@aniteshj: "..Throw in a few turbos on that 6, hell a few turbos on a possible v8 version and we just might have one expensive, but very good hot hatch. Very hot..."
Since apparently the weirdness in the commenting won't let me promote, I'll just copy it in there...
@DoctorNine's D9 Cat: Open note to GMN techies: For some reason on Sunday, and early Monday, when I pressed the approve button for unapproved comments, I was giving out stars. Someone eventually fixed that (thank you), but now I can't even approve comments, only promote them. Star functionality is making it hard to have a conversation in here. Please fix? KTHXBAI!!!
Reminds me of the time when my dad bought his magnum. He was the second person in town to get one, and we got it at dealer price, of course it helps when the dealership owner is one of your best friends. Practical, quick enough, and has a sound that makes you smile a bit. And of course, it was mean lookin. The car at the time was a celebrity, wherever we went people asked us about it. When I think of this very sexy cts sports wagon, I cannot help but reflect on some of those groovy times in that car in its earlier days. I'd buy this but alas, $40k is about as out of reach to a guy who can barely afford a price reduced caliber as shaq holding candy over a malnourished 4 year old kid.
@Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet: Holy crap! I now know what U want to go to my own funeral in! Hopefully I die soon so I can finally take a ride in a Jaguar E-type.
Here's the big question - will it swallow a set of golf clubs either horizontally or vertically without having to fold down the rear seats? Because surprisingly enough, my 05 Magnum RT cannot. They have to go diagonally across the trunk and awkwardly take up their space.
I recently sold my old Volvo V70 T5. Were this car on the market when I bought the Volvo, I might have made a different decision. My family has always owned at least one wagon (sometimes three at once) so I welcome a new entry in the segment. Especially one at this price point and with this quality. Nice work GM. Now get that manually transmission in there pronto.
"Sadly, the manual transmission won't be available in the Sport Wagon"
I didn't need to read any more. Too bad, because up to that point I was reaching for my checkbook.
I'm exceedingly tired of GM getting >< this close to building a car I want to buy, and then throwing in some deal-breaker right at the end. Or taking their time to bring it to market and then canceling it entirely (ahem, G8).
@FormerlyPreferredCustomer: But sadly that's reality of the American market. With the money pouring out faster than a slit capillary, they can't cater to you and me, who constitute all of..I don't know...7 sales.
It's just not worth it.
I could whine and bitch about it but I work in the auto industry myself and know the ground reality. When they do bring over a manual option, the take rate is so f**king goddamn low. We American customers are a bunch of whiny people, when it comes down to actually doing it, we don't seem to put the money where the mouth is.
As car people, of course we want manuals. But what is that we wind up buying? Automatics. In fact, I would be willing to bet that at least half of the people around here that complain about automatics either own one or drive one on a daily basis.
@pauljones: Sorry, I have 5 cars and all of them have manual transmissions. The last automatic I owned was an '89 Jeep Cherokee and that was just because it's better at towing than the manual is. Heck even my 81-year-old mother drives a manual!
@pauljones: The problem with that thought is, how many car people want manuals but can't get them in their current rides? In my household we have a Ram with the magnum v8 (no manual option) and a CX7 (no manual option for the US).
I would love to have both of those with a proper third pedal. I plan on buying a beater just so I have something to teach my wife how to drive a manual.
@pauljones: When I bought my car last year I was ready and prepared to buy a new 2009 A4. I wanted the Avant with a manual transmission. When I found out the Avants didnt come with it, that was a deal breaker for me. I eventually settled on a 2004 A4 Avant with a manual. I almost got a 2004 S4 Avant, but the dealer and I couldnt meet eye to eye on a price.
@solracer: My hat tip to you sir. But at the end of the day it's also about economics. Trust me in my ideal world, everthing would have a manual option. Except for a van maybe. Maybe. Hell! The Ford Focus C-Max in Europe-land comes with a TC-I5-6Spd. So why not that too?
But the problem is obvious: People like us are far and few in between, the cost of homologating a product for 50 or so sales a year doesn't make any sense. Especially in these money bleeding days. Maybe when things start to get a lil better..
@solracer: Same here. My three cars are all manuals. My parents drive manuals. My daughter learned on my Miata and drives my pickup which is a manual (she is legendary for being a cheerleader, on the honor roll, and driving a manual transmission 4x4).
I keep hoping gas prices will spur an upkick in the take rate of manuals. I fear Americans are too lazy.
08/18/09
08/17/09
The only appropriate place for wood on a wagon is the side panels.
08/17/09
and we just might have one expensive, but very good hot hatch. Very hot.
08/17/09
08/18/09
Since apparently the weirdness in the commenting won't let me promote, I'll just copy it in there...
08/18/09
Open note to GMN techies: For some reason on Sunday, and early Monday, when I pressed the approve button for unapproved comments, I was giving out stars. Someone eventually fixed that (thank you), but now I can't even approve comments, only promote them. Star functionality is making it hard to have a conversation in here. Please fix? KTHXBAI!!!
08/17/09
08/17/09
08/17/09
08/17/09
I like the CTS sport wagon, but not V6 engines or automatic transmissions.
And no, GM bean counters never listen, especially when they've got the government writing their checks.
08/17/09
Best. Hearse. Ever.*
*where "ever" = "post-1973"
08/17/09
@FP - Funny how it seems quiet around here, eh?: It'd make a bitchin' panel van. But there is only one best hearse.
08/17/09
08/17/09
08/17/09
...and the inevitable all wheel drive model.
08/17/09
08/17/09
08/17/09
08/17/09
08/17/09
08/17/09
Those are some damn big golf clubs. What, do you rock a chin putter?
08/17/09
I could whack people and still feel like a good person by lending it to their family as a hearse.
I really, really hope this thing sparks a wagon trend because I dunno how much more handsomely this can be done.
08/17/09
08/17/09
08/17/09
"Sadly, the manual transmission won't be available in the Sport Wagon"
I didn't need to read any more. Too bad, because up to that point I was reaching for my checkbook.
I'm exceedingly tired of GM getting >< this close to building a car I want to buy, and then throwing in some deal-breaker right at the end. Or taking their time to bring it to market and then canceling it entirely (ahem, G8).
08/17/09
It's just not worth it.
I could whine and bitch about it but I work in the auto industry myself and know the ground reality. When they do bring over a manual option, the take rate is so f**king goddamn low. We American customers are a bunch of whiny people, when it comes down to actually doing it, we don't seem to put the money where the mouth is.
08/17/09
As car people, of course we want manuals. But what is that we wind up buying? Automatics. In fact, I would be willing to bet that at least half of the people around here that complain about automatics either own one or drive one on a daily basis.
08/17/09
08/17/09
08/17/09
08/17/09
I would love to have both of those with a proper third pedal. I plan on buying a beater just so I have something to teach my wife how to drive a manual.
08/17/09
08/17/09
08/17/09
But the problem is obvious: People like us are far and few in between, the cost of homologating a product for 50 or so sales a year doesn't make any sense. Especially in these money bleeding days. Maybe when things start to get a lil better..
08/17/09
I keep hoping gas prices will spur an upkick in the take rate of manuals. I fear Americans are too lazy.
Oh Happy Birthday Solracer!
08/17/09
I wanted to say something. But then I stopped. Congrats for raising a girl right! Not that this 25yr old retard would know anything about parenting.
08/17/09