Base 4dr Rear-Wheel Drive Sedan
2017 Cadillac ATS-V Review
2017 ATS-V New Car Test Drive
Introduction
The Cadillac ATS-V sedan competes quite favorably with the best of the German sports sedans, namely the BMW M3 and M4, and the Mercedes-AMG C63. It is race bred; as we speak, two great American drivers, Johnny O'Connell and Andy Pilgrim, are racing and winning in their ATS-VR sedans in the Pirelli World Challenge Series.
There is magic under the hood of the Cadillac ATS-V, in the form of a 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6 making 464 horsepower and 445 foot-pounds of torque, using a 6-speed manual transmission or an 8-speed automatic.
Like the Beemer and the Benz, the Caddy is rear-wheel drive only, giving the best balance on the track. Yet it's still an easy and enjoyable luxury car for the street, offering an approachability rare in a car capable of such high performance.
The ATS-V is beefed up over the regular ATS. The steel and aluminum chassis is stiffer thanks to a shock tower brace, V-shaped braces under the hood, a stronger rocker bulkhead and rear cradle-to-rocker braces, and an aluminum shear panel in front. The suspension is computer controlled, with advanced magnetic dampers and the excellent Performance Traction Management (PTM) system.
There's comfort and accommodation for both the driver and front passenger. The custom Recaro seats embrace their occupants and hold them in place with ample bolsters, while still offering uncommon comfort, and that's not an easy trick. The rear seat is snug but okay for adults, although knee and head room will be tight for anyone much over six feet.
Lineup
The Cadillac ATS-V retails for $60,465.
Walkaround
This Cadillac has a presence, even if it is a bit gaudy. It's distinctive among luxury cars, low and wide, with flared fenders and aggressive aerodynamics. Its grille says Cadillac all the way, while being very functional and flowing a lot of air to the thirsty engine.
Interior
Inside, the interior of the already nice ATS is enhanced for the ATS-V with performance-themed touches, starting with racy Recaro seats. Carbon-fiber-look trim and suede accents are available. Unique graphics and performance readouts are displayed on a 5.7-inch screen on the instrument panel.
Cabin materials are of high quality, suited to the price. The leather is soft and the metal and plastic trim feels durable, on par with the BMW M3 and M4, although a bit short when compared to the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG.
We found CUE irksome at times. Handy features include voice recognition; a text-to-voice system that reads text messages; OnStar; 4G LTE with WiFi hotspot; and an SD card reader.
Driving Impression
The 6-speed gearbox is fun, with rev-matched downshifts, although the linkage in the 6-speed results in a throw that's longer than we like. Track-day drivers will likely go for the manual, but the automatic is quicker to accelerate and easy to use on the track thanks to brilliant shift algorithms, also with rev matching downshifts.
The rear end contains an electronic limited-slip differential that applies power progressively and controllably, and also adjusts the car's rotational attitude, meaning it might save you from spinning out.
The ATS-V works, whether diving toward an apex, accelerating out of a hairpin, or balancing on edge in rolling esses.
Big Brembo brakes do an excellent job of scrubbing speed when needed and are designed to resist fade during repeated hard braking, when driving on a racetrack, for example.
A Performance Data Recorder is available that would be useful for track days. It downloads dynamic data including Gs, steering angle, throttle and brake inputs. Sessions can be compared back to back to help the driver analyze technique and lower lap times. The system includes video and audio.
Summary
The ATS-V is a lot of high performance sports sedan, with distinctive styling, incredible acceleration, brilliant handling, and an 8-speed automatic transmission that works on the track.
Driving impressions by Nelson Ireson. Sam Moses contributed to this report.
