Cadillac ATS-V Coming With Twin-turbo 3.0L V6

We haven’t even seen the regular ATS, but rumors of a performance version of the car have started flying past our years. The 2013 ATS will come in coupe, sedan and convertible versions, while a station wagon version is being considered in order to establish the brand in the European market, but fans of of Cadillac performance will be glad to hear there’s a V version of the compact sedan also in the works.

According to Car and Driver, the ATS-V will pack a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 that should make around 380 hp. Why settle for a V6 when a normally aspirated V8 would be a simpler and more appealing option?

Well, the CTS-V’s LSA V-8 would theoretically fit into an ATS-V, as both the big C’s new version and the Camaro will share the Alpha platform, however this would cannibalize sales from the CTS-V. Of course, this could all change unit the performance model arrives in a couple of years, but the good news is this would be a much better fit for the European market than the current model lineup, plus a convertible model looks likely.

Six-speed gearboxes will be offered in both manual and automatic forms, and C/D expects 0–60 times below five seconds and a top speed in excess of 170 mph.

The ATS will be put together at GM’s Lansing Grand River, Michigan, factory that received an $190 million in order to cope with the switch from the Sigma platform to the new, very flexible rear-drive one. The ATS convertible can be manufactured because the coupe will have a formal roofline, not an extreme fastback like the current CTS coupe, which would have required unique rear sheetmetal to create a convertible.