Our team of carparazzi have spied the heavily anticipated 2015 Cadillac ATS-V a number of times near and on the Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit. With this latest set of spy photos, we now know a bit more about what's in store for potential buyers that want something different from the BMW M4 or Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG segment yardsticks.
While the US-spec BMW M4 Coupe starts at $65,125 including destination and handling, the upcoming Cadillac ATS-V will most likely retain its $55k sticker price for the most basic model, which is a pretty big gap considering the German imports. If you go for the 7-speed DCT gearbox, then you have to pay an extra $2,900 for the M4. Opt for a Full Merino leather interior and the Austin Yellow Metallic finish and the price will hike a further $4,050.
We can all agree that the Cadillac ATS-V has this one in the bag, so what about performance? Well, the US-spec BMW M4 has got a turbocharged inline-six good for 425 horsepower, while the upcoming performance Caddy will get a 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6 which will get somewhere between 430 to 450 all-American ponies. Coupled to a fast-shifting automatic, this powerhouse is expected to propel the ATS-V to 60 mph in something like 4.5 seconds, which is not as fast as the 3.9-second 0 to 60 mph the BMW M4 with the DCT box is capable of.
If you take performance specifications and prices out of the mix, you're left with exterior styling, comfort features and handling characteristics. From the video below it's pretty clear that the 2015 Cadillac ATS-V has very little body roll when attacking corners at high speeds. It may not prove to be as poised as the BMW, but it seems to be a pretty capable performance sedan nevertheless. In terms of comfort features, expect a lot to come as standard because after all this is a Cadillac and a very special model of that too.
As for styling, ask any of your petrolhead friends if they like how the 2015 Cadillac ATS looks like and then tell them to imagine that the -V is even more berserk than its brother. Yup, quad exhaust tips, an aggressive front fascia design, the modern Cadillac front grille as well as those sharp lines adorning the whole body shell are sure to make the upcoming Caddy a pretty viable alternative for people that want something more outlandish than what the Germans have been offering for quite a while now.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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