Motor Trend conducted another one of these tests, which is largely subjective, to see which car, out of 10 selected is the best handling car.

The mighty ZR1 finished in the bottom half at sixth place despite lapping Laguna Seca 5 seconds faster than the next fastest car. The Porsche Cayman S finished first and had the 3rd fastest lap time.

I can understand how the Vette finished so poorly despite blowing everybody else away in absolute performance terms. I think GM still spends too much effort on trying to produce a smooth riding car: I think the car has too soft of bushings and probably the shocks and the steering could use some work also.

But give up 5 seconds of lap time for a little more confidence? Fat chance. A big part of the reason it feels less secure is because it is so much faster. Put 300 hp in a Miata and suddenly it wouldn't feel so secure.

Porsche drivers used to take pride in how evil the 911 handled, now everybody expects the car to made them look like a hero out of the box.

Imo it really has to do with the 5 seconds a lap faster time..

If the drivers weren't pooping in their pants at that speed ...they'd feel more comfortable..

Its a relative thing...IMO..

Probably driving the ZR1 so it was only about 4 seconds a lap faster then the competition....the drivers could probably be a lot more comfortable..

Running at the limit of a slow car is easy...
Doing it in one of the worlds most powerful street cars right after driving those slow cars ...is enough to scare the crap out of many drivers..

Sometimes they enjoy the thrill but when its such a dramatic difference..you end up with a magazine review like this..

The ZR1 at 125k having the interior of a 40k standard Corvette does not help it against the supercars

Randy Pobst was one of the testers. I think he's pretty comfortable at triple digit speeds. I just had a chance to drive the CTSV for several days, and I can see why they liked it better than the ZR1. It has a hardness to it that is really surprising for a Caddy. Even the seats are hard. It makes placing the car much easier but would probably be tiring for a long drive.

I think Chevrolet could take a page from Caddillac and do a version of the Vette that would be strictly a driver's car, kind of like what the Z51 option used to be about.

Isn't that kind of the idea behind the Grand Sport?

Grand sports awesome if you want the lift off roof or convertible top..

I drove the CTS V too and hot dam its an excellent luxury sports sedan..

Might just have to buy one some day...(I must be getting old!)

Is there a difference between the different models in the bushings? I don't think there is. I find that my control arm bushings are destroyed after a year of autocrossing and probably should be replaced after 4 or 5 months.
This can get expensive since the bushings aren't sold seperately.

Anyway, if your intention is to use your car for competition, the bushings are too soft.

The CTS-V interior is so much nicer than the Vette interior, can't wait to the 2 door unit comes out, already told my Caddy dealer to get me one.

carl! Your a lucky man..

That two door show car cts was amazingly beautiful. Not sure what is going to change as it nears production though.

I'd aay carl if you've got the zr1 and the CTS V coupe...

you've got the best america has to offer..

Congrats and good luck..Post up photos!

Between the two though...Can't say I'd choose anything but the ZR1...gotta be the best all around american vehicle.. if not in the world..

although that ridiculously priced Ferrari 458 isn't half bad either...(for the ultra weathly like you!)

[/QUOTE]The CTS-V interior is so much nicer than the Vette interior, can't wait to the 2 door unit comes out, already told my Caddy dealer to get me one. [/QB][/QUOTE]

I agree that the Caddillac interior is better, but I don't think that had any influence over the rating of the cars in this article since it was rating the cars over their driving dynamics.

One thing that has always amused me is how almost everybody in the magazine business pans the Corvette interior, but when they drive a Lotus Elise, they love it. The Lotus, however, doesn't really have an interior.

I have the cadillac cts and the vette and although the caddy's interior is a little nicer?

I seem to smile more when driving the vette.. I never sit there whining like the media does with each and every review of the corvette..

I think the medias ongoing chant of the vette having a crappy interior is long overdue for stoppage..

if a buyer wants to pay for the 4lt package...they get better materials etc...

Me personally? I'd rather have a 1lt and not pay the extra coin for the 4lt...

I don't really care that much about the quality of the leather on the dash board...

I never seem to touch that area of the car..Who the hell does? I never got that.

More the shifter and the steering wheel....(thats two areas a driver needs the tactile feel of quality and I think the vettes OK in that area) I've seen new aftermarket steering wheels for 400 bucks for the vette and they are awesome...Just not sure I need to swap out the stock one..

In fact...I would prefer to have micro suede seat cushion with fake leather on the sides or real leather..It doesn't matter to me..but I would like slightly more bolstering in the seat back..

I opened up the seat back and added some material to give better bolstering..

Its kind of subtle but it did help...

So is the vette interior inferior to the CTS? I'd say yes but not by any amount that I would actually care about..

the 08 interior with the faux carbon fiber is kind of nice..

Could it be nicer? Yes...but since its available with the 4lt...for those that want it...why the media is still bitching is beyond me..

If I am ever in a position to own a ZR1 the interior will be way down on my list. The performance is what the car is built for and I do not see anything else that is even close for the money.. Ford GT? it is still a ford and I think the vette will spank it

Caravaggio can fix the interior issues.

I can't imagine driving a ZR1 and being concerned about how the dashboard feels...

but I do understand the gripe. If you pay 100k+ for a car, there shouldn't be a buzz in the door whenever you turn up the radio or a squeek in the dash every time you go over a speed bump.