It’s the comparison that started in 2009: The Cadillac CTS-V versus the then amazing BMW M5.
With a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 making 556 hp and 550 lb-ft of torque, the Cadillac CTS-V could easily trample on the E60 BMW M5’s 5.0-liter V10 with a measly 500 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque (measly by no real standard, just that it had less than the CTS-V). And in fact, it indeed did.
A Road & Track piece at the then not-yet-completed Monticello Motor Club in New York told an all-new story we’d never seen: the M5 lost (barely. But lost) to a new challenger. One that hailed from Detroit that turned corners very quickly, oh, and just so happened to go real fast in a straight line.
The older E60 BMW M5 certainly had trouble keeping up with the new hot standard from Cadillac. Now, however, we have a totally new M5 based on the current F10 5-Series.
Both cars look rather equal on paper, but how comparable will they be once they hit the drag strips and road courses? For that, we’ll have to wait and see. We won’t see the M5 on our shores until next spring. European car mags will begin testing the hot sedan probably starting late summer to early fall.
Here is a spec to spec comparison between both cars:
2011 Cadillac CTS-V
- 6.2-liter/376 cu-in. supercharged V8
- 556 horsepower at 6100 RPM
- 551 lb-ft of torque at 3800 RPM
- 6-speed manual or old-school automatic
- 4,222 (manual)/4,255 (auto) lbs
- 0-60: 3.9 seconds
- MSRP (after gas tax & destination fee): $63,235
- Sedan, coupe and potentially convertible, available
- 7.6 lbs/hp
- The 6.2-liter V8 used is a derivative of the 638 hp ZR1 motor
- Compression ratio 9.1:1
- Limited-slip differential standard on all models
- Brembo 6 piston calipers up front with 4 pistons in the rear with vented rotors
- Brake size front/rear: 15 in/14.7 in
- Tires front/rear: 255/40 R19 – 285/35 R19
- 113.4 inch wheelbase
- Trunk capacity: 13.6 cubic feet
- Suspension front: independent SLA; 29-mm hollow stabilizer bar; elastomeric handling and ride bushings; 65-N/mm spring rate; Magnetic Ride Control with electro-magnetically controlled shocks
- Suspension rear: independent SLA; 25.4-mm solid stabilizer bar; elastomeric trailing arm bushing; 90-N/mm spring rate; Magnetic Ride Control with electro-magnetically controlled shocks
2012 BMW M5
- 4.4-liter/268 cu-in. “TwinPower Turbo” V8
- 560 hp at 5750 RPM
- 502 lb-ft of torque at 1500 RPM
- 6-speed manual or 7-speed M-DCT
- Est. weight: 4100-4300 lbs
- 7.3 lb/hp
- BMW 0-62: 4.4 seconds/RawAutos 0-60 est.: 3.5-3.7 seconds
- Est. MSRP: $105,000
- Sedan only
- The engine on the 2012 M5 has a twin-scroll single turbocharger, which BMW calls TwinPower
- Compression ratio 10.0:1
- M Differential linking to Integrated Chassis Management (ICM)
- 6 piston front and rear brake calipers with vented and cross-drilled rotors
- Brake size front/rear: 15.7 in/15.6 in
- Tires front/rear: 265/40 R19 – 295/35 R19
- 116.7 inch wheelbase
- Trunk capacity: 18.4 cubic feet
- Suspension front: Double track control arm with M-specific elastokinematics, small, negative steering roll radius, anti-dive
- Suspension rear: Integral-V multi-arm axle with M-specific elastokinematics, spatial suspension with anti-squat and anti-dive
- The BMW M5 will also come with power regenerative braking, one of the first non-hybrid/electric cars to do so, as well as auto start/stop, and reduced rolling resistant tires
Those are the numbers. Looking about equal, right? I do believe the BMW M5, with its newer and more advanced technologies, will have the initial jump on the CTS-V until the next CTS-V comes out to play.
Now let’s take a look at some pictures, shall we?
Head on over to the RawAutos forum to discuss/debate this topic of the Cadillac CTS-V versus the BMW M5 further. C’mon, it’ll be fun!
