ttribe

The XTS is, arguably, the least desirable car in the Cadillac lineup. I'm not sure winning a comparo with said car is all that much to write home about.

SSFTSX

AWD should provide more traction off the the line. and with better weight balance handling should be better.
seeing on the road does not mean car is desirable. it could have better deals/discounts/free maintainance things.
RLX is super quiest/fast/fuel efficient/handle better. Its MT figure 8 score is the highest in FWD and very close to RWD competitors.
MT already mentioned the same tires in Lexus for lack of handling power. alot worse than Lexus ES350.

fsttyms1

AWD Should IF it had enough power to utilize/need the additional traction. But it doesnt. What it does do is add additional weight (XTS is 300lbs heavier) and additional drivetrain loss for power. Let the 2 drag race in the snow and see which wins. Bet the caddy is more than 3 seconds faster to 100 than the RLX fwd. The caddy wasnt built to be a 1/4 mile drag car. If you wanted something like that get the CTS-V which will destroy everything that acura currently has.

Not desirable huh? so seeing more on the road doesnt mean its a desirable car?? So what you are telling me is people are buying it because of better deals even though they dont like it?? Try again

SSFTSX

Audi A8 3.0T. see how fast that one is. Ist this vehicle light weight.
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/..._l_first_test/

RLX will have no problem with snow with proper tire setup. even in worst tire for performance with longest life it has good speed.
There is alot of cars on the road because they have good deals from free maintainance to cheap leases. and those things get reflected in used car market.

oonowindoo

There.

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

The way I see it is that, it's a comparison test between two mid level cars. We know the RLX has a AWD model, and we know the XTS will get the new 3.6TT engine soon. The comparison between those two models would be more interesting to enthusiasts. For now, this test is simply a comparison between two bread and butter trims.

fsttyms1

Now You are talking/comparing a force induction motor, with quite a bit more HP and TQ where the majority of its torque is not far off of idle (2900 rpm vs 5200 and peak hp comes 1300 rpm sooner) and an 8 speed trans

Edward'TLS

You love talking about performance all the time.

So "no problem" and "good speed" won't cut it.

The FWD RLX will LOSE big time competing with AWD sedans in the snow, PERIOD.

fsttyms1

Should be interesting to see how he comes back to this.

SSFTSX

I know but it is hardly 10% more power but far superior fuel economic/performance. almost 4 second difference in 0-100mph. This kind of difference comes from 40% more power.
Your simply not admiting that this Cadi is very poorly designed car. what do you think about RLX SH-AWD now?. Under 5 seconds with All season tire setup and under 4 seconds with summer performance tires.

OperationDarkie

iTrader: (1)

Thought you knew homie Fanbois ALWAYS com back to spew misinformation for the manufacturing company that they love.

I expect even more irrational comments which pertain to cars that have nothing to do with the one he is talking about, then say how FWD from Honda is superior, and then talk about if he had the money he would buy it.

He can have it for all I care, only way i'd get one is if I won it as a prize.

Almost 4000 lbs and FWD....................LOL

Honda just needs to man up and make a damn 4.0 V8, all they need to do is put 2 k20's together, i mean hell that how they made a F1 engine back in the day. Oh and it needs to be RWD like the rest of the modern world....

SSFTSX

There is alot of AWD sedans. You put summer performance tires on them and put winter on RLX and see how much AWD is better.

OperationDarkie

iTrader: (1)

But what if BOTH have winter performance tires, your argument is null and invalid.



Sometimes people need a Hi Five











































IN THE FACE

Edward'TLS

Please don't sidetrack, compare apple to apple !

If you want to use summer perf. tires in the snow, then :

AWD sedans (summer tires) vs. FWD RLX (summer tires) => FWD RLX will lose in the snow.

But if you want to use winter tires in the snow, then :

AWD sedans (winter tires) vs. FWD RLX (winter tires) => FWD RLX will also lose in the snow.

SSFTSX

why should i stick to apple to apple comparision. If you are investing in AWD price and fuel penalty. There is no reason to again spend the money for winter tires. Stick with what ever you had.
on other hand with higher fuel economic and lower maintaince of FWD. you can afford winter tires and stick with ultra performance in summer.

fsttyms1

While i admit the caddy engine may not be the best, you simply dont understand how HP and TQ work. Having 30 more hp and 60lb/ft more torque is a HUGE advantage, Especially having that much TQ 2500 rpm sooner. Combine that with 8 closer spaced gears and you can have a huge advantage. Not to mention like the bmw, these engines (audi) seem to be underrated in power.

fsttyms1

Why stick with what it comes with when you find it perfectly fine to change the tires to suit your argument. It doesnt matter if one buys a car that comes with AWD, changing the tires to suit you just because they have an advantage doesnt make it fare. There are PLENTY of reasons to have winter tires on a AWD car. The safety aspect alone is a MAJOR reason to switch. And just to play your game, Fine, you put summer tires on and go do your 0-60, 60-0, skid pad for G's. Ill go and stick some R compounds on. If you want to put winter/snow tires on your car, fine put them on. Ill put my all seasons on.



See how this works. Change the rules to suit you and you can win. If I change the rules for me, ill win. This is WHY one needs to compare APPLES TO APPLES!

Now lets get back to the RLX

oonowindoo

Did you just pull those #s out of your ass?

Under 4 secs? Do you know what it takes to do under 4 secs with a car that weights like 4500 lbs.

Edward'TLS

You just brought up an excellent point.

When people are spending extra money on AWD sedans and don't mind the fuel penalty, they are also more than willing to spend a little more on winter tires for the winter months.

But for those who can only afford the cheaper FWD sedans and are dime-counting their gasoline receipts, they are the ones who won't spend more money on buying expensive winter tires.

If you really don't like comparing apple to apple. Then I'll use your rule to play.

How about a FWD Honda Accord vs. a FWD RLX ? The Accord is much cheaper and is more fuel economy too, when compared with the FWD RLX.

So, either way, the FWD one will lose in the snow, when competing with the AWD ones.

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

New article today from Motor Trend.....


This compares the RLX to the Cadillac XTS.



http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...s4_comparison/

oonowindoo

Just look at the picture in there XTS already looks $20k more expensive than RLX.

Not saying XTS looks $70k, just saying RLX does not even look $50k.

for the first time in my life i actually prefer the American car interior over Acura's. i love that LCD Screen.

3.5RLv-tec?

iTrader: (2)

Seriously, I don't like the Caddy grill at all, it looks just weird. Anyway we had a winner lol
"The XTS shines in physical presence and handling prowess, but takes a big hit because of its clunky user interface and relatively poor performance at the pump. The new RLX might lack the Cadillac's dramatic sheetmetal and doesn't hustle through the twisties with the same athleticism, but it delivers outstanding comfort, a creamy ride, a brilliant combo of speed and frugality, outstanding refinement (at highway speeds its cabin is as quiet as a tomb), and a boatload of technology that's far more accessible on a daily basis. By the narrowest of margins, the 2014 Acura RLX takes home the gold."

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...#ixzz2RPjZMB3R
I can't wait for the hybrid model!

Ken1997TL

Exactly. A massive amount of torque, very short gearing and some big fat tires to handle all that power to the rear.

@ a 300 hp FWD luxo-barge doing 0-60 in 4 seconds.

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

Though it's still being a bit too optimistic, but I think SSFTSX was talking about RLX AWD......

For referece, C/D tested an Audi A8 4.0T 8AT with 420hp/406lbft/4635lb got pulled a 3.9s for 0-60mph. If it's true that Sports hybrid awd is lighter than sh-awd, then perhaps 370hp and instant torque at 0rpm along with DCT in a 4200lb car MIGHT be able to do the same in 4 seconds. But I'm not holding my breath.

oonowindoo

Let's just say it can do 0-60 in 4 secs, which is highly unlikely. But what happens after 60mph when the battery is less effective and the gas engine takes over.

It will feel just like a TL but heavier?

Moog-Type-S

SSFTSX: Making Acura vehicle threads 10 times longer than they should be.

ttribe

It took 500hp, 380lb/ft tq. to do the damage (below) in a 4,200 lb (dry) car and 0-60 was typically clocked at ~4.5. It's going to take way more than anything Acura is reporting to get the RLX to a sub-4.

SSFTSX

It is not just engine. but dysfunctional telemetics, poor fuel economy. ( even RDX AWD is faster than XTS on MT test) and poor handling for an AWD. your making excuses. XTS and Audi has identical weight.

how much faster is BMW 335i 6MT than Accord V6 Coupe 6MT? both have identical weights. I will not even go into putting all season tire setup on 335i. in that case Accord coupe will be likely to faster.
so where is that huge 30 bhps and 50 ft-lb of extra torque advantage for BMW?.
This exact comparable example of Cadi and Audi. Identical weight vehicles.

SSFTSX

My point is correct. if some one can pay monthly bills for XTS AWD fuel economic. They are more likely can afford Audi A8 3.0T with superior fuel economic or BMW 535X leases. It is non sense to change tires on AWD vehicles. Its All season should provide sufficient traction. You save couple of grand on RLX FWD fuel economic and can afford both summer and winter set.

Accord is cheaper but it does not have outstanding refinement (designed from ground up for large noise reducing wheels) , stereo, highly automated safety features, and mid range torque of DI engine. Just adding this stereo to Accord will add $6k to $8k. see the B&O options on Germans. DI engine will add another $3k at mimimum. RLX is much greater vehicle than sum of Accord parts.

knavinusa

The Accord 6MT is a low 14 second, maybe high 13 car at best with a good driver. The BMW will run low-mid 13s all day long even with a mediocre driver.

Yes... because AWD allows your all-seasons to stop like winter tires in the snow.

OperationDarkie

iTrader: (1)

Why hasn't Darwin led you into the front of a bus yet?

jnc2000

Wait... summer and winter tires on a FWD car - but all seasons are fine for AWD?

Clearly you have a very low understanding of friction, force, inertia, etc.

Seasonal compounds are made for specific reasons. All seasons (while they might be fine to use) will NEVER perform the same as winter tires in the snow - same can be said for summer tires vs all seasons in temps above 50*.

Legend2TL

+1, and RWD which has the advantage of more weight transfer to the rear tires during acceleration allowing great traction to get more power to the ground. Something the opposite happens for FWD.

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

I think the new system has a higher capacity than the typical IMA system. I'd imagine the boost will last more than 4 seconds before becoming less effective. I'd think you'd need to have a pretty long straightaway before the battery is depleted to a point where it becomes less effective? I don't know..guess we will find out. I don't think this is much of an issue for the RLX, for the NSX though, it will be interesting to see how long the battery can stay effective before it has to be charged by the engine.

oonowindoo

Yeah, The few who buy RLX will not do 0-60 with or without summer tires, maybe except for SSFFSSXXX

So people who take NSX to the track can probably only do 1 lap at a time

TSX69

Info from "Car & Driver":

Peak total system power is about 370 hp, but the car feels stronger thanks to the instantaneous torque of the electric motors, which assist propulsion up to 75 mph.

oonowindoo

So in other words, 1/4 mile will be slower than what a "true" 370hp car.

Not that it matters.

but wait, more rear leg room and superior ground clearance will make up for it.

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

I really want to know how long it will take before the NSX runs out of juice. I mean that car is being tested at Nurburgring. I'd imagine it can last at least that long. Then again the system actually gets charged not just during braking, but also cornering. So I don't know if that would help anything....

lol my understanding from that quote is that the RLX would feel like a 400hp car up to 75mph on full charge, and then feels like a 370hp after 75mph......

oonowindoo

Really i thought it was 370 HP with battery included. I do not believe RLX will feel like it has 370hp without the help from battery.

Edward'TLS

Don't think inside the nutshell. Think Big.

If those who can pay monthly bills for XTS AWD fuel economic, and can afford Audi A8 3.0T with superior fuel economic or BMW 535X leases, they will have the dough to buy dedicated winter tires. A set of extra rims and winter tires means NOTHING to them.

But for those who can barely afford a FWD sedan, and are dime-counting their gas receipts, where on earth can they cough up the extra dough for expensive (to them) winter tires ?! When one has no money, he/she has NO MONEY. Where on earth can they find the extra storage space for the extra set of tires, unlike all those loaded people living in mega houses ?!

I too understand that the Accord doesn't have outstanding this and that. But if one has to worry so much about the fuel economy and gasoline bills, how on earth can they afford to buy a premium-priced FWD RLX with all the bells and whistles. When one has no money, they have to settle for something less. Everyone wants to get free lunches, but life doesn't work this way.

Besides, if one put fuel economy as top priority, they will never buy the big and heavy RLX in the 1st place. The huge size, the heavy curb weight, and the thirsty V6 are all working against good fuel economy.

So your logic is faulty.