ATS Coupe Scores Second Place In Recent Car & Driver Comparison
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As the 464 hp 2016 Cadillac ATS-V arrives on scene, it’s worth noting how the current ATS Coupe stacks up against its rivals. Consider it the lightweight round before the big brawl (one that is sure to be more interesting than the over-hyped, 12-round yawn between Mayweather and Pacquiao).
While the current ATS hasn’t quite been the sales success many of us had hoped for, it’s still a competitively priced alternative to many of its imported rivals. Just ask the folks at Car and Driver, who recently pitted the 2015 Audi S5 against the Cadillac ATS Coupe 3.6 and the Lexus RC350 F Sport.
It was an admirable fight but the 321 hp Cadillac ATS Coupe couldn’t quite manage to unseat the veteran Audi S5 in the eyes of the C&D judges, however it did manage to keep the third-place Lexus at bay.
But don’t lose all hope; the lightweight, 3,569 lb ATS Coupe still managed to land a few choice haymakers:
1) The ATS outmuscled the S5 and RC350 in key areas like performance, steering feel, brake feel, and handling.
2) The ATS’s .94 g skidpad performance easily outweighed the S5’s .90 g and the RC350’s .85 g.
3) ATS Coupe is 324lbs lighter than the RC350 (3,884 lbs) and an incredible 394 lbs skinnier than the bloated Audi S5 (3,954 lbs)
Car and Driver noted there was one major factor that prevented the ATS from taking the crown: its LFX V6.
“Unfortunately, the ATS’s powertrain doesn’t carry its share of the freight. The engine shakes like a frigid canine at idle and howls like a tormented cat when running to the redline, ” wrote author Don Sherman.
Nimble as the ATS may be, it can’t back up its fast-feet with a strong punch, according to C&D. (Could that be the reason Cadillac will soon slot the new 3.6L V6 LGX under the hood?)
This leads us back to where were started: we can’t wait to see what happens when the ATS-V climbs into the ring with its enemies.
In the meantime you can view the final scoring and complete specs of the lightweight round right here.
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Why is it taking so long Cadillac? Why are you wasting this brilliant chassis with weak powertrain? This car desperately needs a 3.0 turbo six. Delay is danger, the car has been out now for 4 years. A naturally aspirated 6 can’t compete in this segment, the torque from turbo charge is needed if you want to compete with the big Germans. Forget Lexus, BMW 340i, MB C450 AMG and Audi S4/S5 should be the real target.
Second place? That’s half as good as first, amirite?
They should have it sorted out by the magic year, 2020.
Second place is nothing to brag about, not when you lose to the old Audi, that is being replaced in a few months. Plus, the real giants in the segment from BMW and Mercedes were not in this comparison, so second place means nothing.
The 3.0TT is coming to the ATS in V Sport form to coincide with the CT6 rollout.
They really thought the Audi’s interior styling was better than Caddy’s?????
I have a 2014 Impala with a version of this engine and it is definitely fast, fluid, and fun, but not scare the crap out of you fast. If you jam your foot to the floor, it does sounds like a sewing machine; which can be a bit unsettling. Also, once you start the car, it shakes a little, but not a big deal. This is a good engine, but I am sure the redesigned version will target its current shortcomings. The Audi’s turbo with additional torque is probably much funner because of the power increase.
You alluded to some of the reasons why the powertrain is the weakest link to this otherwise stellar vehicle.
An engine in this category of vehicle should not ‘sound like a sewing machine’ or ‘shake a little ‘ on start up.
Still scratching my head a little that they didn’t do a single turbocharged version of their new 3.0 litre engine. 335HP and say 350lb.ft torque.
Ideal 3.6NA replacement and unique to Cadillac.
Well first a well tuned car should not scare the crap out of you. A well tuned car makes going fast feel slow and in control.
But the engines in the Cadillac are good for most GM cars but they are not Cadillac class engine. You can take a Cadillac and dumb it down to a Chevy but you can not take a Malibu engine and make it a Cadillac.
This is why GM has relented to let Cadillac to have their own engines last August and are now starting work to replace these engines.
While these are not bad engines we have now they are not build the refined to the point to compare to the others in the class. I love my 3.6 in my Malibu but I would be disappointed in my $75K CTS.
Cadillac just finally found true north and have finally gotten the right direction they needed to go in. Before they were going northwest that was close but not close enough.
GM has finally figured it out or should I say listen to the right people and are now finally going to put Cadillac on the pat it needs to be. At this point we just need to let them finish it but they are so close now and a few things like engines, dash and improved cue can go a long way.
Then we need to worry about selling American to others. We can still have the best car but that is like sending the best American to try for F1 and them letting him have a good car. The best drivers and cars do not always get the spoils. Unfair yes but that is life and that is why Cadillac is more worried about profits more than volume.