The 2013 Cadillac ATS is a courageous step for GM’s luxury brand, as it enters a segment of the automotive market conquered by German rivals similar to the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4. But if you want evidence that Cadillac is serious about the ATS, check out what’s in store for the performance variation due sometime in the next model year. These illustrations of the 2014 Cadillac ATS-V give a clue as to the track of Cadillac’s introduce fighting sports sedan. Lower than stock and riding on superior multi-spoke alloy wheels, the ATS-V adds wire mesh grilles op front, lowered side sills, and dual-exhausts peeking out of a rear diffuser. Unfortunately, a peek underneath the hood will most likely have to wait for at least a few more months.
Standard versions of the ATS will be presented with a choice of two 4-cylinder engines, or the current series topping 318-bhp 3.6-liter V-6. Cadillac has superior the ride and handling at the Nurburgring racetrack in Germany, and the ATS’ 50/50 weight allocation was highly touted when the car debuted throughout this year’s 2012 Detroit Auto Show. That makes it improbable that Cadillac will shoehorn the 6.2-liter V-8 from the larger CTS-V into the more compact ATS. The 556-bhp engine could establish a bit too vicious in the smaller sedan, and it could filch sales from its bigger sports-oriented sibling.
We think a twin-turbocharged V-6 is further expected. Though we’ll have to wait to know if the current 3.6-liter or the forthcoming 3.0-liter V-6 will be the engine of choice. Coupled to this as-yet-unknown power plant will be a 6-speed automatic and – unless Caddy decides there aren’t sufficient buyers engrossed in shifting for themselves – a 6-speed manual gearbox. The brakes and deferment will be strengthened to match the boost in performance. With the CTS-V doling out 556 bhp, it’s expected the ATS-V will be somewhere in the region of 400-450 bhp.
