2014 Cadillac ATS-V

Cadillac seems to be just about done filling in all of the blanks in their popular CTS model, so it was high time for them to provide some definitive details on their next project: the ATS. Prepared to slide in right below the CTS and all of its variants, the ATS should be debuting in sedan form in 2012. That’s all fine and dandy, but we are much more interested in the variant following that unveiling with the ATS-V in 2014.

First rumored in 2008, the ATS is ready to go and will be built on GM’s new Alpha platform with a rear wheel drive system. Its design will be inspired by Cadillac’s Art and Science design language which "incorporates sharp, sheer forms and crisp edges — a form vocabulary that expresses bold, high-technology design and invokes the technology used to design it."

The ATS-V was first thought to carry a 470 HP V8 engine as found in the CTS-V, but worried that the car would then take sales away from its bigger brother, Cadillac opted for a twin-turbocharged 3.0L V6 that will produce around 380 HP. The engine will be mated to a six speed manual or automatic transmission and the combination will get the ATS-V coupe to 60 mph in under five seconds with a top speed of above 170 mph. This engine choice fits in nicely with the ATS-V’s biggest rival, the BMW M3, but Cadillac may need to up the ante in terms of power for the competition to be a bit stiffer. The future M3 will produce around 450 HP and should get to 60 mph in about 4.5 seconds, but top speed will be electronically limited to 155 mph.

The full line of ATS models should cover a sedan in 2012, the ATS-V and Coupe in 2014, and an ATS-V Convertible in 2015. Stay tuned for more details!