Cadillac's ATS Is Coming, Who Should Be Scared? BMW? Lexus? Mercedes-Benz? Audi?

hyundai

Actually Cadillac should be scared of Hyundai in the build quality/luxury department.

As for the marquee brands I don't see anything to fear from Cadillac. While their designs are improving, the quality isn't up to par.

A Gen 5 V8. The real question is: will it be naturally aspirated or have forced induction.

GM would be best served by sticking to the formula that works. The V should have a V8 engine putting out a LOT of HP. I'm thinking that the reason that it's not being offered sooner than 2015 is that GM might be working on a new V8. I know that they had been working on a replacement for the Northstar but that was shelved after the bankruptcy events. Could they be brining it back to the test benches with perhaps a high performance boosted version? That would be nice, now wouldn't it?

If they follow the trend and new epa regulations and really want to compete with the 3 series I say a V version or even a non V version will most likely have a turbo or twin turbo v6 putting out over 300hp,especially with GM recently adding turbo motors in its newer cars.

Interesting rxh. I think you may be right but I wonder if a twin turbo V6 would be well received at this level. If the torque was there, it may just be the one that breaks through the V8 stigma. I love those V8s ad the way they sound but all the other major players are working on smaller displacement, more powerful, more efficient mills.

Buick should be scared because outside of China and a few scattered retirement communities sprinkled across North America, no one cares about this brand. If Cadillac can pull-off a small car, I give Buick five years.

BMW, MB, Audi, Infiniti or Lexus do not have to worry about this car. They all have cars that outsell Cadillac and Cadillac has easier financing.

Buick FWD
Cadillac RWD

BTW the Buick plants have been running non stop!

I was hoping they'd re-use the Cimarron name.

The landscape is changing beneath our feet gents and precious few are willing to admit it is. 5 years ago Cadillac was a joke, Buick was on life support (barely) and Hyundai was still a poor man's car. China was nothing to take with any seriousness and Lexus was on top of the heap. In an other 5 years, the ones who will be respected are the ones who are taking the challenges seriously and reacting to them in a direct and focused manner. BMW looses more focus with every GT and SUV it makes. Mercedes lost its focus when it decided to engineer its cars instead of "over-engineer" them. Cadillac and Hyundai are on the move. There's still room for both to improve but they've been diligent to address their shortcomings and it's starting to show. Buick is doing the same. We can either open our eyes and watch it all happen or we can decide to keep our heads buried in the sand and miss it.

I see the head-in-the-sanders are de-boosting me. It's not easy being at the leading edge of contemporary thought. Copernicus, Galileo, Newton...all of us great thinkers were greeted harshly at first ;0)

Scared? Really, if you look at CTS coupe there is your answer.

Sweet and a prime example of what I was talking about above.

The CTS coupe is a work of art and a prime example of a sports/luxury car!

@kuvakas1 this site is not a place for the truth or realty for some reason you will be deeboosted for being right and providing links to back up your statements. Welcome to autospies.

Well...at least I have my humility. I am very....errr...uhhh...proud of that.

No one!!

Unless ATS can keep the weight down.... which is unheard of for American cars.

Good point, richard, but I'm not sure any of the big hitters are doing a good job in that area right now.

Absolutely no one, not even Hyundai.

If they put a non turbo 4 in as the base engine it will hurt the cars credibility from day 1. If they at least have the turbo 4 (and it needs to be smooth etc...) as the base it has a fighting chance assuming all the other characteristics are premium level, feel, quality materials, nice styling etc....

2012 - 2014. Tha major compeitors are coming with their new models (IS, bimmer 3) or with the refresh models (A4, C-Class). Caddy get hard time.

The ATS has to bring something to the table we haven't seen yet, like say an innovative drive train or exceptional fuel economy, or style. Otherwise, I think it may only blur into the background of a hot market segment.

"...the past 12 months, the domestic automakers have turned around.

Hell, even Chrysler has really gotten its act together"


(Sorry I was living on Mars and just got back) REALLY??
More to the point, ah, just US car makers need to even look up at the radar screen!!! If it flies another flag, chances are we can't compete.......(YET, fingers crossed) We have a lot of growing up to do in hmmmm, DESIGN, DESIGN, ah yes, DESIGN, BUILD quality. We still believe you just need to strap an AMCE rocket to four tires add a steering wheel and it is a car!

"...Ford is putting out cars like the 2011 Ford Edge, which has an awesome graphic user interface"

That's it!! I am buying my next iPad from Ford!!!

...oops, I meant ACME...like the Road Runner cartoon

If the engineering of the ATS starts at the point of where the CTS-V line is now, then everyone shouldnt necessarily be "scared" but they should have their eyes open this time around. IMO, it shouldnt have took only two CTS-V generations to catch BMW (who has been at this longer). Just sayin'...

(de-boosting means you love me! lol)

Yes, the luxury imports should be afraid. What's really pathetic is that so many of those who respond on these blogs aren't even auto enthusiasts and many can't even afford the vehicles they are commenting on. As a current and past Cadillac owner, I've owned every new product that Cadillac currently produces, sans the new CTS coupe. Hailing from a GM family with a long heritage of owning some of the most interesting cars GM has ever built, I will be the first to say that they've had their fair share of misses on quality, reliability, etc. However, I can say without a doubt, their new products are as good if not better than almost anything on the market today. Perception of Imports being better is the new reality and it is total BS. I've owned Mercedes, BMW, Lexus and Infiniti the folks we really need to wake up. They are not all that. The new CTS is hands down the most attractive vehicle in its class and its quality is on par with the best the imports have to offer. It's really simple...GM and Cadillac have one thing that many of the luxury marques don't have and that is heritage and a long list of innovations that, yes, even the imports are using today.

So, with that being said, the new ATS may very well be the car that finally puts the over-hyped BMW 3-Series in its place.

Hyundai should not even be used in the same sentence with Cadillac...please!!

"ATS may very well be the car that FINALLY puts the over-hyped BMW 3-Series in its place." (emphasis added on "finally")

How much have you had to drink today WC? You are entitled to YOUR opinion, but you mentioned a few car companies that are NOT facing extinction with one having its hand out for BILLIONS! Care to explain that? If this was a test in college (you did go right??) what grade would you give GM vs the rest that are not facing chapter 11 with YOUR money?? In the car building business I mean? It says a lot if you are only competitive NOW, don't you think?? After decades in the BIZ?? And you are NOT blowing away the competition, just MATCHING what they have JUST done? What do you suppose they are doing while you are CATCHING up, huh???? I want to see GM do well, but this is no time for celebration over ONE decent model (CTS)! The ATS is still in the future right??? I hope they are around for it! And Dub, next time try sitting in a CAR! You can't possibly be saying a Porsche interior is low rent? Or what of an Aston? Or Bentley? I don't think we make those. (sarcasm added) Maybe we used to own them but alas even that too has changed

And for the record WC, I've owned a BMW 330i with the M package. And my next vehicle will likely be the BMW X6 M. I rented a DTS once and noticed the rattling noise, (nice tune). Also, witnessed my brother-in-law fix his Cadillac with a wire hanger. McGyver would be proud!

I was trying to figure out what kind of car enthusiast you were and then you answered my question by stating you rented a DTS. Who, into cars, rents a Cadillac DTS? You fail...

FYI: You do know that the DTS is technically ten years old now and its platform even older than that, right?

IMOM, you can keep you BMW and give me the DTS, because I've owned BMW's that were crap. Case in point, in 2005, a 2002 BMW 7-Series with 23k that just wouldn't start sometimes...hmmmm. NO American car I've owned, particularly Caddy has ever not started. What's car is best to anyone is only their opinion, not fact. We have all had experiences with the cars we believe in.
As for the billions in federal aid GM received, I was all for it. Like it or not, GM is a huge part of the national and world economy and someone has to support the home team, because obviously you do not. Spend your money on what you want, but my interests lie with the AMERICAN car companies. If you think GM is going away, buddy keep dreaming. I live, eat, sleep and breath the auto industry. I don't buy into all this media rhetoric, much is which is put out by persons whose opinions have no validity whatsoever. Do some research on cash reserves and company financial health of your precious BMW and others and you will be truly enlightened.
Personally, the CTS is far from decent and it is not the only great car GM currently builds. For someone whose owned and driven everything from Chevys to Bentleys, I can see the light year improvements that GM has made on quality, reliability and design. I, as do many, aren't too proud to acknowledge them.

As for your brother-in-law who fixed his Cadillac with a wire hanger instead to taking to a dealership as most of us affluent Americans would do....CLASSY!!

IMOM, for the record, yes, I did go to college and graduated; I'm an architectural engineer. My $3.5 million home is proof that not only am I educated, but I can drive anything I want.

Then wise up!! And money does not do that by the way!! Even if you own a BBJ or Citation X! Cheer all you want for the home team nothing wrong with that. But it is old folks like you who are killing the brand with your head in the sand!! And for the record BMW builds auto plants that cost over a BILLION dollars!! GM?

IMOM, are you kidding? I'm 36 and myself and others my age are breathing new life into Cadillac. At the end of the day, you buy what you want and I will do the same. The best is nothing more than what any of us think is best. For brainwashed import buyers like yourself, nothing GM will ever build will be good enough. So, hey, you like Bimmers, do your thing.

I guess there is no objective way of telling who is the best.....ha-ha, Dub I guess the much "overated" 3 series was just a Caddy in disguise, huh? Cadillac = Audi=BMW=Mercedes=Ferrari=Lambo=Bentley, I could go on but you see how silly that is?! I high;y suspect your multi million house is anything but a stable for horses...a lot of the brown stuff coming out of it. Wuse up, man! Of course we can all tell quality You can't, but we can. Next time push yourself and maybe you just might make a 5 million dollar home. I am trying to get the home team to peak you just want status quo. And YOU talk about brainwashed??? Sheesh!!

IMOM, your sarcasm further demonstrates that you are way full of yourself and you insist your opinion is right. So be it. I'm sure we are in much different social classes anyway, so I it all makes perfect sense to me. You have no idea who I am and just how well I know quality...

http://www.cadillacforums.com/cadillac-history.html

"...I'm sure we are in much different social classes"

Huh, Dub?? Have we met??? Want to examine my personal finances and/or my assets? My SEC filings? My, WC, and we hardly just met.

You are a worker bee, don't you ever forget that! You work for people like me who hire you! BTW, let's just say ANY class (social or otherwise) that will have YOU as a member can count me out!

And since this is now a personal matter with you (and is the last bastion of the feeble minded) I, sir, will bid you adieu! I will check the site though. You do OWE me a chuckle or two! That is your purpose here! Have a great day!!

IMOM...epic fail...

As a current 2010 Cadillac CTS4 owner - I'm very satisfied. However, some point they missed that I would like to see in the ATS and future CTS are:

Better carpeted car mats (I know it sounds silly, but these are extra thin and won't last long. The all season mats by comparison are really very good)

Integrated turn lamps in the side mirrors. Looks cool and is practical.

Full LED lighting. Kills me that mine has them in the backup lights only but skimps on them elsewhere.

Push button start on all models and kill the entry level pleather. Mine has leather seats, but whenever I pick up a loaner for maintenance, I wonder why they even offer it.

Updated windshield wipers. Can't believe they still have the old style on there.

Heated rear seat option. Decent coin holder.

Overall, it's hard to pick apart and I really love it.