The 2013 Cadillac ATS is the brand's first compact sedan in a quarter century.
For all too many potential buyers the idea of a compact Cadillac brings to mind the last attempt by the U.S. maker to tackle the likes of the vaunted BMW 3-Series. Caddy’s dreadful Cimarron almost single-handedly brought the General Motors flagship brand to its knees, helping shatter its long-standing image as the “Standard of the World.”
It’s no surprise Cadillac officials spent nearly three decades dithering about whether to return to the compact market – a decision finally forced upon the brand by global sales trends. As TheDetroitBureau.com has reported, GM has given Caddy the go-ahead to produce an all-new flagship meant to tackle the likes of the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. But the real sales growth is at the other end of the market – especially if Cadillac finally hopes to generate some real volume outside the U.S.
So, the 2013 Cadillac ATS could become one of the most important products in the Detroit luxury brand’s history – as critical to Caddy’s long-term success as the finned wonders the maker rolled out a half-century ago.
That said, simply entering the compact luxury market is no guarantee of success. The Caddy ATS will have to face off with not only the latest-generation BMW 3-Series but equally tough European alternatives such as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4 – never mind the new Acura ILX, the redesigned Lexus ES and the upcoming replacement for the Infiniti G.
Putting the 2013 ATS through its paces at Atlanta Motorsports Park.
To get a sense of what Caddy has accomplished we set off for Atlanta for a couple days of driving in-town and out in the Georgia countryside. We also had the chance to take the 2013 Cadillac ATS out on the track to test the sedan’s limits.
(Cadillac gets the green light to put its new flagship into production. Click Here for more.)
The look of the ATS will be familiar to anyone who has followed the evolution of the Cadillac brand since the first CTS introduced us to the Art & Science design language a decade ago. Though 8.5 inches shorter than the CTS, the compact model maintains the basic angular look, albeit a little less edgy and slab-sided than its bigger brother.
Perhaps the most notably detail is the fact that the ATS weighs in at just 3,315 pounds for the base2.5-liter car, substantially less than the CTS – and nearly 150 lbs less than the BMW 328i, despite being within 1 inch of the Bavarian sedan’s dimensions in every direction.
The ATS is the lightest vehicle in its segment and among the stiffest.
“Lightweighting,” it turns out, was a key goal for the ATS engineering team, one reason they migrated to the new Alpha platform rather than sharing the Sigma II architecture used by the current CTS (which itself migrates to the Alpha when it undergoes a major redesign for 2014).
If ATS had simply been a downsized version of the bigger sedan, sharing the old Sigma platform, “we wouldn’t have gotten there because the competition is so formidable,” explained Dave Leone, the ATS Vehicle Line Executive.
Simply being smaller and lighter wasn’t enough, however. A closer look at an unpainted version of the Cadillac ATS body reveals expanded welding and the extensive use of structural adhesives to replace traditional brackets. Such moves also improved body rigidity, something we would clearly discover during our track time.
The ATS boasts a much more refined interior than many compact luxury imports.
The look of the new Cadillac ATS is handsome, both inside and out. Designers also clearly learned some lessons studying the competition, coming up with an interior package that is pleasantly upscale, especially considering some of the corner-cutting we’ve seen from imports trying to counter the effects of lopsided exchange rates.
The cabin is a little tight, especially when compared to the latest 3-Series. Though by no means claustrophobic it clearly could use a few more inches of rear legroom. The optional sport seats provide tremendous lateral support yet remained comfortable during a long day blending both track and street driving.
Visibility proved particularly good – the use of ultra-high-strength steel helping offset the need for the maxi-sized A-pillars we’re seeing in many other new models struggling to meet increased government rollover standards.
The Cadillac Cue system operates much like a smartphone, such as the Apple iPhone.
For those willing to bump up the price tag, the new ATS offers a number of nice trim options including carbon fiber and aluminum accents. There’s also an optional head-up-display, or HUD, system.
But for anyone familiar with smartphones like the Apple iPhone, the real draw will likely be the optional Cadillac Cue system. Arguably the most advanced and user-friendly infotainment system on the market, Cue borrows many of its basics from the iPhone, including a Siri-like voice command system that effectively recognizes normal-language commands. Simply say “pair my phone,” rather than going through the frustrating, multi-stage process on older Caddy models.
Want to zoom in or out on a navigation map? Pinch the 8-inch hi-res screen just like you would the display on your Apple phone or iPad. The system can even pull an address directly out of your contact list. There’s even a little buzz – haptic feedback, in technical lingo – whenever you tap the screen.
(Caddy considering ATS Coupe, Convertible, other new offerings. Click Here for the story.)
The Caddy ATS offers three engine options, including a 2.0-liter Turbo, the only powertrain with an optional 6-speed manual.
With many ATS buyers expected to come from Gen-X and even the Millennial generation, this focus on high-tech should prove appealing. But if Caddy hopes to make a real go of it what’s under the hood will still matter.
At a relatively modest 202 horsepower, the base 2.5-liter engine is a modest alternative to BMW’s own (U.S.) base, 240-hp turbocharged-four in the 328i. Mated to a six-speed automatic, it will achieve a reasonable 7.5 second launch to 60. It remains to be seen whether many buyers will want to sacrifice performance and refinement for a slightly better base price – and fuel economy estimated at 22 mpg in the city and 32 on the highway.
We’d be surprised if most buyers don’t opt for the mid-range turbo V-6. This 2.0-liter package was the real delight to drive, on-track and off. The direct-injection four is aggressive and emotionally satisfying, churning out a max of 272 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. Better yet, you can order it with a 6-speed stick. The manual transmission if only available on the rear-drive layout. A 6-speed automatic is offered in both rear and all-wheel-drive configurations.
The ATS is the latest Cadillac model to adopt the brand's Art & Science design language.
We were disappointed to learn that Cadillac decided against offering a stick with the top-line 3.6-liter V-6. That’s too bad because this is the real performance package, turning 0 to 60 times of 5.4 seconds, according to Cadillac, a full three-tenths faster than the turbo I-4. Caddy did provide a manual shift mode and add optional paddle shifters, however.
While the 2.0T matches the mileage of the anemic 2.5-liter engine – 22 City/32 Highway – the V-6 trims fuel economy to 19/28.
Like virtually every new product coming to market, these days, the 2013 Cadillac ATS adopts an electric power-assist steering, or EPAS, system. The new sedan demonstrates just how far that technology has evolved since the early days – of 5 years or so back. In the ATS, the rack-mounted motor drive provides a nicely speed-sensitive level of boost with a reasonably good on-center feel and direct road feedback.
Slip into sport mode and steering tightens up. That also firms the suspension and signals the gearbox to be more responsive to road and driver inputs.
The light, stiff platform and body pay off under aggressive driving.
Even in the standard mode, the suspension is firm and well-planted while still soaking up most bumps. We got a good measure of what sport mode can accomplish during our run at Atlanta Motorsports Park, however. The private track requires serious precision to be driven well, with a series of tight corners and a number of elevation changes coursing through the pines and red soil of the rural Atlanta countryside.
We found that the ATS was more than willing to accommodate a few modest errors as we learned the course without sending us spinning off into the tire walls. There’s just a touch of understeer, predictable enough to be useful in tight corners. The tight handling and minimal body roll of the sedan encouraged us to shave tenths and even full seconds off our lap times with each run.
Clearly, all that focus on cutting weight and increasing body rigidity has paid off. So did Cadillac’s decision to do much of its testing on the Nurburgring’s Nordschliefe loop.
Though 8.5 inches shorter than the Cadillac CTS, the new ATS virtually matches the dimensions of the BMW 3-Series.
While it’s been far too long a wait for Caddy to get back into the compact market we’re pleased to see the maker has clearly learned its lessons. This is no compromise car; unlike the ancient Cimarron, which was little more than a gussied-up Chevrolet, the 2013 Cadillac ATS is a true luxury sport compact. It is a delight to look at and a lot of fun to drive, especially with the turbo or V-6 powertrains. And at a base price of around $34,000, it offers a competitive alternative to the imports.
The question is whether potential buyers will notice. Cadillac officials don’t deny that challenge. It’s been a long time since the maker played in this segment and its history there wasn’t exactly good. It’s likely to take some time to build up a portfolio of positive reviews and good word-of-mouth before Caddy can land on prospects’ shopping list. But we were clearly impressed. Let the buzz start here.