Photo: autoguide.com
If you're in the sports sedan market, looking for a new car, there are 5 obvious names you should consider: the Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Cadillac ATS, Volvo S60 and, the king of the class ever since it was released, the 3 Series BMW.
Autoguide set out in a 5-way comparative test to find out which is the best of the best. Almost all of the models came to the fight prepared with the biggest engines available for their chassis and the biggest possible prices.
The Mercedes-Benz C350 came prepared with a 3.5-liter V6 engine and 302 HP hooked up to a 7-speed automatic transmission that simply proved not up to par with the incredible systems provided by BMW and Audi, placing the Merc on the last place of the comparison.
Just a bit better proved to be the S60 T6 Volvo with its 3-liter inline 6-cylinder engine that builds up to 325 HP and 354 lb-ft of torque. The problem with the Volvo is that the ride seems too harsh at times and the chassis dynamics are poor for a car that demands the place of a BMW 3 Series.
The podium starts with the Cadillac ATS, a great car that proves just how much the Caddy grew in recent years. It was powered by a 3.6-liter V6 that forces 321 HP and 274 lb-ft of torque on the road through an AWD system. The downsides of the ATS include cramped rear seats, and a slow transmission.
Now, the two top positions are separated by a problem of taste mostly. The guys declared the S4 the winner but that seems unfair to us. Let us tell you why. First of all, they should've compared the more powerful S4 with the 335i with the M Performance package. That would've been different.
Furthermore, when you include the word 'magic' in the list of the reasons why this car should lose, you lose all credibility. Oh, and subjective reasons like exterior styling (de gustibus non set disputandum doesn't mean anything at autoguide) shouldn't make the difference.
The S4 was declared winner without keeping in mind the dual-clutch gearbox (not available on any of the other cars), the $6,000 extra it costs compared to the 3er, and the fact that it is not as comfortable as it should be. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, I guess...
See for yourself at autoguide.com
The Mercedes-Benz C350 came prepared with a 3.5-liter V6 engine and 302 HP hooked up to a 7-speed automatic transmission that simply proved not up to par with the incredible systems provided by BMW and Audi, placing the Merc on the last place of the comparison.
Just a bit better proved to be the S60 T6 Volvo with its 3-liter inline 6-cylinder engine that builds up to 325 HP and 354 lb-ft of torque. The problem with the Volvo is that the ride seems too harsh at times and the chassis dynamics are poor for a car that demands the place of a BMW 3 Series.
The podium starts with the Cadillac ATS, a great car that proves just how much the Caddy grew in recent years. It was powered by a 3.6-liter V6 that forces 321 HP and 274 lb-ft of torque on the road through an AWD system. The downsides of the ATS include cramped rear seats, and a slow transmission.
Now, the two top positions are separated by a problem of taste mostly. The guys declared the S4 the winner but that seems unfair to us. Let us tell you why. First of all, they should've compared the more powerful S4 with the 335i with the M Performance package. That would've been different.
Furthermore, when you include the word 'magic' in the list of the reasons why this car should lose, you lose all credibility. Oh, and subjective reasons like exterior styling (de gustibus non set disputandum doesn't mean anything at autoguide) shouldn't make the difference.
The S4 was declared winner without keeping in mind the dual-clutch gearbox (not available on any of the other cars), the $6,000 extra it costs compared to the 3er, and the fact that it is not as comfortable as it should be. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, I guess...
See for yourself at autoguide.com
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