rx8wannahave

You would have never thought a Caddy could be what this car is. I'm not into Cadillac's but it looks tough, has 400HP...and can fight with Merc & BMW for sure.

What do you guys think? If I could afford one...because it's American, I think I would rather have it than the BMW M5 (which is another great car).

It looks very TOUGH...WOW!

XeRo

just about like every other American torque monster...fast of the line until you have to turn...

PoorCollegeKid

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the Caddy's overall performance numbers. An abused CTS-V with a slipping clutch and overheating problems actually beat an M5 around a track and trailed an M3 by less than a second (the total lap time was in the 1:20 - 1:30 range). Here is the link to the article, if you feel like reading it.

Japan8

Ask Tony Orlando about them... he should know a lot.

rx8wannahave

Tony Orlando?

I agree with Poorcollegekid, I heard it can handle very well...

TownDrunk

I was lucky to drive one at Caddy's Drive Summit this past summer on the runways at El Toro MCAS. The drive started with a dragstrip, then a road course (like an autocross). The car launches like a rocket. I was doing 100 well before I had to hit the brakes which certainly push you into your seatbelt when hammered. Around the roadcourse the Caddy turns well, responds well, and has loads of grip.

If there was one thing I would say it lacks is good transitional confidence (like through a slalom). The car feels heavy (because it is), but maybe that's because I had just jumped out of my '8 only an hour before hand. That's not to say the Caddy leans excessively, or got all loose. It's just to say that it felt heavy. I feel the handling was on par with the '8, except that I feel more confident in the '8 when it comes to flogging the car back and forth. I never once got the rear loose, nor did get much understeer. They did a very nice job with that car.

Oh. One gripe. The brake pedal sticks out so far compared to the gas pedal that heel-toeing is difficult.

epitrochoid

it's still utterly disgusting looking, that grille is terrible.

cadillac and the rest of the detriot companies need to quit ripping off the germans.

Icemastr

Yeah American cars suck at handling, that is why the fastest production car in the SCCA's fastest stock class (SS) is not american, the corvette.

shigginsrx8

The vette is faster than the 911 turbo/gt2 vipers??
I wouldn't have expected that

Icemastr

http://www.scca.org/_Filelibrary/Fil...oNationals.pdf

Stock Category, Super Stock results for Nationals in 2003.

Congrats to Elena and Sandro Rosa for being the only non-vette drivers to place :D

shigginsrx8

Well the question has to be asked, how many other cars compete??

Icemastr

These are the cars in Super Stock:

Super Stock
SS Chevrolet Corvette C5 ('97+)
SS Dodge Viper R/T, GTS Viper SRT-10
SS Lotus Elise ('05+) Esprit Turbo
SS Mazda RX-7 Turbo ('93+)
SS Porsche 911 (996 chassis) ('98+) 911 Turbo, 930 (2WD)

And AS, the class below

AS Acura NSX
AS Audi S4 V8 ('04+)
AS BMW M Coupe and Roadster ('01+) M3 (E46) M5 ('00+)
AS Cadillac CTS-V
AS Chevrolet Camaro SS ('96) Corvette C4 ('84-'96) Corvette ZR-1
AS DeTomaso Mangusta Pantera
AS Ford Mustang Cobra SVT ('03+)
AS Honda S2000 ('04+)
AS Jaguar XKR Coupe
AS Maserati GranSport, Spyder, Coupe ('02+)
AS Mercedes E55 AMG SLK32 AMG ('02+)
AS Mitsubishi Evolution RS Evolution VIII ('03+)
AS Pontiac Firebird WS6 ('96+)
AS Porsche 911 (993 chassis) non-turbo ('95-'98) Boxster S
AS Saleen Mustang (normally aspirated)
AS Shelby Cobra (all)
AS Subaru WRX Sti
AS Toyota Supra Turbo ('93 1/2+)

And the class the RX-8 is in:
B Stock
BS Audi TT (225hp, dual intercoolers) incl. ALMS Coupe TT 3.2
BS BMW 330 with ZHP, all M Coupe and Roadster ('96-'00) M3 (E30)
BS M3 (E36) Z3 6 cyl NOC Z4
BS Chevrolet Corvette ('63-'82)
BS Chrysler Prowler
BS Ferrari 308, 328
BS Honda S2000
BS Infiniti G35 Coupe
BS Jaguar S-type R XKE (6- and 12-cyl)
BS Lotus Elan RWD Esprit Europa Twin Cam
BS Europa, Renault engine
BS Maserati Biturbo
BS Mazda RX-7 Turbo ('87-'91) RX-8
BS Mazdaspeed Miata
BS Mercedes SLK
BS Morgan Plus 8
BS Nissan 300ZX Turbo ('90+) 350Z
BS Plymouth Prowler
BS Porsche 356, Carrera 4 cam 911, Club Sport 911, non-turbo, NOC
BS 914/6 928 (all) 944 (16V)
BS 944 Turbo (all) 968 Boxster non-S
BS Carrera 2, Carrera 4 (964 chassis)
BS TVR 8 cyl and V6
BS Toyota MR-2 Turbo

How many cars compete in this? Considering its the easiest type of racing to get into and be competitive with a purely stock street car, a lot.

shigginsrx8

yeah, I found that. But how many 911's and viper's actually compete.

Kari

If people can afford a brand new corvette Z06 and spend a lot of time and money racing it on the national level would you think they might also be able to afford running a Viper or 911 Turbo? Also the 93+ RX-7 and the Lotus Elise are both less expensive cars than the Z06 (although elise has just arrived so next year we will see how they do) Whenever new models come out or the rules change there are some of the top level racers who purchase the cars they feel will be the most competitive, while others wait and see which cars shows the most domination (as is happening with the RX-8 and BS right now since the S2000 might be moving up). So in answer to your question there are people with 911 turbos and dodge vipers who compete, and if either of these cars was able to beat the Corvette at these events don't you think one of the top level racers would purchase one and at least make it into the placings?

shigginsrx8

No. I wouldn't. I would much rather take a vette to the track and have everyone do the same thing, then have to buy a car that costs 2-4 times as much. I am pretty sure if someone dropped the money for a GT2 they would stomp the vettes, but you could buy 4 vettes for that money. I wouldn't feel to good smashing my 200K car into the wall, but a vette would be okay.

I am not argueing the performace of the vettes, I'm just wondering.

Icemastr

What I was trying to say was not that the Corvette is god's gift to man but that it can handle, and it is in the top class for stock cars in the SCCA, its in the class ABOVE the NSX, M3, M Coupe, Subaru WRX STi, Lancer Evolution 8, 93+ Supra Turbo, Porsche Boxter S, Honda S2000. Would you consider those good handling cars?

shigginsrx8

no no, I understood what you were saying. I was just suprised to see that there were basically none of the other cars in the rankings. I wasn't sure if that was because people didn't drive them, or they just aren't as good.

Icemastr

I think a little bit of both. The Porsche 911 Turbos and Dodge Viper's aren't exactly all over the place, I have seen people racing them though. A lot of the people that race these cars usually compete in club racing though, wheel to wheel or pro events. If they were even significantly better than the Corvette Z06 though I would expect there to be at least a few at nationals.

shigginsrx8

You seem fairly knowledgable about this, would a 911 GT3 fall in ths SS category. I couldn't find specific mention of the car, the closet being their 911 (996 chassis) specification?

Ike

GT2 and GT3 is in ASP (A Street Prepared). Most people that show up at nationals are a bunch of frontrunners, if the Viper, FD, or 996 were a better car in SS you can be sure there would be some if not a lot of them at Nationals. The Elise, 997, and the C6 will put the Z06 to the test this coming year, it should be an interesting season.

shigginsrx8

hmmm, how does the GT3 fair in the ASP class. I am looking at the results that Icemastr posted and there doesn't appear to be any in the rankings, mostly vettes again 97+. Are the cars tuned in any way?? I can't find the info on ASP, only BSP and OSP?

I would appreciate some help, thanks!

EDIT nm, i found some info and am sifting through it :D

shigginsrx8

Well, I don't get the difference in the rules from street to stock prepared. Why put the GT3 in street prepared when it comes from factory as is? why not put the Z06 in street prepared instead of stock?

damn, I am just being lazy. I should order this rules book, will they change it for '05 much? should I wait till then to order. I will need it for next summer I guess.

Ike

These sites are pretty up to date. But BS and AS will have quite a few changes for '05 (just the cars, not the rules), you don't see any GT3s because those results are from a couple years ago.



Here's some good links for those just getting started.

Great site w/ tips on getting started, other links:

http://www.autocross.com/

Jerry Mouton's site, nice for determining class and allowances:

http://www.moutons.org/sccasolo/

SCCA's site- classes, region's, other good stuff:

http://www.moutons.org/sccasolo/


Enjoy

shigginsrx8

DOH, well I hope they are competitive, thanks for the sites

Rxdriftingaction

m5.... yaho.!!!! O I don't like it.. even is a great car.. but it just looks too huge to me..!! m3 is way better.. ha