Author Archives: bwnunnally

About bwnunnally

Bruce Nunnally is an independent Blogger who writes Cadillac Conversations on all things Cadillac. Connect with Bruce on Google+

Roadtrip Dec 2009 Texas to Carolina

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Got up around 5:30 am to rouse the family and start off on our drive from our place in Texas north of Dallas to Georgetown, South Carolina to visit my Wife’s family.  We got going just after 7 am.

2005 Cadillac CTS shivering in the dark pre-trip

After having made this 1,167 mile trip several times, our current method is to get up early, stop every 2 hours or so on the way, but try to just keep driving until we get there.   18.5 hours of Cadillac fun.

Bruce enroute

Our participants this year were Wife1 with pillow, iPhone, and books to read, and Son2 with pillow, blanket, portable DVD player, CDs, and books to read.  Son2 was listed as an alternate driver, but did not get called in.

Scenery flowing past

Stats: for the trip the CTS got 26.9 mpg.  Our average travel speed was 70+ mph depending on traffic.  Our average ‘achieved’ speed with stops for fuel, meals, rest breaks was 63 mph or so.

Hey, there are trees here!

Luckily we had terrific weather all the way.  No rain, no ice, no issues.  I was concerned watching the weather before the trip, but it all mellowed out for our route.

As always, the Cadillac CTS made an excellent touring car.  Good performance for high speed cruising when needed, good fuel economy, good space for our luggage and accessories.

CTS at Destination

We arrived with little drama around 2:30 am and got the CTS unpacked.

Brunch at the beach front over looking the surf just after noon was perfect.  Sorry no photos of that.

Caddyinfo Twitter Updates for 2009-12-26

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  • 'Elves' keep Santa's cash mission alive – LA Daily News: http://bit.ly/7sw5np "Cadillac Santa" tradition of helping the poor #
  • Had no problem getting to church Christmas Eve on icy roads in our 2005 Cadillac CTS. Transmission in snow mode and the CTS did great. #
  • Valley Automall treats foster teens to day of fun – Drive – ReviewJournal.com: http://bit.ly/6KtktX Foster Teens Holiday Celebration #
  • @getsweetie Merry Christmas. Stay warm. in reply to getsweetie #
  • @cbaccus thanks for the RT. Don't know if GM would want to make enough LS9s but it would be a fun upgrade in the CTS-V. Cute kiddo. in reply to cbaccus #
  • @cbaccus True. Mix in 5-10K Converj's and that avgs out with the V-series. Missing a CTS Hybrid I think, but Sales have to drive. in reply to cbaccus #

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Re: 2011 BMW M5 with Twin-Turbocharged V8 – Carscoop

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Carscoop.com has a nice write-up and spy shots on the upcoming BMW M5 update: SPY SHOTS: 2011 BMW M5 with Twin-Turbocharged V8 – Carscoop.

Basically BMW is pumping up the horsepower to try to match the Cadillac CTS-V’s performance.  Testing at the Nurburgring (unreleased times), the next M5 is rumored to use the engine out of the BMW SUVs, a 4.4L Turbocharged V8.  In the BMW X5M and X6M SUVs, the bi-turbocharged V8 produces an output of 555 hp at 6,000 rpm and 501-lbs/ft of peak torque at 1500-5600 rpm.  Very close to the numbers that the mighty 6.2L Supercharged LSA engine in the super sedan CTS-V makes, at 556 hp at 6100 rpm and 551 lb-ft of torque at 3800 rpm.

The whole reason that Cadillac began testing at the Nurburgring with the development of the original 1st generation CTS in 2002 (released in 2003) is that it is one of the ‘home’ tracks for BMW, Mercedes, and Porsche.  Had to be hard for BMW to see the Cadillac CTS-V sedan set a lap time at the ‘Ring in stock production form & tires that none of the BMW sedans could match.

It is a shame that the BMW M5 is losing its current V10 engine.  I understand that such a large, heavy sedan needs an powerplant with more torque, but the BMW M5 at the Cadillac CTS-V Challenge made a nice sound raging down the straight.  I like V-10s, V-12s, and V-16s and wish there were more in production.

2010 6.2L V8 SC LSA LoR

Remains to be seen if the new BMW M5 will just be a ‘catch-up’ effort, or if Cadillac will need to turn the volume on the CTS-V up to ’11’ by putting the hand-built LS9 engine from the Corvette ZR1 in their flagship sedan.  That engine makes 638 hp at 6500 rpm, and 604 ft-lb at 3800 rpm.  Besides a larger supercharger, it has forged internals and other go-fast aids.

Competition is good; it improves the breed.  Nobody is better at a HP race than GM, if no holds are barred and power adders & displacement are allowed.

As I mentioned on Twitter, the CTS-V Sport Wagon may actually corner better than the Sedan, because of the weight distribution although at the cost of another 200 lbs.  It will be really fun to see the CTS-V Sport Wagon put up an amazing time at the Nurburgring.