What makes a really great car great? When I think of the cars I have owned that I really loved, they were not perfect. They were not the fastest cars of their times, or the best handlers, or the most luxurious cars available. So what was it that made them great to me?

First, I think a ‘fun’ car needs to at least have a sun roof, if not a removable / targa type roof or be a convertible.

Most of the ‘fun’ cars I have owned were manual transmission. I am not sure that this is mandatory, but I think it may be. Although modern automatics are almost psychic about when to shift, nothing give you right now acceleration and control like a manual transmission. Also, modern selectable gear automatics may give similar control; not sure yet.

Finally, it strikes me that the cars I have loved had little else in common. They may have been reliable or not, they may have been expensive or not. They were however each unique in their own way, and long-lasting in that I *wanted* to continue driving them for a long time because I enjoyed driving them. And when it comes to cars, that’s what it is all about.

Among the current production Cadillacs which are the most collectible?    I think there are very obvious choices, like the XLR-V and STS-V.    The XLR and XLR-V because of their very low production numbers and hardtop convertible are naturals for collectors.  The STS-V is my personal pick for most underappreciated vehicle Cadillac makes today.  With a supercharged, 4.4L Northstar making 469hp, it is a jewel of a vehicle.  Think professional athelete in a finely tailored Italian suit. 

The new 556hp CTS-V will likewise be a very collectible car when we look back a decade or two down the road.  Power, handling, looks, luxury, it has it all.  But I think the STS-V or the XLR-V would be my picks for most overlooked and most likely to be treasured a decade from now.

 To me that is one of the interesting facets of collector cars — sometimes it is just finally having the ability to own a car you lusted after as a teen or young adult.  But other times I think it is the ability to appreciate a car that does a really excellent job of the task it was designed for.  And to me, the STS-V meets that criteria best.  It is an executive sedan with huge power, exquisite manners, and no compromises.

This is a blog hosted on Caddyinfo.com to keep notes on site changes, news, etc. I think it will replace the main ‘landing’ page on the site once it has the right style etc.