California Concours d'Lemons 2022: The Absolute Worst Cars at Monterey Car Week

We're at the end of an era for luxury sport compact sedans. The segment that BMW invented with the 1986 M3 has long embraced change. The little four-cylinder homologation specials that matured the segment beyond icons such as the 2002 eventually became V-8-powered cruise missiles in the early '00s. The engines have since downsized to forced-induction sixes as times changed, and with nearly every automaker now promising to electrify their lineups in the near future, we're witnessing yet another transition. But thanks to cars such as the new 2022 BMW M3 Competition and 2022 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing, the internal combustion luxury sport compact sedan is going out with a bang.Spec RundownPitting the M3 Competition (the top dog of the M3/M4 lineup) against the CT4-V Blackwing (effectively a reskinned ATS-V) may seem like a mismatch, but there's a method to our madness. The ATS-V, despite never winning a comparison test, had always been one of our favorite vehicles in the segment. The new CT4-V Blackwing, simply put, makes the ATS-V better. Its 3.6-liter twin-turbo V-6 gets a small output boost, now churning out 472 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque, and it's paired with an optional quick-shifting 10-speed automatic (a six-speed manual is standard). It's also crucially fit with the latest generation of MagneRide dampers, and well, that's really about it. Prices start at $59,900, but the CT4-V Blackwing you see here stickers for $80,235.With 473 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque spilling forth from its 3.0-liter turbocharged I-6, the standard M3 seems to be an even matchup for the Cadillac. Except when we drove the latest manual-equipped M4 (the two-door version of the M3) back to back with the CT4, it was no competition—the Caddy was just plain better to drive. More fun, more planted, and more capable, it made the M4 feel like a midgrade M440i. So, with an M3 Competition on hand and in the interest of making things, well, interesting, we decided the M3 Competition would take the M4's place.The Competition turns the wick up a bit on the basic M3/M4 formula. Thanks to more boost and upgraded cooling, output rises to 503 hp and 479 lb-ft of twist. To make the most of the newfound power, BMW equips the Competition with an eight-speed automatic, and on our test car, defeatable all-wheel drive (meaning you can force it into a rear-drive-only mode). Prices for the M3 start at $70,895, while the all-wheel-drive M3 Competition xDrive starts at $77,895. A good chunk of our M3 Competition xDrive's $108,545 sticker is eaten up by optional M carbon-ceramic brakes ($8,150) and the dividing (literally) M Carbon bucket seats ($3,800), though the vast majority of the options on our test car are inconsequential cosmetic and luxury options.Hitting the RoadAlthough the outright performance of both the CT4-V Blackwing and M3 Competition is what will get buyers into showrooms, how they drive in the real world is what will sell them. So let's ignore the numbers, shall we? May the most fun-to-drive car win—because after all, "fun" is what this segment is all about.Riding on GM's rear-drive Alpha platform, the Cadillac is, as senior features editor Jonny Lieberman puts it, "a stud." Aided in part by the latest MagneRide dampers and more accessible Performance Traction Management (PTM) modes (now handily operable via a switch on the steering wheel instead of buried in fiddly menus), the CT4-V Blackwing shines on a good back road. Steering is quick and communicative; the chassis feels light, poised, and well balanced; and the car is damn near impossible to upset. The Cadillac's brakes are worthy of praise, too. Despite lacking fancy (read: expensive) carbon-ceramic brake rotors, we are enamored by the steel rotors' stopping power and the CT4's brake tuning. "Makes the M3 Competition feel like it has 320i brakes," features editor Scott Evans said. "Immediate bite, perfect modulation, and it stops so much harder than the BMW."If the Cadillac has a weak spot, its low-revving V-6 is a good candidate. We weren't taken with this engine back when it first appeared under the hood of the ATS-V, and the addition of 8 extra horsepower hasn't made it any better. That's not to say the CT4-V's powertrain is bad. The twin-turbo V-6 is punchy and delivers a broad torque curve, while the 10-speed auto is among GM's best performance automatics yet, with quick, decisive up- and downshifts, and bang-on tuning for hard driving. It's just so … incredibly uninspiring, with a dull, flat exhaust note and a relatively low 6,500-rpm redline. A naturally aspirated V-8—like the one currently available in the CT4's Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE platform mate—would do much to wake the CT4-V Blackwing up.The M3 Competition, on the other hand, feels as if its "engine runs on Tannerite," as deputy editor Alex Stoklosa puts it. The Bimmer is explosively powerful and gloriously unhinged. Capable of revving to 7,200 rpm, the M3's inline-six feels like a Minuteman missile on a hair trigger, throwing its power down so violently that we question its 503 horsepower rating.But the M3 is more than just an underrated engine. In a welcome change of pace from modern BMWs, steering is quick, and feel is light but direct. The all-wheel-drive system is impressively neutral, too, helping tame the manic engine without negatively impacting steering feel. "The chassis feels very balanced front to rear," Stoklosa said, "and I found it very easy to transition between over/understeer. It's supremely easy and satisfying to meter out just enough throttle to tuck the nose in or kick the M3 into a controllable, easily placed slide."Still, it's not all roses for the BMW. For starters, there are way too many adjustable settings in the M3 and no easy way to cycle through them while on the move; it is much easier to find your Goldilocks setting in the Cadillac. Some editors found the BMW's carbon-ceramic brakes difficult to modulate smoothly when driving hard, though we were all impressed by their stopping power.Do Numbers Even Matter?With any car—but especially performance cars—it's really tempting to get bogged down in the numbers. Surely, they must tell us something, right? Honestly, though, they really don't in this particular case. There will always be cars that are quicker or faster than a BMW M3 Competition and Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing. These cars—among the last of their kind as we approach widespread electrification—are about the way they feel, the way they drive. The emotional response rises above other considerations.You're more than welcome to geek out over performance numbers by scrolling down to the chart at the bottom of the page, but spoiler alert: The more expensive, more powerful, grippier M3 comes out ahead in all of our instrumented tests. But again, in this particular case, so what?Which Car Is Best?When it comes to picking the winner, ignoring everything but the way these vehicles make us feel when unleashed on our favorite roads, the BMW M3 Competition earns the victory. The Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing is a fantastic riding and handling car that's ultimately held back by an uninspiring engine and a general lack of fireworks. The M3 Competition, on the other hand, is everything we're going to miss about internal combustion—loud and unapologetic but also an absolute joy to drive. It's an engaging and organic powder keg and a return to form for BMW. Just a shame about that nose, no?2nd Place: 2022 Cadillac CT4-V BlackwingPros: Well-balanced chassis with great handlingSuperb brakesRelatively cheapCons: Uninspiring engineCould handle more powerBoring exhaust note1st Place: 2022 BMW M3 CompetitionPros: Unhinged engineTransparent all-wheel-drive systemExceptional steeringCons: PriceyCarbon-ceramic brakes aren't worth the upgradeIt's quite rough to look atPOWERTRAIN/CHASSIS 2022 BMW M3 Competition (xDrive) Specifications 2022 Cadilac CT4 V Blackwing Specifications DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD Front-engine, RWD ENGINE TYPE Turbo direct-injected DOHC 24-valve I-6, alum block/head Twin-turbo direct-injected DOHC 24-valve 60-degree V-6, alum block/heads DISPLACEMENT 2,993 cc/182.6 cu in 3,564 cc/217.5 cu in COMPRESSION RATIO 9.3:1 10.2:1 POWER (SAE NET) 503 hp @ 6,250 rpm 472 hp @ 5,750 rpm TORQUE (SAE NET) 479 lb-ft @ 2,750 rpm 445 lb-ft @ 3,500 rpm REDLINE 7,200 rpm 6,500 rpm WEIGHT TO POWER 7.8 lb/hp 8.2 lb/hp TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic 10-speed automatic AXLE/FINAL-DRIVE RATIO 3.15:1/2.02:1 2.85:1/1.82:1 SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR Struts, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar Struts, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar STEERING RATIO 15.0:1 11.6-15.5:1 TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK 2.0 2.2 BRAKES, F; R 15.7-in vented, drilled, carbon-ceramic disc; 15.0-in vented, drilled, carbon-ceramic disc 15.0-in vented disc; 13.4-in vented disc WHEELS, F;R 9.5 x 19-in; 10.5 x 20-in, forged aluminum 9.0 x 18-in; 9.5 x 18-in cast aluminum TIRES, F;R 275/35R19 100Y; 285/30R20 99Y Michelin Pilot Sport 4S 255/35R18 94Y; 275/35R18 99Y Michelin Pilot Sport 4S DIMENSIONS WHEELBASE 112.5 in 109.3 TRACK, F/R 63.7/63.2 in 60.5/60.5 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 189.1 x 74.3 x 56.4 in 187.6 x 71.4 x 56.0 in TURNING CIRCLE 41.4 ft 38.8 ft CURB WEIGHT (DIST F/R) 3,899 lb (54/46%) 3,888 lb (53/47%) SEATING CAPACITY 5 5 HEADROOM, F/R 40.6/37.8 in 38.3/36.5 in LEGROOM, F/R 41.6/35.6 in 42.4/33.4 in SHOULDER ROOM, F/R 56.0/54.6 in 55.2/53.9 in CARGO VOLUME 13.0 cu ft 10.7 cu ft TEST DATA ACCELERATION TO MPH 0-30 1.0 sec 1.5 sec 0-40 1.7 2.2 0-50 2.3 3.0 0-60 3.0 4.0 0-70 3.8 5.1 0-80 4.8 6.4 0-90 5.9 7.7 0-100 7.2 9.4 PASSING, 45-65 MPH 1.5 1.9 QUARTER MILE 11.1 sec @ 124.7 mph 12.4 sec @ 114.0 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 105 ft 106 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 1.03 g (avg) 1.05 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 23.3 sec @ 0.89 g (avg) 23.8 sec @ 0.84 g (avg) TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH 1,500 rpm 1,500 rpm CONSUMER INFO BASE PRICE $77,895 $59,900 PRICE AS TESTED $108,545 $80,235 AIRBAGS 8: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain, front knee 8: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain, front knee BASIC WARRANTY 4 yrs/50,000 miles 4 yrs/50,000 miles POWERTRAIN WARRANTY 4 yrs/50,000 miles 6 yrs/70,000 miles ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 4 yrs/Unlimited miles 6 yrs/70,000 miles FUEL CAPACITY 15.6 gal 17.4 gal EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON 16/22/18 mpg 16/24/19 mpg EPA RANGE (COMB) 281 miles 331 miles RECOMMENDED FUEL Unleaded premium Unleaded premium ON SALE Now Now Show All

February Update: The U.S. Postal Service Rejects EPA PleaA statement released by the U.S. Postal Service announced the organization would move ahead as planned with its procurement deal with Oshkosh Defense's In the Postal Service's announcement, Postmaster DeJoy did offer that the current procurement plan does already include 5,000 battery-electric vehicles, and that aspect of the program could be expanded with additional funding provided through internal means or congressional budgeting. However, DeJoy says "the process needs to keep moving forward" with the current plan—which has satisfied all of its strictly legal requirements that do not include the EPA's audited requests. DeJoy previously claimed additional BEV procurement would require up to $4 billion in additional funding.The nature of the deal with Oshkosh Defense also allows the Postal Service to shift its procurement powertrains as orders are delivered, not placed, so if funding for the more expensive BEV next-gen delivery vehicle is approved by the U.S. Congress in the future, then the Postal Service can update the order to fulfill more BEVs. From the statement: "The NGDV contract is an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract, meaning the Postal Service will have the ongoing ability to order more NGDVs over a fixed period of time, in this case 10 years."Mark Guilfoil, Vice President for Supply Management at the U.S. Postal Service said, "We thank the federal agencies, including the EPA, for their input. [...] After thorough review and study we determined that EPA's request for a supplemental EIS and public hearing would not add value to the Postal Service's already year-long review. It is also important to note that a supplemental EIS and public hearing are not legally required."It's important to highlight the true value of these new vehicles for the Postal Service, despite their many efficiency shortcomings, which is how much more comfortable they're meant to be for workers. From the Postal Service: "The search for replacement vehicles for the Postal Service's delivery fleet, which started in 2015, resulted in the purpose-built NGDVs that will deliver air conditioning and heating, improved ergonomics, and some of the most advanced vehicle and safety technology — including 360-degree cameras, advanced braking and traction control, air bags, a front-and rear-collision avoidance system that includes visual, audio warning, and automatic braking." This story was originally published February 3, 2022, and has since been updated to reflect developments in the USPS' purchasing of new trucks. The rest of the original article continues below. How Bad Is the New Mail Truck?Why Is the EPA Arguing Against the New Trucks?A Measured Warning

Nissan used the 2022 Chicago Auto Show to introduce a trio of concepts based on the 2022 Nissan Frontier compact pickup. All three truck concepts start with a crew cab format and essentially customize with Nissan and Nismo accessories, part of a larger goal of growing this side of the business.Arguably the most interesting part: the wheels on the 2022 Frontier Project 72X and Project Hardbody concepts that attracted a lot of attention.Nissan Frontier Project 72X SteeliesProject 72X is a modern take on the Datsun 720 pickup, introduced in 1979 as a bare-bones affordable truck, right down to its white steel wheels. We asked designer Hiren Patel, from Nissan Design America, how he resurrected the look for the Project 72X concept.Patel said the steel wheels date back to his original sketches. They looked cool so he started searching for some. "I was googling steel wheels from aftermarket stuff." To his surprise, he found a listing that showed the spare tire on the Nissan Xterra had the same bolt pattern. To his even greater surprise, he realized the Frontier used the same spare, he just wasn't aware of it since the tire is hidden under the truck. A happy find.The 17-inch spare (the original 720 had a 15-inch) was painted white, shod with PRO-4X tires, and were a perfect fit for the concept's simple, lean, fun and cheap theme—nothing outlandish. Project 72X was going for an old-school compact truck feel.Nissan Frontier Project Hardbody ConceptAnother concept, Project Hardbody, pays homage to the Nissan D21 "Hardbody" truck from the '89s and '90s. Again, Patel sketched a wheel design lightly lifted from the iconic 15-inch block-style wheels on the original Hardbody. "I wanted that look, it was so instantly recognizable, and make it modern."The designer started off looking at photos of the monoblock wheel—there were no original company blueprints to work with. "I wanted the look but did not want to copy it exactly," so maybe the lack of exact reference wasn't so bad.Patel bought himself a 1988 Pathfinder, a first-generation two-door version of the SUV, and it had the same 15-inch wheels. He added them to the concept sketch and the result was polarizing. Not everyone supported it. Patel persisted and when the first foam model was created with the three-spoke wheels, the doubters came onboard.For the concept, the design was for a larger and wider 17x8 inch wheel, designed using 3D modeling software and then milled from billet aluminum in the shop in the design studio. Six of them were made. One was sent for testing to test its strength and viability; the other five are on the concept with 33-inch tires.Will any of them be made available to the public? Patel says Nissan will use public feedback on all three Frontier concepts—the third is an overlander called Project Adventure—to help decide whether to put any of the concepts into production. Smart dealers might want to order extra spare rubber and invest in a can of white spray paint.