2013 Ecotec 2.0L Turbo from the Cadillac ATS
If you want more proof that Cadillac is serious about challenging the likes of BMW with its upcoming ATS sedan, here it is: the car will (initially) come with three engine options, including a 2.5-liter four cylinder that should serve as the base engine and will probably produce just short of 200 horsepower. Cadillac will offer a 3.6-liter V-6, too, probably pulled from the SRX crossover. In the 2012 SRX, the engine produces 308 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque, which should prove to be sufficient to power a compact sedan.
The big news, however, is a Cadillac-tuned 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, which will put out 270 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. That’s 135 horsepower per liter, making the new engine one of the most power-dense motors on the planet. It achieves this via direct fuel injection, continuously variable valve timing and a twin-scroll turbocharger that produces up to 20 pounds of boost. That’s quite a bit for a stock engine from a luxury manufacturer, so Cadillac has built the engine to include a forged crankshaft and oil-spray piston cooling; they’ve also focused on reducing friction to produce more efficient power.
Suspiciously absent from the lineup is an ATS-V engine, which we’re hoping will come further down the line. Of the available choices, the turbo four is the one most attractive to drivers, since the V-6 will add weight and make the car nose-heavy without producing significantly more power. The 2.5-liter four will be the high-volume engine, sold to buyers who care more about luxury and comfort than about driving and performance.
Look for more details on the ATS when the car breaks cover at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
