mobile-menu-icon
GM Authority

Cadillac ATS Sales Increase 3.8 Percent To 1,419 Units In March 2018

Cadillac ATS sales increased in the United States and decreased in Canada and South Korea in March 2018.

Cadillac ATS Sales - March 2018 - United States

In the United States, Cadillac ATS deliveries totaled 1,419 units in March 2018, an increase of about 4 percent compared to 1,367 units sold in March 2017.

In the first three months of the year, ATS sales increased about 18 percent to 3,962 units.
MODEL MAR 2018 / MAR 2017 MARCH 2018 MARCH 2017YTD 2018 / YTD 2017 YTD 2018 YTD 2017
ATS +3.80% 1,419 1,367 +18.41% 3,962 3,346

Cadillac ATS Sales - March 2018 - Canada

In Canada, Cadillac ATS deliveries totaled 231 units in March 2018, a decrease of about 11 percent compared to 259 units sold in March 2017.

In the first three months of the year, ATS sales decreased about 4 percent to 455 units.
MODEL MAR 2018 / MAR 2017 MARCH 2018 MARCH 2017YTD 2018 / YTD 2017 YTD 2018 YTD 2017
ATS -10.81% 231 259 -4.01% 455 474

Cadillac ATS Sales - March 2018 - South Korea

In South Korea, Cadillac ATS deliveries totaled 9 units in March 2018, a decrease of about 67 percent compared to 27 units sold in March 2017.

In the first three months of the year, ATS sales decreased about 33 percent to 31 units.
MODEL MAR 2018 / MAR 2017 MARCH 2018 MARCH 2017YTD 2018 / YTD 2017 YTD 2018 YTD 2017
ATS -66.67% 9 27 -32.61% 31 46

The GM Authority Take

March represented the ATS’ third growth in year-over-year sales after 16 months of consecutive decreases. We believe that the growth in March was caused by a significant push to sell the vehicle at both the retail and fleet levels. To note, Cadillac experienced a 5.3 percent increase in retail deliveries and a 59 percent increase in fleet sales during March. Additionally, the ATS’ 3.8 percent growth rate bucked the 4.2 percent decrease in the segment’s overall sales volume.

The ATS family finished the month in seventh place in terms of cumulative sales volume in its segment, behind BMW 3/4 series in first place with a cumulative 8,075 sales, Infiniti Q50/Q60 in second with a cumulative 6,221 deliveries, Audi A4/A5 family in fourth with 5,883 deliveries, Mercedes-Benz C-Class in fifth with 4,984 deliveries, Acura TLX in fifth with 4,014 deliveries and the Lexus IS/RC in sixth with a cumulative 2,583 deliveries. The ATS’ seventh-place finish was ahead of the Alfa Romeo Giulia, which came in eight place with 1,284 deliveries, despite the Alfa Romeo brand’s limited recognition and a tiny retail network in the U.S. market, and the Volvo S60/V60 family in ninth (and last) place, which had 1,156 deliveries.

Despite its uptick in March, we wouldn’t expect ATS sales to continue increasing unless Cadillac offers notable incentives or sells the model heavily into fleets. In fact, newer, more modern, and more competitive rivals significantly outperformed the ATS in the 2017 calendar year at the expense of the ATS due to the following three reasons:

  1. The age of the current model: though the ATS is a solid car, it is also the oldest in its segment, and that age shows when the vehicle is stacked against its most direct rivals. The product’s negative attributes also include various refinement items and details, such as the cabin and the powertrain (specifically the 2.0L Turbo LTG engine and 8-speed transmission). The vehicle does, however, excel in terms of driving dynamics, in-vehicle technology, and safety.
  2. A lack of marketing support: the ATS sees extremely little advertising from Cadillac, thereby decreasing awareness of the model and negatively impacting its performance for potential new customers.
  3. The inability to retain existing ATS owners: Cadillac was somewhat successful in getting new customers to try the ATS, but has not been as successful in retaining these customers for another ATS lease or purchase… either as a result of product-related reasons or being out-marketed by competitors, with customers switching to rival luxury brands in the segment.

Thus, a complete replacement of the ATS is the only tangible solution to improve Cadillac’s position in this segment. See section entitled Replacement below for complete details on the ATS’ upcoming replacement.

Sales Numbers - Compact Luxury Cars - March 2018 - United States

MODEL MAR 18 / MAR 17 MARCH 18 MARCH 17 YTD 18 / YTD 17 YTD 18 YTD 17
3 SERIES -21.82% 4,845 6,197 -6.74% 13,651 14,637
4 SERIES -2.83% 3,230 3,324 -14.12% 6,939 8,080
Q50 +33.82% 5,085 3,800 +11.97% 11,701 10,450
Q60 -37.89% 1,136 1,829 -22.78% 2,603 3,371
A4 -14.96% 3,296 3,876 -1.05% 7,906 7,990
A5 +283.83% 2,587 674 +363.31% 6,074 1,311
C-CLASS -37.86% 4,984 8,021 -35.25% 13,350 20,619
TLX +42.59% 4,014 2,815 +25.81% 8,963 7,124
IS -10.97% 2,312 2,597 -7.38% 5,283 5,704
RC -56.22% 271 619 -60.41% 618 1,561
ATS +3.80% 1,419 1,367 +18.41% 3,962 3,346
GIULIA +165.29% 1,284 484 +219.36% 3,085 966
S60 -50.44% 621 1,253 -30.23% 2,029 2,908
S60 CC +30.00% 13 10 +185.00% 114 40
V60 +43.75% 230 160 -26.92% 410 561
V60 CC +76.97% 292 165 +37.30% 600 437
TOTAL -4.23% 35,619 37,191 -2.04% 87,288 89,105

The compact luxury car segment contracted 4.2 percent in March and 2 percent in the first three months of 2018.

  • ATS sales include Cadillac ATS Sedan and ATS Coupe, along with their respective high-performance V variants
  • C-Class figures include Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sedan, C-Class Coupe and C-Class Convertible, along with their respective high-performance AMG variants
  • 3 Series figures include BMW 3 Series sedan and 3 Series GT, along with their respective high-performance M variants
  • 4 Series figures include BMW 4 Series coupe and 4 Series Gran Coupe, along with their respective high-performance M variants
  • A4 figures include Audi A4 sedan, S4 sedan; does not include A4 allroad
  • A5 figures include Audi A5 coupe, A5 convertible, A5 Sportback as well as S5 coupe, S5 convertible and S5 Sportback and RS5 Coupe
  • Q50 figures include Infiniti Q50 Sedan
  • Q60 figures include Infiniti Q60 Coupe
  • Volvo 60 series figures comprised of:
    • S60, the sedan variant of Volvo 60 series
    • S60 CC, the ruggedized variant of the Volvo S60 sedan
    • V60, the wagon variant of Volvo 60 series
    • V60 CC, the ruggedized variant of Volvo V60 wagon
  • Alfa Romeo Giulia includes Giulia sedan and Giulia Quadrifoglio sedan
  • Sales figures for the Jaguar XE, which competes in the compact luxury car class, are not included since Jaguar does not disclose sales by vehicle line

About Cadillac ATS

2016 Cadillac ATS Range in promotional video 001

Cadillac ATS family

The Cadillac ATS is a range of compact luxury cars that includes the ATS Sedan, ATS Coupe, and high-performance ATS-V variants of each model. The vehicle slots under the midsize Cadillac CTS and a full-size Cadillac CT6.

Currently in its first generation, the ATS was introduced for the 2013 model year. The vehicle is based on the regular-length wheelbase variant of the GM Alpha platform. A longer variant of the same architecture underpins the third-generation Cadillac CTS and sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro.

For the 2018 model year, the ATS gets a new exterior color, an automatic heated steering wheel, the all-new CUE 3.0 infotainment system, and the deletion of several features such as the Carbon Black Package, and more.

For North American markets, the Cadillac ATS is built exclusively at the GM Lansing Grand River factory in Michigan operated by GM USA. For the Chinese market, the ATS is sold exclusively as an extended wheelbase model called the ATS-L. That model is built at the Jinqiao South factory operated by GM China.

Cadillac ATS Replacement

As we have predicted for the last year, the 2018 model year will be the last for the ATS Sedan. The model will be indirectly replaced for either the 2019 or 2020 model years by an entirely new, next-generation model called Cadillac CT5, which will roughly be the size as the current, third-gen CTS priced around the levels of the current ATS. Meanwhile, the ATS Coupe will continue for at least the 2019 model year, or until Cadillac readies a coupe version of the CT5.

Then, a new small Cadillac passenger car will arrive roughly a year later. Called either Cadillac CT4 or Cadillac CT3, the model will be roughly the same size as the current ATS Sedan while being priced at a lower price point than the Cadillac CT5, roughly in the area of the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

High-performance CT5 V-Sport and CT5-V variants are expected a year or so after the CT5 launches, but it is currently unclear whether the other model (CT4/CT3) will have such variants.

About The Numbers

  • All percent change figures compared to Cadillac ATS March 2017 sales, except as noted
  • In the United States, there were 28 selling days in March 2018 and 27 selling days in March 2017
  • In Canada, there were 27 selling days in March 2018 and 27 selling days in March 2017

Related Sales Reporting

[nggallery id=589] [nggallery id=642]

GM Authority Executive Editor with a passion for business strategy and fast cars.

Subscribe to GM Authority

For around-the-clock GM news coverage

We'll send you one email per day with the latest GM news. It's totally free.

Comments

  1. Makes you wonder how sales for the ATS would respond if it featured the 550 horsepower LTA twin-turbo 4.2L DOHC-4v V8 and matched with a 10-speed automatic transmission.

    Reply
  2. Sales would be even better if you can find an ATS coupe with the Premium Performance package in all of SE Florida. The only one I found for a client was a 2017 leftover in white with the carbon package which he bought at a deep discount. He really wanted the Dark Adriatic Blue Metallic. No such luck…. Hey Caddy!! Can’t sell what you don’t have on the dealership lot! Just sayin’…

    Reply
    1. Well, the dealers need to order what the customers want… it’s not like caddy forces dealers to order certain product (with a few exceptions).

      Reply
      1. Seriously? There should be at least 1 model and trim level of the entire product line on every dealers lot, period.

        Reply
        1. In theory, I agree. But unfortunately in practice, that is not how it currently works within GM or Cadillac (or other manufacturers).

          That’s one of the things that JDN’s project pinnacle aims/aimed to address and rectify, especially with local “dealer pool lots”, but we’ve seen how excited dealers are/we’re for the pinnacle initiative.

          Also, this isn’t only a GM/Cadillac problem… it’s also an issue for other automakers, including those in the luxury or the mainstream sectors: the trims and models that have a lower sell rate do not get ordered or stocked as much or as often as those that turn quicker. The system works to satisfy 90% of the demand curve, with the remaining 10% being outliers and having to special order their vehicle.

          Example: I ordered my ATS premium with a manual transmission and waited 3 months for it to be delivered. Guess how many dealers carried that combination nation-wide when I ordered it? Zero.

          Clearly, my example is more rare than someone looking for a loaded ATS Sedan with the premium performance trim. But I think you get the idea.

          Reply
          1. I understand your perspective and your personal experience but regardless of manufacturer, this practice is unacceptable to the consumer. Simply put, how can any manufacturer and especially a premium luxury brand expect a customer to just walk in and order a premium priced vehicle without seeing and test driving exactly, short of color, what their buying into? I hope this changes as you state but currently that is simply unacceptable. BTW, Caddy or GM is certainly pushing the 2.0T agenda as there were plenty to choose from and there were NO 2018 ATS coupe V6 premium performance to be found in my region. Even you had difficulties locating your ATS so you can feel my frustration when I hear about ATS sales propaganda. I don’t feel bad one bit for GM or Caddy and they better get their $hit together if they want their sales to improve. Also consider this please, my client was also interested in BMW who had plenty of stock to chose from which he chose not to buy being an “American who wants to buy American”. How many sales has GM lost due to a lack of across the line/trim level inventory? Sad.

            Reply
          2. Part of the inventory problem is too many trim levels. I don’t think Cadillac should do trim levels at all. A Cadillac should be a Cadillac, the Cadillac of cars. The idea of a “base version” (even if they call it “luxury” now instead of “premium luxury”) is just wrong for Cadillac. Let the other guys do trim levels; it will just make Cadillac stand out more.

            That being said, and while I don’t see Cadillac as a “sports” brand, I do partly like the new “Y” plan of offering top trim levels of either sports or premium luxury. In other words, if JdN feels the need to offer a “sports” trim with every Cadillac model (and apparently that’s the way he wants to go), at least he’s also offering a top trim level that is just luxury, not sports. But why not eliminate the bottom part of the “Y” and just offer the alternate top trims, sports or premium luxury? That way the dealers will be more likely to have (or can easily obtain) the trims and colors wanted by consumers. And Cadillac will no longer be offering cheap “base” decontented cars with vinyl seats, etc. That’s for GM’s other brands, not Cadillac. Also I think consumers would be less confused about what Cadillac even means, if they drop the low level trim from the “Y”.

            As far as a manual transmission, that’s always going to be tough to get on a “luxury” car, even a “sports luxury” one. Maybe easier to get on a -V or V-sport, but I’m surprised they even offer it on a non-V ATS. Then again, the ATS is not the kind of car I can relate to. I just hope the replacement for the ATS is not smaller than the ATS; Alex I know you say it won’t be smaller, or at least that there’s been no statement that it will be, but I’ll believe that when I see it.

            Reply
  3. Well if they can’t sell them and Cadillac won’t advertise them, then fleet sales are the way to go. ATSs make great rental cars.

    Reply

Leave a comment

Cancel