Getting under the skin, the Caddy is bestowed with a hammer strong enough to tackle the 225kW turbocharged BMW 335i rather than the 200kW 315Nm 330i we have here, but the point to remember is that the Caddy, which is quite well equipped versus the option list upgradeable BMW, already undercuts the 3 on the price lists, let alone the 530i at a further R130 000 premium.

The Audi may be a class up but it's quite light too, which keeps its relatively underpowered but still quite torquey 188kW 330Nm 3.2-litre V6 right in the ballpark. That's set to improve, though, when the facelift brings the new supercharged 3.0-litre V6 that matches the Caddy for power. In pricing terms, the Audi is a quarter more expensive than the CTS though.

But while the Caddy benefits the additional poke of its 3.6-litre direct injection V6, it is also humbled by its mass, so when considered versus their mass and capacity, we end up with a quite surprisingly evenly matched trio of cars here.

Out on the test strip

Out on the test strip, our figures ended up quite close, too. But the BMW still beat the Cadillac to 100km/h and over the quarter mile, with the Audi closer behind the Cadillac than the Caddy was behind the Beemer.

The big Caddy hit back in low end overtaking grunt though, to give the BMW a hiding there, but the Beemer slightly bettered the Cadillac in higher rev-range tractability, with the Audi suffering a bit in that discipline.

In fuel consumption the BMW was again ahead by a nose from the Audi, with the Caddy clearly suffering at the petrol pump.

On the road, all three of these cars are impressive — the Audi being the plusher of the trio and the BMW the most direct, with the Cadillac striking an impressive compromise. Indeed when asked, the Cadillac was the surprise package and, pushed to the limit on the racetrack, did the business brilliantly.

Of course the BMW is faultless in that department, but the Audi is compromised by its front-wheel drive in overly eager motoring conditions.

Getting away from the dynamic and performance aspects, all three are well equipped, but there is far less reason to plunder the options list in the already better standard specced Cadillac. The Audi certainly stars in space, while the class-below BMW does well enough beyond those old rear legroom and three-abreast seating bugbears.

Surprisingly though, the Cadillac is compromised in rear headroom and anyone over 1.75m will find it a bit too tight back there.

The Caddy and the Audi have huge boots, where the BMW may need a Venter trailer to beat its buddies there.

Shaping up

So, how does the Cadillac shape up?

Looking at all of the above, it seems it does so quite well. The BMW should be nimbler, sharper, but it isn't that much better than the sweet handling Caddy and both of its rivals you would expect to match it in spec, comfort and trim. But to do that, you need to tick quite a few costly options boxes.

So the Cadillac is going to be more expensive than its rivals, no?

But that's the whole point here — the Cadillac CTS 3.6 V6 indeed undercuts both its German rivals here in price. Yes, even the a-class-below BMW, while still offering a standard spec to make A6 (and 5-Series, of course) owners cry.

General Motors has done itself proud with this Cadillac. So proud in fact, that if you're considering a car in this neck of the woods, be sure to take a peek at and a drive in the Cadillac. It not only matches and betters the best its rivals can offer in performance, spec, comfort and space, but at that price, it teaches them a lesson they will not easily forget.

Take it from us, Cadillac is back at the top of its game and CTS is the car that's put it back there. So if you have always wanted a car to truly set you apart in the manner that those old Cadillacs made their drivers look so good, that brand has once again set itself apart from the rest.

And at the price, it’s going to take quite some doing for the rest to react…