After a six-month buildup, Cadillac unveiled the compact ATS sedan at the Detroit Auto Show. Dubbed by Mark Reuss, GM’s North American president, as, “the car to finally challenge the German cars at their own game and win,” the soon-to-be-launched ATS already has some big shoes to fill. To the car’s credit, GM is equipping it with a Magnetic Ride Control suspension (found on the CTS-V, the Corvette ZR1, the Camaro ZL1 and the Ferrari 458 Italia) and has done all it can to reduce weight, bringing the ATS is at under 3,400 pounds.
The engine options announced so far don’t have us convinced the car is a legitimate sport sedan. The base engine is a 2.5-liter Ecotec four, good for just 200 horsepower, while the “enthusiast” choice seems to be a 270-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four. There’s also a 318 horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6, but Cadillac almost seems to be downplaying this option.
We suspect the 2.0-liter turbo four chosen for the ATS is the same engine used in the Buick Regal GS. We’ve driven that car, and the power simply feels adequate, not impressive. Granted, the Cadillac is some 300 pounds lighter than the Buick and drives the rear wheels, not the front, but we have a hard time seeing the ATS as a legitimate opponent to the BMW 335is.
Maybe our opinions will change when we have a chance to drive the car. Until then, color us “cautiously optimistic” and enjoy the fourth video in Cadillac’s “ATS The Journey” series, below.
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.
