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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

The upcoming Lotus Emira will be the last combustion-powered sports car from the fabled British sports car maker, and they seem to be sorting out a very special tune to celebrate it. While many will be interested in the more-powerful V-6 model, the Lotus Emira will also adopt AMG's turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4, which the company claims is the most-powerful road-going four-pot in the world. To equip it in a mid-engine sports car configuration is incredibly drool-inducing.The Emira will go on sale with either a 3.5-liter supercharged V-6 sourced from Toyota, or AMG's 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4, and both will be available in the "First Edition" launch spec for the model. The blown V-6 puts out just over 400 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, but it's the fancy new four-cylinder that will get people talking.The Mercedes-AMG four-cylinder is already in production, found under the hoods of performance models such as the Mercedes-AMG CLA45, GLA45 and GLB45, but Lotus says the engine will get a slight re-work for the Emira's mid-engine configuration, as well as a unique software tune and Lotus-designed exhaust. The twin-scroll turbo design allows for minimum lag and faster spool-up. While Lotus and AMG claim the motor is good for up to 208 bhp per liter, the four-cylinder Emira is rated at just 365 hp and shares the same 310 lb-ft of torque as the more expensive V-6 Emira.The new I-4 Emira will also get a new-to-Lotus eight-speed paddle-shift dual-clutch gearbox. Gavan Kershaw, Director, Vehicle Attributes, Lotus, says: "It's a bespoke rear-wheel drive variant of the transmission developed by Lotus in collaboration with AMG. On top of that, the gearshift strategy has been defined by the Hethel team as part of the car's performance attributes. It is unique to the Emira and optimised [sic] for the best blend of outstanding driving engagement and performance, fuel consumption and emissions." The V-6 Emira gets a six-speed manual 'box with the addition of a Torsen limited slip differential, or the familiar six-speed auto found on previous Lotus cars.All First Edition Emiras, which you'll be able to option with either motor, come with 20-inch ultra-light forged alloy wheels in a V-spoke design that are diamond cut for a two-tone finish, but all-silver or all-black finish will also be available at no cost. Two-piece brake discs are available with red, yellow, silver or black calipers, with a tire pressure monitoring system included in the First Edition package.Six paint colors are available at launch (Seneca Blue, Magma Red, Hethel Yellow, Dark Verdant, Shadow Grey and Nimbus Grey), paired with seven optional interior colors (red, black, grey and tan Nappa leather, plus three black Alcantara options with either red, yellow or grey stitching). Interior trim is finished in satin chrome, and the seats are 12-way adjustable and heated with driver memory presets.This being Lotus, they felt the need to specify the car comes standard with climate control, cruise control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, a KEF-tuned digital radio behind a 10.25-inch screen, and a 12.3-inch driver display (and the Emira will not be available without these, for you lightweight purists, at least for now).The First Edition comes with four normally optional packages already checked. The Lower Black exterior pack paints the lower features on the car black. The Design Pack adds privacy glass, new pedals, black Alcantara headliner, and throws in floor mats. The Convenience Pack adds parking sensors, a reversing camera, auto-dimming mirrors with memory settings, and rain-sensing wipers.Finally, the Lotus Drivers Pack offers customers the choice of Tour or Sport suspension tunes, and a choice of rubber between a set of Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport or Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. You will have to pick if you order a First Edition, so make sure you do your homework before ordering.The entry-level, AMG I-4 Emira will start at $85,900 in the U.S. for the First Edition model, before factoring in local tax and destination costs. The V-6 First Edition with the manual is $93,900, and with the old six-speed auto it's $96,050. The base V-6 Emira will start at $82,000, and the rest of the Emira lineup pricing will be available this summer.Lotus promises more details on the new lineup this summer, when customer reservations become available outside of the UK. Deliveries are anticipated to begin by the end of this year, and you can now play with the Emira configurator on the Lotus website in the meantime.

It seems that Ford is ready to do nearly anything to protect the upcoming F-150 Lightning EV pickup from negative news or a poor customer experience. The automaker is hoping to head off a big potential doozy that's endemic to hotly anticipated new car debuts: Egregious dealer markups on new F-150 Lightnings. Dealers are being warned against asking for additional deposits or any other presale payments. It also puts in a new "no-sale" provision upon purchase for the customers, to prevent folks from flipping their Lightnings for a quick buck.Extra Deposits The warning memo to the Ford dealers—that was originally screenshot and posted on the F150Gen14.com forum before it was deleted at the request of Ford—is more of a way to protect the brand from negative reviews from customers after much of the debacle from new Bronco sales. That is, customers put up a deposits to reserve their new Ford 4x4s on Ford's site only for franchise dealers to come back and demand more money before they would sell that customer a new Bronco.Ford already has a tool on their franchise dealer agreement under "Paragraph 6(i)" that states: "The Dealer shall conduct dealership operations in a manner that will reflect favorably at all times the reputation of the dealer, other company (Ford) authorized dealers, the company, company products and trademarks and trade names used or claimed by the company or any of its subsidiaries." This includes a provision that the dealer "shall avoid in every way any 'bait,' deceptive, misleading, confusing, or illegal advertising or business practices." Any dealer caught doing this by Ford will have their allocation of F-150 Lightnings "redirected" for the entirety of the 2022 model year.Scalper PreventionA later portion of the Ford memo answers the potential scalper issues seen with many limited products, be it by design or by supply issues. The "No-Sale Provision" laid out by Ford prevents new owners of the 2022 F-150 Lightning from immediately reselling their new truck after getting it from the dealer. Ford said its dealers may add the following paragraph to their closing documents or as a new, standalone document."Purchaser hereby agrees that it will not sell, offer to sell, or otherwise transfer any ownership interest in the vehicle prior to the first anniversary of the date hereof. Purchaser further agrees that seller may seek injunctive relief to prevent the transfer of title of the vehicle or demand payment from purchaser of all value received as consideration for the sale or transfer." In other words, you buy the Lightning, you're stuck with it for a full year from your purchase date. It's a similar solution tried by Ford for the GT supercar, but we also know how that actually worked.However, the one problem Ford didn't address in this letter? Anti-consumer markups. We understand the need for markup due to market demand and that it's a part of the capitalist marketplace. It's the markup of nearly half or even double the price of MSRP is what ruins the dealership experience for consumers and gives the biggest blackeyes to the automakers. This also needs to be curved, but it seems like this isn't a priority for any OEM with a franchise dealership model, at the moment. So prepare to possibly pay more for your Lightning, but not in the form of extra deposits or the like.