Mondial 3.2 versus Caddy CTS V-Sport

Of all the various cars I have owned these two are the most alike. Can you believe it! I use three criteria. First is the engine. The CTS has 420 hp out of a 3.6 twin turbo V6. It has a torque curve very similar to the Mondial. Only WAY more of it. In other words you really like it from 4000 rpm to 6,000 rpms.

Then there is the sound. Both cars have engineered exhaust notes. For instance, NO American V-8 ever sounded like the Ferrari. OK, its flat plane crank but how the hell do you get a little V8 to sound like Formula One? Seriously. I have been around V8 engines my entire life.

The Caddy sound is also rather mysterious. It does not sound like anything else I have ever heard. Like BMW it uses the sound system to augment the sound. Unlike BMW it is not a recording, it has mikes around the cabin that then is sent to a sound processor.

Very racy sounding, like the Mondial. But probably does not wake up the entire county like the Mondial seems to do. Judging from the number of cops that show up from time to time on my 12 mile 65 curve well paved and almost deserted back road. Never been stopped yet. Once there were four of them. Once in awhile they lay in wait for the Caddy. But not so much.

Then there are chassis dynamics. In this regard they are almost identical. Including the Caddy ride when set on "Track" which is what I use all the time. The turn in is the same and full power in a curve tucks the nose in a little bit and you sort of feel sling-shotted out of the curve.

The Caddy is really something else. It has the same auto tranny and active differential as the Vette, and the stability control is perfect. I never thought I would ever say THAT! I have been learning how to live with 420 hp and recently did some mild experimention on wet roads to see how the car slides in tight turns of about 40mph.

I deliberately threw the car into a hard right hander and floored it. Entirely calm. First the active differential transferred power to the outside rear wheel. This is critical. I DO NOT have a limited slip differential. A conventional limited slip, like the Ferrari has, will not like the maneuver one little bit. And I am a guy who knows about limited slip differentials on a mid engine Ferrari.

Then the car sensed I was to fast and for just a few micro seconds chopped power and adjusted the direction and I just kept it floored. That floors ME!

I bought this car by accident. I happened upon it advertised in CARMAX which is a fixed price used car dealer. It was the only used CTS V-Sport in the entire country. And at $36,000 fixed price what the hell! The car was in Denver but CARMAX would bring it to Atlanta for less then $500 for a test drive. They screwed that up royal and ended up paying the delivery fee.

Judging the car as a transportation device I have my doubts about all the automation. It took me an entire week to figure out the cruise control. The horn has a life of its own. When I got the car it would lock the doors and honk the horn twice every time I got out of it. And it would honk twice when I got back in.

I figured out how to stop that nonsense, but I have been entirely unsuccessful in making the horn work only when I press the horn button. From time to time it will simply honk. I think it has something to do with the sequence of opening the door, fastening the seat belt pressing on the brake then pressing on the start button in just the right sequence. I was about to cut the wires to the horn. But its now rather rare and is taking on the character of a lovable eccentricity.

The climate control, however, is life threatening. There are no knobs. My MAXX has three knobs and I can adjust all three of them without really taking my eyes off the road. This car has a touch screen that must have been designed by someone who sat in his mother's basement with and Android device. But with less logic. There simply is no safe way to adjust the climate control safely while driving. Period.

And the techno crap goes on and on and on. If I ever bought such a car as this new I would pay $5,000 for a special control package. Three knobs for climate control. A horn that only honks when I press the honk button. AND NOTHING ELSE! Even the damn electric windows suck. Apparently all of them have both express down and express up. Just try to stop one of them half way down. I double dog dare you......