2016 Cadillac ATS-V Coupe Photos, engines & full specs

Cadillac had had enough lagging behind other sports coupes from premium automakers and introduced the ATS-V coupe in 2015 for the 2016 model year, proving that Detroit could dent the image of its European competitors.

The luxurious American brand pulled its team together and worked with its motorsports department, and the result was a state-of-the-art two-door vehicle with enough performance to rock the podium in the premium performance coupe segment. While the ATS Coupe has been on the market since 2012, the new model needed more tuning and refining to provide a complete experience to its drivers.

Besides performance, it had to provide a visual impact, a luxurious yet sporty interior, and enough daily driving abilities. After all these three mandatory requirements were checked, the automaker added a little bit more drama with an exhilarating sound.

Cadillac made the ATS to compete against BMW's 4 Series and Mercedes-Benz's C-Class Coupe. In a way, it succeeded, mostly because it attracted more young customers coming inside its showroom with its vehicle's shape. It was angular like its sedan sibling but shared only the front fenders and the hood. The V-version had even less in common with its four-door stablemate. Up front, it featured the same narrow and tall headlights, but it had a carbon fiber hood that sported an air intake just above the chromed grille and a bulge on top with an exhaust vent. Furthermore, the front bumper had a broad secondary grille in the apron covered with a chicken-wire-style mesh and flanked by massive air scoops that cooled the front brakes.

Apart from the roof, the ATS-V shared no body panels with its sedan sibling. From its profile, the ascending waistline emphasized the cab-rearward design and the sloped-down rear window ended in a short deck adorned by a spoiler, creating a sporty and aggressive look for the vehicle. The rear fascia was also penned with angular details, while four pipes peaked from underneath the bumper, flanking a diffuser.

Inside the cabin, the dramatically enhanced ATS-V featured sports bucket seats with high-bolstered areas and integrated headrests. Unlike its main rivals, the ATS-V was also offered with a three-pedal setup, so the wide center console between the front occupants housed the gear stick.

The dashboard looked similar to the rest of the ATS coupe range, although the carbon fiber and Alcantara trims were fitted as standard on this model. In the back, the bench seat was profiled for two occupants and provided enough legroom and headroom.

Under its skin, the ATS-V Coupe was almost a completely different car than its non-V sibling. It featured the same 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6, but its power and torque figures were higher. The six-pot Brembo brakes up front and four-pot out back provided better stopping power. But just like any other respectable sportscar, it had to have a tuned chassis.

GM's engineers learned from the Chevrolet Corvette racing team how to create a better rear axle and how to stiffen the chassis even more. As a result, the car was not only fast in straight lines, but it could pull serious g-forces on lateral accelerations.