Cadillac ATS Wish List Item No. 3: Make HID Headlamps With LED Accents Standard
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This article is part of the GM Authority Wish List series for the Cadillac ATS — a collection of changes, updates, and modifications we’d like to see made to the family of compact luxury vehicles. The purpose of the Wish List is very simple: to create awareness of the issues we have found with the vehicles so that Cadillac can address them in the future, whether via a refresh or a next-generation model, all in an effort to make the best luxury cars on the market, bar none.
The GM Authority staff has collectively spent a significant amount of time with the ATS, both as drivers and as passengers, in both Sedan and Coupe body styles, with all four engines, all five trim levels, and with various degrees of features and equipment. In other words, this wish list is not the result of a knee-jerk reaction after a day or two with the car. It’s the result of living with the cars, sometimes for several months. In fact, one of our founders happens to own a an ATS (2015 2.0T Premium, six-speed manual).
We should note that at times, the Wish List series might appear like nitpicking, as it will point out the smallest features, characteristics, or components. If it seems that way, it’s for a reason, since we believe that the devil is in the details, especially when it comes to prestige luxury vehicles. As such, we honestly believe that addressing these issues will improve the product, grow the brand, and — ultimately — lead to an uptick in Cadillac sales. And as journalists who also happen to be GM and Cadillac enthusiasts, few things would make us happier. If nothing else, it would result in a Cadillac we’d be proud to buy, to own, and to show off to anyone willing to look and listen.
Keeping in mind that this wish list is by no means in order, here goes our the third item: the need to make the HID headlamps with LED accents a standard feature, regardless of trim level.
Anyone who has seen the ATS with the High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps with vertical LED Light Signatures knows how incredible they look. The lights take the car from “good looking” status, and raise it to entirely different levels during the day and night. The adjectives “awesome” and “incredible” come to mind, since the lights give the car some major presence on the road, making the vehicle nearly impossible to miss. Problem is, they are optional on both the ATS Sedan (standard on the 2.0L Turbo in Performance trim and higher) and on the ATS Coupe (standard on the Luxury trim and higher). But they should be standard.
Looking At The Competition
At this point, we’re sure quite a few of you are about to stop reading and are already half-way to the comments section to present your counterpoint. And the counterpoint will probably will have something to do with the fact that HIDs (or Xenon lights) are also optional on the ATS’ primary rivals — the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and BMW 3 and 4 Series. And to some extend, you would be correct.
Without going too much into strategy as it relates to options, the fact that competitors offer HIDs as an option rather than as standard equipment should not concern Cadillac because it is the challenger brand, and would therefore benefit from offering more features for the same amount of money as its rivals. If that isn’t enough to convince you, consider the fact that Audi has its signature Xenons as standard equipment on the A4.
Letting The Lights Build The Brand
More importantly, equipping every single ATS — as well as all other Cadillacs — with these great-looking HID lights and vertical LED signatures would not only give drivers better visibility at night, but it would also furnish the ATS with some major presence, recognition, and awareness from other drivers. By comparison, an ATS with the standard non-HID lights and LED accents makes the car — at first glance — indistinguishable from a Chevy Cruze, a Honda Civic, Subaru Impreza… or a Geo Metro, for that matter. Clearly, that’s not a good thing.
Moreover, Cadillac’s unique design gives it an additional advantage, in that no other automaker has a design philosophy that can be mistook or confused with Cadillac’s edgy Art and Science language. This uniqueness carries over to the lights: when one sees an ATS equipped with the HIDs and LED accents running on the opposite side of the highway or coming up in the rear-view, one instantly recognizes the vehicle as an ATS. The same holds true for the CTS, XTS, and Escalade. Identifying a specific Cadillac model thanks to the distinctive lights also translates to recognizing the Cadillac brand as a whole.
After a few years of seeing vehicles with these lights on the road, fellow drivers will be able to recognize a Cadillac on the road, something that very few can do at this point. That right there is power that — in the long run — can do wonders for the Cadillac brand. As it stands, Cadillac’s primary mission right now — outside of the obvious goal of selling cars — is building and improving the brand, its image, and its perception among luxury car buyers.
Coincidentally, both Audi and BMW have used signature lighting to build their brands; Audi has its trademark LED lighting pattern, while BMW has the world-famous “angel eyes” design. Products of both German firms have reached aspirational status in the luxury automotive space, and this is one area in which Cadillac would do well to follow.
But wouldn’t including the HID-LED lights as standard equipment make the cars less profitable? Perhaps it will, but the slight increase in cost (per unit sold) as a result of doing so will be very much worth it in the long run from a brand image standpoint. Besides, standardizing on these lights across the lineup will also decrease complexity in parts procurement, reduce manufacturing and logistics complexity at the Lansing Grand River plant where the ATS is build, as well as simplify things for GM-Cadillac parts and aftersales operations. That’s a hat trick, by our calculations.
In Summary
What we wish for: that Cadillac make the HID headlamps with signature LED light pipes standard on every single ATS it sells going forward.
Why we wish for it: making the lights standard create value for the customer while building strong brand identification and awareness for the ATS model and for the Cadillac brand as a whole.
Who to look to for examples: Audi and BMW, both of which have used attractive signature lighting to build their brands. Audi’s HID-equivalent Xenon lights are standard on the A4 range, the direct rival to the ATS.
Implementation: make HID lights with LED accents standard on all ATS (and other Cadillac) models, while equipping models in the topmost trims with the Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL) functionality. Another option would be to equip high-end trim levels with full-LED or Matrix LED lights.
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Can’t agree more. Brand recognition alone is enough of a reason to make this feature standard over any other reasoning. Without the vertical LED, the car does not stand out on the road. But when I see a vehicle equipped with the lights, I instantly know its a Cadillac. It looks like no other headlight on the road. It’s bright, distinct, and truly separates the vehicle from the crowd. Hopefully this feature becomes standard equipment across the entire line up.
all led lamps must be this car class. and just led is old school. today is laser led- matrix- 3d and so on stuff. today led lamps is old tomorrow. sorry car world is grazy
Agree with LED/HID. Why does Cadillac not offer power folding mirrors on ATS/CTS either? They do in Europe & Middle East markets. Even Kia & Hyundai offer them. I’d also like to see power windows up/down standard like CTS. Lastly adding power dimming passenger mirror. I personally own a ATS 2.0 performance and those are my wish list items.
Well most of this will be addressed in the near future. The present management was not in charge when these decisions were made.
Keep in mind you already had people complaining on things and adding more content would have added to the price.
things like folding mirrors here in America are not real high on the priority list as we do not suffer parking issues like in other countries out side NYC.
Much of this will appear on the CT5 and CT4 as they are not going to add it to the car we have now that will be replace in the not too distant future.
If I were to wish I would like to wish for the next level of lighting or more advanced technologies. Than just this. How about no outside mirrors? Now that is a real wish not only by us but the automakers.
“things like folding mirrors here in America are not real high on the priority list as we do not suffer parking issues like in other countries out side NYC.”
… outside of NYC? How about any other downtown area in the world, U.S. included?
Power-folding mirrors also go way beyond areas with “parking issues” since having the feature also has to do with preventing “accidents” when parking in a garage or a parking structure. It is a feature of convenience and piece of mind that goes well beyond areas with “parking issues”.
Have you also considered that residents of “city centers” and “downtowns” buy more luxury cars (per area) than those who live in the suburbs?
Then there’s the fact that posturing goes hand-in-hand with owning a luxury car, and when your neighbors with BMW and Mercedes-Benz vehicles park their cars, shut them off, and the mirrors fold neatly by themselves, reducing the possibility of someone hitting them, it makes a Cadillac owner question their vehicle choice — not exactly a sentiment you want associated with your decision to “Dare Greatly” by buying a Cadillac.
So yes, power-folding mirrors are important, especially when the competition has them. Not having them is an excuse.
I totally agree . At night when you see the tailights of any Cadillac with the signature red LED’s you know what it is .
As far as the cost if it were mandatory on every car its an easier build for the folks on the factory floor . Cadillac would recoup the cost just in the build process with less parts on the floor where every inch of the factory is real estate that costs them money when you have more parts sitting around .
It comes down to image , and the front end is what people see the most , thats where it all starts in the design and status . After all that is where you put your companies logo right out there in front .
Saw a CTS today. The DRL as LED’s are impossible to miss and are quite distinctive.
This car need full led just like in te ct6! Cts needs them as well
A most excellent suggestion. Signature lighting defines the brand at night, and doesn’t hurt Cadillac’s image one bit during the day either.
Some things were just made for each other, and their association generates timeless recognition: Reese’s chocolate & peanut butter, Laurel & Hardy, Cadillac & vertical lighting; you get my meaning.
CCC
As a less than thrilled owner of a 2015 ATS, I can say this car has so much potential, but is failed by GM cost cutting in several areas. LED running lights would be a great asset & upgrade…. I don’t see why they couldn’t have integrated LED lights into the lower trims, keeping halogen bulbs for main lights. I think it would still look great – Saab did that on the lower trim options of the now deceased 9-3 and it looked great.
RP,
You describe yourself as a less-than-thrilled owner of a 2015 ATS. Could you share what you would like to see improved?
Interior rattles that dealer can’t find, CUE System can’t play Bluetooth music from iPhone without skipping, the LED running light would be cool as mentioned previously, give me a spare tire and regular tires instead of harsh run flats, exhaust sounds weak- make valve to open up exhaust when in sport mode, no decent interior storage (center console, cup holders are a joke), touch screen glass shows fingerprints too easily, no sunglass holder – many of my complaints are not true of cheaper cars – Cadillac must do better!
YES YES YES!!!!!!!!!!
I have been harping on this since day one!! My old “Lux” package ATS was wonderful. But When you saw it coming at you it could have been a Malibu. Cadillac misses the opportunity to wow people every time one of these base models rolls out of the showroom. As the clear underdog they need to get people noticing, talking, craving!
My new Midnight special package does just that. from all angles! Get more of these on the road.
ATS should have the LED Sig lights on at least the Luxury version. They did fix that with the Coupe, who has LED Sig on Lux Coupe.
It would be worth the cost for the Advertising!
Dealers stock about 1 Base and 1 Perf/Prem for every Luxury ATS model, so there are very few ATS’s on the road with Led Sig.
Cad put LED Sig on all CTS models, so not doing it on the ATS is very inconsistant and actually stupid, when theor goal is to get recognition. Caddy has the most unique LED Sig design. I see a wide variety of LED sigs on the road, but probably most are only recognized by owners of that brand. It’s easy for other to learn what a Cadillac signature looks like, so put it on all ATSs.