The 2016 Cadillac ATS-V and 2015 Mercedes-AMG C63 S both aspire to the throne of the 2016 BMW M3, which has been the go-to sports sedan->ke142 (despite the sedan skipping the E46 generation) for several years. But now it has more competition than ever. Both the ATS-V and C63 have proven themselves to be fast and incredibly capable performance cars->ke506.

AMG->ke8 has always had the engine thing figured out, but now it has the handling too. Similarly, Cadillac->ke18 has also figured out how to make a truly great sport sedan that doesn’t need to make excuses for itself. So, the Motor Trend Channel has pitted the two against each other to see which can best take the fight to the M3->ke2366.

After a few benchmark acceleration and handling tests, Motor Trend’s Jonny Lieberman takes to duo to the canyon roads above Los Angeles. Impressively, he calls the Caddy one of the best-handling sports sedans he’s ever driven and perhaps the best ever, which is not an attribute typically accorded to Cadillacs. The 455-horsepower twin-turbo V-6 produces plenty of shove, but takes a hit for its lack of characterful noise. It could also apparently do with a dual-clutch transmission instead of the slush-box auto.

The C63 S’s 503-horsepower twin-turbo V-8, meanwhile, has loads of character and the power to match, and despite also having an automatic transmission, several generations of honing the Mercedes->ke187 seven-speed have made it better than the Cadillac’s. The C63 S is an outstanding handler too. Even having called the ATS-V one of the best handling sport sedans ever just moments earlier, Lieberman suggests the C63 might be even better.

After that, it’s off to Willow Springs Raceway (where there are precisely zero springs and zero willows) to let professional racer Randy Pobst vaporize some tires and determine which is fastest. Watch the video to see which comes out on top.

2016 Cadillac ATS-V

Read our full review here.

2015 Mercedes-AMG C63 S

Read our full review here.