Cadillac introduces a new look and the 2015 ATS Coupe by paying homage to their heritage, and celebrating their rightful place in the soundtrack of the American Dream. Watch and listen as DJ A-Trak takes us on a musical journey that culminates with the first glimpse of the all new ATS Coupe.

Or...here's another suggestion: Given the popularity of Eldo convertibles in the past,

Debuting to the public for the first today in Detroit, Cadillac claims the new ATS Coupe will be one of the lightest and therefore sportiest luxury coupes in the segment, with an advantage in both power and weight over a similarly equipped BMW 428i.


2015-Cadillac-ATS-Coupe-05.jpgUnlike the sedan, the coupe will eschew the base 2.5 liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder and only be offered with two engines. Base coupes will be powered by 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 272 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. This engine will be available with a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission in rear-wheel drive models while all-wheel drive versions make due with the six-speed automatic only. Cadillac claims base model ATS Coupes will be able to sprint from 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds.

For a little more power, there is an optional 3.6-liter V-6 engine producing 321 horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque. However this engine is only available with the automatic and only in rear-wheel drive configurations.

Sporty Chassis

To play the part of a sports coupe, the new ATS two-door promises a near perfect 50/50 weight distribution. Rear-wheel drive models can be had with the FE3 sport suspension featuring GM’s Magnetic Ride Control, a mechanical limited-slip differential, high-capacity engine cooling system and staggered 18-inch summer-performance tires (225 width in the front, 255 width in the rear). The coupe rides on the same 109.3-inch wheelbase as the sedan, but has a more aggressive stance thanks to a wider front and rear track.

The exterior of the ATS Coupe features a unique roof, doors, rear fenders, trunk lid, front fascia and front fenders compared to the ATS Sedan. Base models are equipped with projector-beam headlamps, while all other versions of the ATS Coupe will feature HID headlights and Cadillac’s signature front vertical LED light strips. It is also the first production vehicle to wear Cadillac’s all-new crest.

The interior is highlighted by the available OnStar 4G LTE connectivity with built-in WiFi, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity with natural voice recognition and text-to-voice that can read incoming text messages to the driver. Like the sedan, there is an optional reconfigurable 5.7-inch, three-window instrument panel cluster display, head-up display and of course CUE.

Electronic Sound Enhancement

All coupes come with a Bose premium audio system with noise cancellation technology. The optional premium surround sound audio system features electronic sound enhancement, which means the ATS will pump engine noises electronically through the speakers. However, unlike other manufacturers’ systems, Cadillac claims the sounds are authentic noises coming from the powertrain. Whether this is being recorded in real-time or not we are unsure of at this time.

Safety is also a top priority with the new ATS Coupe and the car features new-to-Cadillac technologies like an enhanced side blind zone alert and motorized safety belts. As well, the car features front and rear automatic braking that can actually stop the car from a forward or reverse low-speed collisions if one is imminently detected.

The Cadillac ATS Coupe is expected to go on sale this summer.

What we do know is that the ATS will wear at least one more bodystyle. That comes from Cadillac head Bob Ferguson, who answered "Absolutely" when Automotive News asked him about the possibility of another variant. What we don't know is what that bodystyle or styles will be.

We now have a sedan and coupe ATS, there's supposedly a V sedan coming. After that, a convertible is a likely option given that the man who just became the global product honcho at General Motors, Mark Reuss, admitted to having one already designed in 2012. The decision on it can't get out of the underworld and a wagon is the other option, but the droptop would seem to make the most sense if one considers the competitive set: the BMW 4 Series and Audi A5 convertibles are hot property and Mercedes is bringing a C-Class convertible. Meanwhile wagons are the sentimental utility vehicles that, refusing to die, seem forever destined for life support... CTS Sport Wagon, anyone?

Based on Ferguson's statements, it appears that what Cadillac definitely won't do is play model variant catch-up with the European luxury brands it has spent years hunting down, telling Automotive News, "We want to keep our focus on a limited number of vehicles and do them very well."

Cadillac introduced a new ATS Coupe at the Detroit Auto Show this week, but missing from the automaker’s stand was a high-performance ‘V’ version. We know Cadillac still plans to launch an ATS-V, initially as a sedan and then as a coupe, and the choice of powerplant for these cars is a twin-turbocharged V-6.

Now we have an idea of how much power to expect. Motor Trend is reporting that the upcoming ATS-V models will feature a 425-horsepower version of the twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter V-6 found in the CTS Vsport and XTS Vsport models.

That matches the output of BMW’s new M3 and M4 models and is less than the output of the Lexus RC F, and it’s likely to be lower than the output of the next-generation Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, but the ATS-V models should be lighter than their rivals thanks to the base ATS’ Alpha underpinnings. The ATS-V models are also said to benefit from a seven-speed manual transmission (GM's new eight-speed auto is likely to be an option).

The story doesn’t end there, however. The ATS-V models are also reported to come in more potent ‘plus’ flavor. These will reportedly receive a different engine altogether, tipped to be a V-8.

Motor Trend is also reporting that Cadillac’s next CTS-V will get a twin-turbocharged version of the Corvette Stingray’s 6.2-liter LT1 V-8. This engine is alleged to appear in a successor for the C6 Corvette ZR1, though we’re unlikely to see such a car for several years still.

A launch date for the ATS-V, meanwhile, remains uncertain; Cadillac has a lot of new product coming onto the market this year including the new Escalade, ELR electric and new ATS Coupe, though we could still see the launch of an ATS-V later this year or early next.

Cadillac debuted its sportier-looking ATS Coupe this week in Detroit but that’s only the beginning of a line that will grow to include a high-performance ATS-V model.

The company hasn’t made an official announcement about plans for the beefed-up compact sport sedan, but spy photos have been floating around for months of an ATS with a quad tailpipe exhaust. Other models have twin tips poking out. Currently, the most powerful ATS uses Cadillac’s naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V6 to make 321 hp.

Rather than a V8 like the past-generation V Series CTS models still being sold through Cadillac dealers, the ATS-V will trade its self-breathing V6 for a twin-turbo version which brings a 104-hp hike for a total 425.

General Motors is rumored to be considering a seven-speed manual for the model. Cadillac spokesman Brian Corbett said the company will offer V-Series versions of “appropriate models,” but declined to comment on the transmission.

He doesn’t have to. The ATS-V is all but confirmed and well on its way to reaching showrooms, and unless GM has another manual gearbox up its sleeve the seven speed is probably the only option.

The six-speed manual Cadillac uses in the ATS 2.0T can’t handle any more than 310 lb-ft of torque with the gear ratio used. Tremec offers two other ratios that don’t require additional tooling, but they still aren’t capable of handling the obscene torque Cadillac’s twin-turbo V6 makes. In the CTS Vsport it pumps out 430 lb-ft at 3,500 rpm or a downrated 369 in the XTS Vsport. Adapting for the higher torque doesn’t make sense when GM already has transmissions able to handle torque well in excess of the TR-3160′s capacity.

That leaves two choices: the TR-6060 and the TR-6070. General Motors uses the TR-6060 in Zeta-based vehicles including the Camaro. It’s beefy enough, but probably wouldn’t fit in the Alpha-based ATS. That points a fat finger at the 7-speed TR-6070 and that is fantastic news.

Cadillac is working to target German brands in a bid to become a “tier 1″ luxury automaker again and the ATS is essential in the company’s strategy to get there. Automotive pundits quickly consecrated the normal ATS as a replacement for BMW’s E90 3 Series after the subsequent F30 went softer in search of increased sales volume. Cadillac has what people are increasingly recognizing to be the best luxury sport sedan in the segment.

They did and still do pair V-Series models with a manual and haven’t said anything to suggest that will change in the immediate future. The CTS Vsport is exclusively automatic, but that’s a deliberate decision on the company’s part to offer a mid-range model that competes with would-be rivals across the Atlantic that sell high-power luxury sedans. Cadillac is adamant that its Vsport models are intended to be a premium option rather than an end-all performance package.

That’s where V-Series versions enter the picture. They will be expensive, fast and geared toward someone who might otherwise buy something from BMW’s M division. Assuming Cadillac sticks with the Corvette’s aggressive gear ratios, the ATS-V will be fast. Really fast.