First Impressions - 2014 Cadillac ATS Coupe

Back in 2008, Cadillac surprised the world with the Cadillac CTS Coupe Concept at the Detroit Auto Show. It was such a visual stunner and hit with attendees that Cadillac quickly pushed it into production virtually unchanged. This concept showed the depth of General Motors' design studio and the willingness to push the Art & Science language to the extreme. Now that the CTS has climbed one level higher to compete with 5 Series/E Class crowd and no plans to do a two-door version (yet), the ATS has assumed the role of 3 Series/C Class fighter. With multiple versions of those cars littering the road, it was a given that the ATS would diversify its model range to compete right? Most definitely. After the sedan comes the coupe and while the sedan strikes a clean yet attractive design, any expectations of a stylish coupe along the lines of the previous CTS two-door were summarily shot down when the covers were finally pulled off this year.

You really can't be mad at the ATS Coupe's lines but maybe you're thinking, "that's it?" I mean yes, it is clearly an ATS derivative but coupes are supposed to be far more fetching than their four door brethren. Like the younger, hotter, more outgoing sister to the practical, glasses-wearing but still attractive older sibling. One need look no further than the Audi S4/S5 duo or even the BMW 3/4 Series for comparison. In any event, few pieces of sheet metal are shared between the sedan and coupe. In designing the two door, Cadillac widened both front and rear tracks while snapping on slightly puffed out fenders. The face is ever so slightly more aggressive and the grille now sports the new Cadillac crest, minus the wreath (which debuted on the Elmiraj Concept). While attractive as a whole, the ATS Coupe doesn't have the WOW factor that blew everyone away like the old CTS coupe did. Cadillac's playing it safe with this one folks.

Despite the ATS being a year old, Cadillac has done a little tweaking under the hood. For the coupe, engine choices begin with the 2.0L turbocharged inline 4 cylinder (skipping the 2.5L inline 'bore' four) with 272hp and torque boosted from 260lb-ft to 295, all of it available from 3000rpm. With a curb weight just over 3400lbs, Cadillac is estimating the 0-60mph run taking 5.6 seconds when equipped with the standard six speed automatic. A six speed manual is optional but you wont find it hitched to the big 321hp, 3.6L V6 as it comes only with the automatic. All wheel drive will be available with both engines. The ATS has demonstrated to be quite the handler (see my first test here) and the Coupe will only enhance this dynamic trait. The suspension is basically the same as the sedan (MacPherson struts up front and a five-link, independent setup at the rear) but features lighter materials and a slightly stiffer chassis. A sportier FE3 suspension is also available which includes Cadillac's magnificent Magnetic Ride Control, 18 inch wheels shod with summer tires and a limited slip differential. Watch out BMW...

Inside, the ATS continues to impress with the same elegant layout as the sedan: leather everywhere with either aluminum, wood or carbon fiber accents sprinkled liberally. The CUE infotainment system is also present and accounted for (except on Base models) and comes with new features such as text-to-voice for messaging, a built-in WiFi hotspot that can connect up to seven devices and Siri Eyes Free capability for those with iPhones. Driver safety features also abound: lane-keep assist, collision avoidance which, with the aid of radar and ultrasonic sensors can automatically apply the brakes if the driver fails to, blind-zone alert and an optional heads-up display. Pricing hasn't been announced but expect the Base ATS Coupe to start slightly higher than the $36,020 MSRP of the Turbo sedan.

With the just-on-sale BMW 4 Series already racking up sales and a new Mercedes C-Class Coupe expected to debut shortly, it seems the Cadillac ATS Coupe will have its work cut out for it. Sure it's not the looker that is the old CTS Coupe, but with its sedan counterpart already kicking German tail, the ATS Coupe has quite the chance to upstage the pecking order.

Images courtesy of The Cool List

First Impressions - 2013 Cadillac ATS

2013 Cadillac ATS

In the world of compact luxury sedans, the BMW 3 Series has reigned supreme for a number of years. It has successfully fended off competitors like the Infiniti G sedan and Lexus IS that repeatedly attempted to knock the 3 off its pedestal. The trouble with being King of the segment is that you're effectively a bulls-eye for would-be rivals. Nothing has come close to the Bavarian's apparently perfect mix of ride and handling (even though said competitors would have you think otherwise). Some rivals have tried to meet the 3 Series head on like the Lexus IS, even spawning the IS-F to take on the M3. Others, like Infiniti and Cadillac have gone the "tweener" route: cars that are larger than the 3 but smaller than the next level, the mid-size segment. Cadillac tried this option with its original CTS and met with success but over the years, even it realized that a more targeted response to the 3 Series was needed.

Meet the 2013 Cadillac ATS

Designed from the ground up to be a direct competitor to the Bavarian, the ATS is built on an all new RWD platform codenamed Alpha, that is said to be both lighter and stronger than the 3 Series, yet offer the same subtle ride/handling balance that has come to characterize BMW. The exterior styling, like other Cadillacs, can not be mistaken for anything else, except a slightly smaller CTS. Employing the brand's "Art & Science" theme of its big brother, the ATS rounds off some of the sharper edges, giving the sedan a slightly curvier look than the razor-edged CTS. The overall look is elegant, yet engaging and sporty.

However, one of Cadillac's main design briefs with the ATS was its performance; more to the point, that it be equal or better than the competition and the ATS more of less achieves this goal on paper. Spending considerable development time on Germany's Nurburgring race track, Cadillac engineers honed the ATS' platform and engines to better that of BMW's offerings (using the previous E46 version as inspiration). Equipped with GM's Magnetic Ride Control (dampers filled with magnetorheological fluid that change in viscosity when passed through a magnetic field) and 50/50 weight distribution, Cadillac promises the ATS will be light, nimble and seriously fun to drive.

2013 Cadillac ATS

The 2013 Cadillac ATS will be equipped with three different engines at launch. The base ATS will have a 2.5 liter, naturally aspirated inline 4 cylinder good for 200hp and 188lb-ft of torque and 30mpg on the highway. The serious enthusiast though will look to the upper level engines for serious fun. Slotted above the 2.5 liter is a 2.0 liter turbocharged and direct injected 4 cylinder putting out 270hp and 260lb-ft of torque, an effective challenge for the new BMW 328i's turbocharged, 2.0 liter 4 cylinder. Topping off the range (at least until the inevitable monster ATS-V) is the ubiquitous 3.6 liter direct injected 318hp V6. Cadillac has recently announced a diesel engine for the ATS at some point in its first life cycle, although it isn't confirmed if it will be offered for the American market. Transmissions will be a choice of either 6 speed manual or automatics.

On paper, the ATS looks to be a credible competitor in the compact luxury sedan segment. With claims of lightness, sportiness and efficiency, Cadillac's newest offering has the potential to accomplish what the tweener CTS hasn't quite been able to do.
Can't wait to see what the ATS-V will be packing. Stay tuned for a first drive!

Check out Cadillac's Super Bowl ad for the new ATS here.

[UPDATE] Cadillac has launched a new configurator for the ATS that allows you to mix and match options, just in case you were wondering about that manual transmission options availability on the 3.6 V6 (it's not...sorry). Pricing hasn't been included (coming later).

Images courtesy of www.insideline.com and www.motortrend.com