Thanks for having me! Torn between the Air GT or keeping my current car (CT5-V Blackwing)

[Mountain Man]

Jason Cammisa felt the Air was up / better than the taycan - @hmp10 had the exact quote… but he heaped praise on the air - as a drivers car even compared with the Taycan

The Lucid Air is a time machine — Full Review and Track Test — Jason Cammisa on the ICONS

The Lucid Air Dream Edition P is a marvel of efficiency in packaging, powertrain, and aero and the company itself is sort of Tesla v2.0.

www.hagerty.com

This is the best Air review out there (along with Jon’s of course!). Anyone doubting their decision to take delivery should just watch this for reassurance.

 

[Mountain Man]

Hey!

First, thanks to the folks that keep the lights on around here. I've been browsing for a little while now, watching various discussions and topics unfold. Also, whoever put this site together and included a dark mode, I owe you a beer.

I'm intrigued by the Air. For the past handful of years now, I've been wanting to move into an EV to see what it's all about, but for the most part, I've not come across anything that I was too wild about for one reason or another. I've been liking what I'm seeing from the Air so far though. The design specifically, it's both modern, but does well to retain some aspects of current vehicle design that I don't feel need to be reinvented (Hi Tesla!), The range is also, great!

The issue I'm having though is that I currently have a 2022 CT5-V Blackwing, which is special in it's own right in that many are calling it the 'last of the breed' as currently, there are very few options for RWD, V8 powered sedans, and, GM are saying it'll be the last one they do as they move everything over to EVs moving forward.

I'm having a difficult time deciding if the Air is the right direction to go. On one hand, I've never owned an EV before, and I want to learn and see what it's all about, but on the other hand, am I making a mistake by leaving the Blackwing? I have to pick one, unfortunately can't do both for a plethora of reasons. Does one hang on to the 'old' supercharged V8, manual transmission, RWD sedan in an age of increasing fuel prices? Or does one abandon the old ways and become an early adopter of EVs, and the Air specifically?

Anyone else here that consider themselves a car enthusiast and have had to battle with similar decisions and emotions? While I do very much believe EVs are the future, I also believe there is value in keeping a part of where we've come from.

At a minimum I do plan to reserve a spot in line for an Air...

I personally love the Blackwing and I guarantee it will appreciate in value as the last of the V-8 hypersedans. Especially since it’s a stick. From your post, the best solution is to kick your buddy’s car out of your garage, or else your wife’s (you chooose). Keep the Blackwing, enjoy it occasionally, and get a Lucid Air. Sell the Blackwing in a few years at Barrett-Jackson in Las Vegas.

But since that’s not an option, I don’t think you’ll regret taking the plunge. All of us have made the switch, whether it was with a Tesla or the Air as a first-EV. The Air is a very different car from the best of the ICE sedans - virtually silent, faster, and feels more futuristic than your Caddy, which still has a bit of an old-world feel left to it (which is not a bad thing). Ultimately, do you want to be the last of a great old era, or the first of a great new era?

 

[CraZ8]

I had much the same dilemma as you starting 7 years ago. I drove interesting autobahn cruisers which included various Mercedes , BMW and Audis with a hobby of classic BMWS ( 2002 Z8 worked, 1974 BMW 3.0 CSi, 1959 BMW 600 Isetta) I started my EV adventure with a Tesla model S P85DL( insane mode upgraded to Ludicrous) which gave me a 0-60 time of about 3 sec and and 250 miles of range. The supercharger network was scant back in 2015 so range anxiety was a real concern. Still it was intoxicating getting together with my car club for our drags 2x a year at a local airport and taking down any number of Lambos, Ferraris and Porsches. I stopped taking my Z8 to the event as 460 hp with Dinan mods, dual mass flywheel , Quiafe LSD made me one of the slower cars out there. Fast forward to last year. I’m on my second Tesla, a 2019 model S Raven performance and I’m looking at the model S plaid. The new interior I feel is a step backwards emulating the cheaper model 3 , the yoke is a joke and the outside still looks exactly like my last two Teslas. Then I chance upon a preproduction Lucid at the Manhattan classic car club. I was intrigued and after doing some research on the company I put money down in August. I also have limited garage space( 6 spaces over 3 locations ) so I made the difficult decision to sell my 3.0 CSi of 34 years so the wife’s Range Rover velar could sit inside in the winter and the Lucid would still have a home. My suggestion for you is keep the Caddy as a toy, get a lucid as your first foray into the EV world and tell your buddy you can’t keep his car inside, or sell something else. You won’t regret it.

 

[RyeLucid]

Fun to see a fellow CTS V driver on the thread. I am waiting for a VIN on my AGT order after finally finding an EV that I am really excited about. I currently drive a 2005 CTS V - bought it new as the second year of the V series when manual was the only option available. It still makes me happy every time I drive it and I have no plans to part with it. I am sure I will have to urge to make walls shake every once in a while. Keep both if you can.

 

[Johnboy]

Hey!

First, thanks to the folks that keep the lights on around here. I've been browsing for a little while now, watching various discussions and topics unfold. Also, whoever put this site together and included a dark mode, I owe you a beer.

I'm intrigued by the Air. For the past handful of years now, I've been wanting to move into an EV to see what it's all about, but for the most part, I've not come across anything that I was too wild about for one reason or another. I've been liking what I'm seeing from the Air so far though. The design specifically, it's both modern, but does well to retain some aspects of current vehicle design that I don't feel need to be reinvented (Hi Tesla!), The range is also, great!

The issue I'm having though is that I currently have a 2022 CT5-V Blackwing, which is special in it's own right in that many are calling it the 'last of the breed' as currently, there are very few options for RWD, V8 powered sedans, and, GM are saying it'll be the last one they do as they move everything over to EVs moving forward.

I'm having a difficult time deciding if the Air is the right direction to go. On one hand, I've never owned an EV before, and I want to learn and see what it's all about, but on the other hand, am I making a mistake by leaving the Blackwing? I have to pick one, unfortunately can't do both for a plethora of reasons. Does one hang on to the 'old' supercharged V8, manual transmission, RWD sedan in an age of increasing fuel prices? Or does one abandon the old ways and become an early adopter of EVs, and the Air specifically?

Anyone else here that consider themselves a car enthusiast and have had to battle with similar decisions and emotions? While I do very much believe EVs are the future, I also believe there is value in keeping a part of where we've come from.

At a minimum I do plan to reserve a spot in line for an Air...

I will add that if you can only have one car I would stick with an ICE if you need it to travel. Charging is still an inconvenience that can turn into more then that. I saw a photo of around 50 Teslas lined up at a Tesla charging station waiting their turn. But that is the only draw back. My wife has a gas car so if we travel more then a few hundred miles we take hers. But as a daily driver EV wins in every way. Just one point, you never go to a gas station again, just plug it in every night in you garage! I began dIrving full time EV in 2012 with serial number 0005 of the Model S and will never go back.

 

[MikeTz]

I will add that if you can only have one car I would stick with an ICE if you need it to travel. Charging is still an inconvenience that can turn into more then that. I saw a photo of around 50 Teslas lined up at a Tesla charging station waiting their turn. But that is the only draw back. My wife has a gas car so if we travel more then a few hundred miles we take hers. But as a daily driver EV wins in every way. Just one point, you never go to a gas station again, just plug it in every night in you garage! I began dIrving full time EV in 2012 with serial number 0005 of the Model S and will never go back.

There are times that a gas car is a must-have. I can't even imagine a South Florida mandatory evacuation using EVs. it would require a charging station for every 20 cars to make it work.