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Cadillac ATS-V Prototype Jumps for Joy at the Nurburgring

It's been about two years since Cadillac promised it was going global. And yet Buicks are still the most popular foreign brand in China, Japanese buyers don't like the CTS because it's too large and there's no right-hand drive 2015 Escalade conversion for Premier League football players.
Cadillac ATS-V flying 1 photo
Photo: screenshot from Youtube
The company has been bogged down in recalls and has struggled with its most revolutionary product, the ELR electric-powered luxury coupe. We think it's a real shame, since Cadillacs now have design and engineering to rival the Germans and clearly superior to Japanese rivals. The company really needs a new push and that could come from this car, the all-new ATS-V.

As was the case with the ATS a couple of years ago, this performance sedan is being developed at the Nurburgring track. Their progress is constantly monitored by the many tourists of the German track, some of which have made it their business to capture everything on film. The ATS-V has thus been filmed doing a flying lap of the circuit during which the car lifts off all four of its wheels in a section called "Flugplatz' (flight place).

The smallest V has been designed to offer super GT levels of performance in a package that's pretty much as easy to live with as a BMW 3 Series sedan. The platform chosen is coincidently the same one the brand uses to fight BMWs in America. Launched over a year ago, the ATS has received great reviews for its honest handling and performance. The Alpha platform which underpins it makes it one of the lightest cars in its class and there won't be any problems with lack of power either.

We think the ATS-V will be motivated by a 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6. It's already available in the bigger CTS Vsport and produces a "torque-rich 420 hp", delivered though the help of the ZF steering system, magnetic ride control and performance Brembo brakes. To better rival the BMW M3 and Mercedes C 63 AMG, Cadillac is likely to re-tune the engine to around 450 to 470 horsepower.

Expect the ATS-V sedan to debut for the 2016 model year in America. Prices should start somewhere around $55,000, undercutting the equivalent BMW M3 by approximately $7,000.

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About the author: Mihnea Radu
Mihnea Radu profile photo

Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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