The Jaguar F-Type may consistently steal the limelight—it’s gorgeous, after all—but the Jaguar XE is poised to mark a major accomplishment for the brand.
In the process, Jaguar will do something many wish Cadillac would do: plop a V8 engine in its compact sport sedan. Jaguar announced the XE SV Project 8 will feature a 5.0-liter V8 engine and produce a whopping 592 horsepower. In comparison, the 2017 Cadillac ATS-V and its twin-turbo V6 makes 464 hp.
Jag is being hush-hush about the project, though. It has simply said it will make a bunch of power and be limited to 300 cars through Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations division. Each XE SV Project 8 will be hand built, too, with fender flares and giant wing present and accounted for.
Some time ago, there were rumors Cadillac was toying with the idea of swapping the twin-turbo V6 engine for a small-block V8 in the ATS-V. That car was being called the “ATS-V+” but, alas, it has never seen the light of day. We hope the next ATS-V comes with some serious improvements. By that time, it could be called CT3-V, though.
Comments
Just another reason for why it’s time for Mary Barra to fire Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen and hire someone who knows what cars the American buyer wants as Cadillac’s ATS shares the basic architecture as Chevy’s Camaro which means it’s possible to build a Cadillac ATS with a Camaro 1LE suspension or be equipped with the LT4 650 hp supercharged 6.2L V8 and instead of capping production at 2,000 units.. build as many as the market wants.
ATS-V was conceived long before JDN was hired.
As a current ATS-V owner, and a previous Gen 2 CTS-V owner with 600hp (it had some minor upgrades), I can assure you that the ATS-V’s overall performance would suffer with a V8 engine:
1. The weight distribution would be shifted more towards the front vs the current more central center of gravity.
2. Due to the small size of the TTV6, the aerodynamics at the front of the vehicle are more suited to flow air through the Trans/rear diff cooler and extract out of the hood via the heat extractor. Placing a V8 under the hood would close up that tunnel, causing more heat and diminished performance, especially considering the Z06 already has overheating issues with the LT4, and the CTS-V needs 11 radiators to keep the drive train cool.
3. Cost of the vehicle would increase, both in purchase price, and maintenance (fuel economy, oil changes, etc).
4. As stated below, what would they do to the CTS-V to differentiate it from the ATS-V if they share the same engine.
5. 650 hp would be fun in an ATS-V, but the TT V6 is plenty capable for far less money. For under $2,000, the ATS-V can make 600 rwhp and run a 10 second quarter mile: http://www.neweraperformanceparts.com/index.php/shop-online/ats-v/exhaust/ats-v-stage-1-package-600hp.html
6. The Carbon Fiber package on the ATS-V is essentially the 1LE package with a dialed back wing/spoiler, and no dive planes. Same brakes, same suspension, better seats, similar tires, same Data Performance Recorder. The ATS-V track pack is more comparable to the Camaro SS 1LE than the ZL1.
I was dead set on getting a ZL1, visited my local Chevy dealer and priced one out, had it all ready to go. But then I sat in an SS and saw how horrible the view is from inside the car and decided otherwise. I loved my Gen 2 CTS-V, so I decided to look into the ATS-V. Checking reviews, other Gen 2 V owners had nothing but positive comments about the ATS-V, so I looked into performance. As soon as I saw the upgrade potential in the TT V6, I knew I had to get one, so I did. To me, the ATS-V is the next Buick Grand National. In the 1980’s, that car was the black sheep among the V8 muscle cars, but it proved itself worthy and now it’s a highly respected car among the V8 muscle crowd.
OMG!!! Someone came to GMA with actual facts based on actual ownership of a real car. This stuff is GOLD. Thanks thanks thanks thanks.
(Please do not think that the downvotes I get have anything to do with your real-world post, they just hate me personally for what I’ve said before, nothing to do with you)
Actually the ATS V is a Mark Ruess idea.
My question is if you put the V8 in the ATS ten what do you do to get people to pony up the money for the CTS V?
More HP will not due as with less weight the ATS V will be just as fast.
Then in global markets were engine size is taxed what do you have to offer other than 6.2 liters?
This simple minded one engine fits all no longer applies. Everyone that is not desperate is playing the long term game and down sizing. Even the new BMW coupe is to be less a V12 this time.
Cadillac is a American company playing in a global market and the bigger is better is not going to work globally.
In test the V6 is seldom the issue nor is the chassis. The issue has been the interior and details of quality along with intergration of systems.
To Blaine JDN at this point is stupidity as we have yet to see one single product fully done under him. They only have done a few mild refresh things due to all their resources be used to fix the next model up..
“My question is if you put the V8 in the ATS ten what do you do to get people to pony up the money for the CTS V? – answer: folks already are not ponying up for the CTS-V, maybe because they don’t want an M7, they want an M3. Your weight comment says it all.
“Then in global markets were engine size is taxed what do you have to offer other than 6.2 liters?” – how about the American market? Last time I looked it was still bigger than any other market out there for powerful cars. You’re clearly more pro-USA than me, yet here you are saying red-blooded Americans are just gonna have to accept lesser engines because of non-Americans. USA! USA!
“Even the new BMW coupe is to be less a V12 this time.” Wrong!!! Evidence of assumption with no research at all. The first website on your search will show you this. Scott3 (not26), the M8 won’t have a 12. The 8er will.
Interior quality – you nailed it Scott. Absolutely true, every single word. Thank you sir.
Jaguar is racing in Formula E, with the all-electric race cars:
https://www.jaguar.co.uk/jaguar-racing/index.html
Formula OEM season-5 list:
Mercedes
Audi
BMW
Renault
Peugeot/Opel
Ferrari (Marchionne has confirmed they are looking into it)
Jaguar
Mahindra
Venturi
NextEV
Faraday
C’mon GM, Andretti is running the BMW team, and Penske’s son is in it with DragonSpeed. Imagine what Pratt&Miller could do to these research projects. I bet they’re interested.
Here is a thought. Drop the ats altogether and leave the cts as cadillac’s contender in this market. Honestly the base engine for the Cadillac CTS should be the 404hp 3.0t, the 465hp 3.6l twin turbo should be next and lastly the lt4 in the cts-v should be upgraded and retained. Cadillac also needs to revive the cts-v coupe and wagon and then bring the elmiraj and escala in above the cts and drop the xts from the lineup as well as taking the xt5 and putting it on a rwd platform
Hopefully this is helpful,
I currently lease 2016 ATS V sedan (8 speed auto), and have had it for the last 12 months.
Cons:
– The car sounds horrible, actually can be embarrassing at times. Its just too quiet and when it does try to scream it often rattles and just doesn’t have that growl a V series car should have. Also its almost completely quiet after 5th gear.
– Plus is not cool that the speakers have to improve the exhaust note from the engine.
– Cadillac should be ashamed selling this car with the waste gate rattle on turbos. Although not as bad as the first 1000 miles, I’ve noticed on my car if the temperature outside is over 80 the waste gate will rattle sometimes on slow accelerations from a dead stop. Spoke to Cadillac HQ several times and 2 test drives with Manager at Manhattan Cadillac and they insist its normal, personally this is complete BS response. I have had to accept this issue since GM will not address it.
– Turbo lag can be annoying when I’m looking for immediate power coming out of corner. Otherwise, the turbos are impressive especially at higher speeds.
– Glossy black interior scratched way to easily.
– The transmission is very disappointing, its very clunky and lower speeds. Transmission also gets confused way to often on what to do and needs manual help to get it correct gear. Although the more you push the transmission it performs much better and smoother.
Overall, the car handles amazing and can be very fun to drive. It has enough power if you don’t track it but could use 500 plus HP. I don’t really mind the interior compared to all the critics. My wife has BMW 3 series and i prefer my Cadillac interior over it. Also the CUE system works well for me, no issues not working. I would prefer a dial for climate control and volume but not a big issue. I don’t have the Recaro seats, but stock seats are very comfortable for long drives and enough support on sides to hold you in place.
Finally, I just think Cadillac missed the mark with this car. It has so much potential but too many issues keep it from really standing next to the C63 (V8 sound) , Alfa (HP), M3, M4 (overall package) and now the Jaguar XE SV (wow HP). Don’t get me wrong I still get very excited to drive my ATS V every morning to work and I’m proud to drive it. I just hope GM addresses the flaws when my lease is up and I’m looking for a new car.
Cadillac needs a bold in your face true large halo flagship car that is smooth riding, roomy, powerfull, and comfortable…..that is what’s missing from the lineup….Cadillac needs to step away from small, cramped, uninspired BMW wanabees.
Cadillac is lost and the cars gathering dust in dealer showrooms indicate that it clearly isn’t finding itself under de Nysschen. For all of the overblown JdN hype, there hasn’t been much in the way of product. We’ve seen a steady stream of promising concept cars that GM won’t build while GMs Asian and European competitors are going full throttle turning their concepts into reality – with a newfound emphasis on the supposedly dead flagship coupe market no less. Somebody apparently forgot to tell the guys at Lexus that they’re barking at the moon with their new LC – “More than a car. A Feeling” – and those cuckoos at BMW who have the gall to unleash a new 8 Series on a car buying public that loves only SUVs and CUVs – how dare they defy the GM Authority expert commentators and backseat marketing strategists? How can they be allowed to recklessly design and build these aspirational automobiles that buck current market trends? The wealthy want only more variations of Bentayga, remember? No more coupes, no more sedans. Investing anything in these relics of the past is a waste of valuable capital! Isn’t anybody listening aside from dear Johan and Mary Barra?!
A brash move to New York and a coffee house is about all we’ve seen under the current Cadillac leadership and both were a senseless waste of money that should’ve gone into great cars. This is a losing management team.