Cadillac ATS-V Coupe and ATS 3.6 RWD Premium
Nothing in its class matches the speed, ride and price.
2016 Cadillac ATS-V
EPA ratings: 17/23mpg; 19mpg
0-60mph: 3.9 seconds
Price as tested: $74,140
Remember when Wile E. Coyote would climb aboard a lit rocket to catch the Road Runner? That first insane rush of accelerative force is what it feels like when the new Cadillac ATS-V’s twin turbos hit boost and you’re thrust back into the tight embrace of the supportive Recaro seat. The huge rear Pilot SuperSports light up and the car shoots forward with barely contained fury, on its way to 60mph in less than four seconds.
There’s nothing cartoony about this epic new vehicle. It has the depth of talent needed to match or beat anything it’s likely to encounter on road or track. A rigid structure and amazing magnetic dampers mean each of the ATS-V’s suspension settings is appropriate. Its ride is unobjectionable in the softer mode and correctly firm for track-type use in Race. The 14.5-inch front brakes are proper items, with the discs pinned to the hats for heat expansion; there is no need for an expensive carbon option to overcome the inadequacies of a “standard” setup.
The tester’s manual transmission was a joy, with accurate, tight throws; rev-matching could be engaged when needed; otherwise superb pedal placement and control weighting made heel-toe antics easy. The steering feedback easily beat the BMW M3/4. There wasn’t the snappy waywardness to the Cadillac’s tail that afflicts the German, yet gorgeous drifts were only a toe-twitch away. Too bad the ATS-V doesn’t offer compelling aural engagement; the sounds it makes run from anodyne to industrial.
Cadillac still has some way to go on the interior; many frequently used buttons feel cheap and the CUE interface still needs work. But just when aggravation sets in you realize how many pleasing features the American has, like available remote start, easy-exit memory seating and the amazing traction management software that makes drivers of any level faster and smoother. That the ATS-V is also less expensive and looks better than competitors seals the deal.
Here is what Cadillac has to say.
2016 Cadillac ATS 3.6 RWD Premium
EPA ratings: 20/30mpg; 24mpg combined
0-60mph: 5.4 seconds
Price as tested: $48,110
While much of the chassis magic that makes the V so stupendously satisfying is there in the more mainstream 3.6L V6 version, much of the rest of this ATS is contradictory. The Cadillac’s ride quality seems good onemoment, then it can't absorb a sunken manhole cover; the interior captivates with its beautifully designed trim and slick looks, but then a capacitor-touch button or slider fails to respond to a finger prod or swipe, or the “misCUE” infotainment system crashes or responds inconsistently—making the lane keeping system almost compulsory as you drift about, trying to program the simplest thing into it.
I get excited to have an eight-speed gearbox in this ATS rear-wheel drive model (AWD gets only six speeds), but its programming isn’t particularly great. There is none of the intuitiveness in an Audi or BMW-programmed ZF tranny, shifts often are lurchy or poorly timed, and the rev-matching in sportier modes simply doesn’t work well.
Worse, you get two less gears if you go for the AWD version, making this powertrain even less responsive. Saddest of all is the Cadillac’s 3.6 liter V6 engine; it feels tight, doesn’t have any appetite for revs—which it needs as there isn’t that much lower- or midrange torque (at least at Denver’s altitude) and there’s none of the aural verve of a BMW inline six. Its 335 horses certainly feel malnourished compared to their Bavarian counterparts, and real-world fuel economy is mediocre.
Yet…yet…it looks great; I loved it when the valet pulled the ATS up at a charity event; its bold front end and satin chrome really stood out in a sea of BMWs; details like the lighting “tubes” that glow in the door handles are a delightful touch. There’s a powered tilt/telescope wheel (unavailable in a small BMW or Audi); the steering rack and chassis it controls are so much more like a BMW E46 or E90 3-series than the current F30 machine. I so want to love this car for its purity of purpose and the superb engineering that into it. But until so many of its annoyances are resolved better, it is a hard sell.
Here is what Cadillac has to say.
Contributor Isaac Bouchard is president of Bespoke Autos. Read more of his automotive writing at www.coloradoavidgolfer.com.
