After tons of speculation, rumors, reports, possibilities, and finally confirmation, the Cadillac ATS->ke3619 is finally a production vehicle. At GM's Lansing Grand River plant, the production of the much-anticipated ATS sports sedan has finally begun, but don't expect to see the ATS in showrooms any time this month. GM doesn't expect to start delivering its newest addition until next month. Our estimation would be around mid-August, given the late start it got in July. Overseas delivery, on the other hand, will be shelved until later in 2012, but it will definitely make it into the global Cadillac->ke18 market.

In order to bring this 3-Series->ke290 competitor to Cadillac, GM had to dump $190 million into its Lansing Grand River factory. This just shows how focused GM is with its remaining brands and that it refuses to allow anymore core brands – GMC->ke32, Chevrolet->ke199, and Buick->ke17 and Cadillac – to go the way of the Oldsmobile->ke64, which died at the tender age of 106 years old on April 29, 2004.

Now we just have to sit back and see if this sedan is the Mercedes and BMW compact sedan competitor that GM has been looking for, or if it is just going to be another Cimarron or Catera that gains infamy from its sub-par design and quality. With engines ranging from a 200-horsepower 2.5-liter engine to a 318-horsepower 3.6-liter V-6 engine, and sitting on a time-tested Alpha platform, we definitely anticipate success for the ATS.

We still have yet to hear official word on an ATS-V variant, that could boast a boosted 6-cylinder of a V-8 engine. That could really toss Cadillac into the mix, giving it a competitor for the M3->ke2366.

We'll keep you updated as more information rolls down the pipe on the new ATS.

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