The last few years have seen Cadillac rebranding itself in a big way. Their newer cars have been presented as nifty blends of luxury, premium image, and some sportiness. They have gradually gotten more sophisticated as well, with additional interesting engine options as well as chassis tweaked and improved through punishment at places like the Nurburgring. Therefore, if you haven’t been paying attention, this year’s Cadillac ATS isn’t exactly what many might expect from GM’s premium brand. Four-cylinders and turbochargers aren’t usually used in the same sentence as Cadillac, but the ATS tested had exactly that, four cylinders and a turbo. With this car, Cadillac was more or less going for an American BMW 3-Series, and they may have finally pulled it off. Or at least come very close.
The 2013 ATS somehow manages to retain the big, imposing stance that one expects from a Cadillac, despite the fact that it is the most compact car in the company’s range. The 109.3 inch wheelbase doesn’t mean that it is exactly small, but it is still a slimmer fit than its larger Caddy stablemates. LED lighting details on the front and illuminating door handles lend technologically advanced style to the ATS, while in between the headlights an interesting grille shutter system lends some technologically advanced function. At high speed, the grille shutters close to reduce drag, thereby enhancing fuel economy. 17 x 8 inch wheels with 225/40-series tires are standard, but our test car had the optional 18 x 8 and 18 x 9 inch wheels in the machined finish. Overall, sedans of this type aren’t really all that distinguishable from each other. The ATS is no different. Just like the German cars it’s competing against, its looks are a tad predictable, but at the same time it’s by no means unattractive, and in the right color, like the “Crystal Red Tintcoat” or “Black Diamond Tricoat”, it can even look pretty sharp. In the sea of BMWs and Audis, it will undoubtedly draw some gazes.
