The new Cadillac ATS-V.R race car debuted just last weekend at the Pirelli World Challenge race in Austin, Texas. It performed admirably in its inaugural event, nabbing a third and a seventh place finish.
But before the race action started, Jalopnik was fortunate enough to wriggle their way into the passenger’s seat of the road car, the 2016 Cadillac ATS-V, for a couple of laps with Cadillac Chief Engineer Tony Roma at the helm.
“What could that have revealed?” you may be wondering. Well, not as much as we – nor Jalopnik – would have hoped. Riding in the passenger’s seat can be somewhat demonstrative of a car’s capabilities, but not nearly as much so as actually grabbing the till for oneself.
Still, Jalopnik‘s Patrick George did deduce that the 2016 Cadillac ATS-V is nimble – plenty nimble. That’s thanks largely to magnetorheological struts, a stiffer suspension calibration (50 percent stiffer than the regular ATS), and structural enhancements. George says it’s much like the already-great ATS, only more willing to rotate: tail-happy, but easily kept in check.
And, the 2016 Cadillac ATS-V is fast – plenty fast. It makes 455 HP from a twin-turbo, 3.6-liter V6, with lightweight turbines and a low-volume air-cooling strategy which maximizes boost. Roma claims that the first ever ATS-V was benchmarked against the last-generation, V8-equipped BMW M3, with the intent of reducing weight, increasing refinement, and surpassing the M3 in terms of speed and agility. Sounds like they may have pulled it off.
Most importantly, though, the 2016 Cadillac ATS-V will do massive, intoxicating burnouts and donuts that will make a crowd of racing fans go positively gaga in a packed arena in Austin, Texas. Said hoonage may also draw some criticism from track officials, but you’ll be so high on endorphins, you’ll hardly be able to care.
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