expected to take place for another couple months. In the meantime, the lot of them are heading to Canfield Equipment Service in Michigan where they’ll be fitted for their new Kuwaiti roles in traffic, security, and emergency response. (Here’s hoping none of our readers get a chance to check them out from the back seat once they’re in service).

Mazda has confirmed its Paris Motor Show lineup, which will be led by the Kiyora concept, a water-themed, Nagare-styled city car built on a new platform that features a “next generation” direct-injected four-banger. No additional details have been relayed at this time, other than it’s supposed to be lightweight and efficient, in keeping with Mazda’s “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom” approach. (As an aside, you should know that it’s quite amusing to watch grown adults actually say this stuff with a straight face at press conferences.) Also officially confirmed now is the updated MX-5, complete with the new happy face that hit the web on Wednesday. It’s joined by the Mazda6 MZR-CD 2.2L diesel and the Mazda2 MZ-CD 1.6L diesel, both of which are also world premieres. As always, we’ll be in Paris to bring it to you live next month.

A Saab owner attending the 2008 Saab Owner’s Convention requested a recap of the happenings at Trollhattan Saab (which we thinking was defunct, but if not, we are glad it is back). One of the many noteworthy happenings was somewhat on that he barely commented: a sketch of the new 9-5. Saab has continued threatening for a additonally to embark on incorporating Aero X cues to its vehicles, and such a would be it.

The text close to the car argues it plans to suffer “aircraft heritage,” “fuselage bodysides,” a “wraparound winshield,” and a “grille inspired by a J21.” We come to find the J21 bit and the fuselage sides a stretch, but it is nonetheless a great appearing place to start. The sketch moreover guidelines who the tech in the new 9-5 is currently making expended in the Turbo X.

While further Saabs are projected to be downsizing, the 9-5 would so much substantiate from the time of it is rooted on the Epsilon II platform along providing the Opel Insignia and next-gen versions of the Saturn Aura and Chevy Malibu. The car’s engine ought to be shrinking, though, lower to a 1.6-liter turbocharged unit. And were able to that be the Saab too Wagoner claimed may be constructed in North America?

“You guys are obsessed with rear wheel drive,” Alan Mulally mused to the Australian press after a browbeating about which pair of wheels might propel the Falcon into the future. Try as they might, the Ford Chief would not be pinned down about the chassis architecture of future Falcons, saying only that the choice would be customer driven, and plugging front and all-wheel drive vehicles as “pretty spectacular.”

Mulally is right that Ford’s global push to put exceptional small cars in showrooms is what the automaker’s focus is and should be. The Falcon has long fallen off its sales peak from the halcyon days of two decades ago, and while Mulally agrees that it’s “an absolutely dynamite vehicle,” small cars in the future will prop up the more niche-y vehicles like the FG Falcon. Mulally went on to say that Australia will serve as an engineering and product development outpost for Ford, and the big-vehicle prowess in Oz will be useful regardless of layout. As Ford pulls its global platforms together, the Ranger and Focus will come at us from Australia, too.