It seems safe to say that certain groups of engineers from Munich and Detroit are losing sleep at night over what sort of high-performance surprise each has in store for the other. On one end, you have the next-generation F80 BMW M3 sedan and F82/F83 M4 coupe. The model is expected to feature a tri-turbocharged inline-six engine that will surpass the 414 horsepower output the outgoing E90/E92/E93 M3 provides, while losing a bit of weight in the process.
Then there’s the first-ever Cadillac ATS-V. Expected to debut as a 2015 model, it looks to do to C-Segment performance luxury cars what the second-generation CTS-V did to midsize performance luxury cars. That is to say, blow them away with a kamehameha wave of power and driving superiority, and show that Cadillac’s performance dominance isn’t some sort of passing fluke. With the 2014 ATS-V, we’re expecting power to be 450 horsepower or more, utilizing the new LF3 twin-turbocharged V6 engine that will first debut in the 2014 Cadillac CTS VSport and XTS Twin-Turbo with 420 and 410 hp, respectively, meaning that Cadillac will be shying away from the naturally aspirated LT1 small-block that will be used in the 2014 Corvette Stingray. Whether or not a manual transmission’s in the cards for the top-performing ATS, however, is a still mystery, though we most certainly hope so.
Most recently, a wrapped 2015 ATS-V was caught testing in the rain with the outgoing E90 M3 sedan, as engineers continue development of the welterweight sports car. Visually, it’s sporting a quartet of exhaust tips mounted closer to the center, as we currently see with the rest of the ATS lineup. There’s also the wider stance to accommodate the much larger tires, and the revised front clip featuring a larger lower grille for improved cooling. The brakes are larger, as well, but the rotors are not carbon ceramic (not that they would necessarily need to be).
For a full gallery, visit Autoblog.
Comments
loving those aggressive wheel arches looks like they want to rip through that camo! And unless that’s a prototype grill it seems that the v team has did away with the mesh grills from the cts v. I definitely agree with manoli about the ttv6 and 450 hp being engine of choice, but I sure wouldn’t mind a lt1 in that engine bay!
Any news or guess on when it will be unveiled?
Our money’s on NAIAS 2014.
What else would you peg for NAIAS? With so many models coming in just a few short years, what else do you guys think will come to NAIAS to supplement this “second tier” kind of debut?
There’s a lot to look out for. Namely:
New midsize crossovers
New SUVs
New Cruze
New Camaro
New midsize trucks
New Buick of some kind
It’s all a ways a way, so it’s hard to narrow anything down at this point.
Yes, what about the new midsize crossovers? Has there been any word?
Personally, my money is on the Texas State Fair for the new SUV’s, with the Escalade in LA alongside the ATS coupe.
If the MY is 2015 then my guess (and a strong one @ that) would be Detroit or New York auto show @ the latest, and the earliest would be L.A. (highly doubtful) I went and took another look @ pics and didn’t catch the chin splitter and gaping front air intakes the bumper and they used looser camo on the powerdome hood and lip spoiler. Any thoughts on an ATS V Sport variant as well…I think it should be in the cards!
ATS-V for NAIAS14.
“That is to say, blow them away with a kamehameha wave of power and driving superiority, ”
I lol’d.
And yes, I expect the ATS-V to be just as ruinous and destructive in its performance as is the word itself.
I love the width of the rear tires on such a small car.