Car Show! with Eddie Alterman · Pushkin Industries

Round Two: Sports Sedans with Elana Scherr

·41 min·2 clips

Eddie Alterman and Elana Scherr define sports sedans as 'dignified hooliganism' for highway pulls and reckless off-ramps.

1. Car Show: Round Two: Sports Sedans with Elana Scherr tests four performance four-doors for the show's Car of the Year contest. 2. Eddie Alterman hosts alongside Elana Scherr, a hot rodder and Car and Driver columnist who evaluates the cars from an enthusiast perspective. 3. The episode defines a sports sedan as a practical sleeper that lets a driver be 'a respectable burger by day and Batman by night.' 4. The $60,000 Audi RS3 uses a 401-horsepower five-cylinder engine and an all-wheel-drive drift mode, but its brakes feel inconsistent to both drivers. 5. The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing pairs a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 with 668 horsepower, rear-drive behavior, a comfortable ride, and strong steering feedback. 6. The 2023 Honda Civic Type R produces 315 horsepower and sends power through a manual transmission with short shifts and automatic rev matching. 7. The Hyundai Elantra N brings 276 horsepower, strong driver feedback, roomy seating, and a loud sport mode at a price in the mid-$30,000s. 8. Alterman and Scherr use predictability and linear responses as key tests, especially for braking, steering, throttle control, and corner placement. 9. The discussion contrasts the Audi's 'drum machine' feel with the Elantra N's noisy character and the Cadillac's responsive, tactile behavior. 10. Car enthusiasts comparing fast sedans, manual gearboxes, and practical performance cars.

As heard by us

A sports-sedan showdown built around the useful idea of the dignified hooligan.

Car Show's sports-sedan bracket treats performance judgment as a question of character: can a sedan stay dignified while still acting like a hooligan?

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Why you'd press play

You want to sort sports sedans by how elegantly they let a hooligan out to play.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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