Probably A Strange Comparison ... Nontheless Let's Talk
 

To start I am a big fan of performance wagons, yes I said wagons. So knowing that those of us in the US are performance wagon impaired I have a strange request, yes I searched but have not found these vechicles compared. If the M5 Touring, Audi RS6 Avant, or even the RS4 Avant were available in the US I would not be asking this but they aren't so here goes; my choices for my next car are the X5M and the Cadillac CTS-V Wagon.

I know this is BMW forum and I expect the BMW bias but on paper these seem to be in the same ballpark. From a performance perspective they have similar power, the Cadillac has a bit more torque, the skid pad numbers are similar, the 0-60 times are similar, the braking is similar (actually remarkable for the X5M), the cubic feet for transport is a bit better for the X5M, but they really seem to be very similar. There are a few very clear differences though, the Cadillac can be had with a manual transmission, it is after-all a car not a SAV, and it is about $21K less expensive.

So you know I have had an e39 M5, an e92 M3, and currently have an e70 X5 35d so I am a BMW fan but the Cadillac has peaked my interest. Any comments or insight would be appreciated.

Thanks.

I sat in CTS-V and found it to be incredibly small particularly in the back seat. Also numbers aside, it is not the same built car as BMW>>GM. Now if you could get RS6 Avant that would be a different story.

Completely agree. I am having a hard time with the looks of the CTS-V, it seems just a little too in-your-face or boy racer. Also agree the fit and finish is just not on a level playing field, do you remember looking at the headliner?

On a side note I know of two RS6 Avants in the US; one was imported through Mexico and lives in CA, the other lives in NY and I don't know how that one came to be here. Ah, if only money was no object!

You want a fast wagon.
E63 AMG wagon!

You cannot compare a caddy to a BMW.

I bought my first Caddy a few years ago because I wanted a replacement for my QX. I picked up a brand new Escalade EXT. What a total POS.
It doesnt even have bluetooth??? You have to use the Onstar phone with a different number then your regular cell???? It was slower then the QX, it rode like crap with the factory overweighted 22 wheels. and the front struts kept blowing out. But the last straw was the piston slap when the engine was started on a cold day. They first swapped lifters. Then they swapped engine.
I lemon lawed the junker and GM settled with a check for 5k to me(they settled with the lawyers)
I traded the junker in for my E63 and went a bought a new QX for a winter/tow vehicle

I will never buy another caddy. I do not care if the CTSv come out with a twin turbo'ed 1000HP powerplant. It will still be junk

I would have included the E63 Wagon in my original post but the last year it was available in the US was 2009. So yes I could by a used one but that was never really a consideration.

As to quality of GM products, yes I agree that build quality, fit and finish are something less than BMW. But let's also agree that there have been plenty of BMWs that have been lemoned.

It will probably come as no surprise but I will most likely end up ordering a new X5M in the coming months.

I am still curious if anyone on the board has owned or spent some substantial time in a CTS-V.

I say ditch the wagon idea and go for F10 M5 ;)

Maybe, but I really wanted something that could be disguised as practical for my DD ... But why can't I have a M5 Touring? Oh, I know because BMWNA refuses to import wagons into the US.

Get one from Canada.

Wouldn't be the first or last time I was wrong, but I didn't think that BMWNA brought the M5 Touring to Canada. If they did, or better yet still do, how do I confirm.

Obviously easier than trying to get it from Europe as it would have had to have been Federalized for Canada. My understanding is that any car sold in Canada can be registered in the US. Again, I could be wrong. But if this is true this would solve my problem.

Rumors are the E63 wagon will be coming back....can't confirm, almost all true AMGS are off the website as they re-model for 2012...