The ATS is Cadillac’s first legitimate sports car to compete directly with the BMW 3 Series. It handles unlike any previous Cadillac due in part to its class leading weight, 50/50 weight distribution and multi-link suspension. When the driver is going around a sharp turn in the ATS, there is little to no roll effect at all. In fact, the ATS actually seems to handle curves better than it drives straight. The racing derived Brembo Brakes bring the ATS to a complete stop from 60 to 0 in a best in class 108 feet, besting the BMW by 5 feet.
The interior in the ATS is also a step above the BMW. With a hand cut and sewn interior, the driver is able to see every single stitch in the leather giving it a beautiful appearance. The ATS also comes in 7 different interior combinations and many standard features that BMW doesn’t even offer. Some of these include remote vehicle start, active noise cancellation, and illuminated outside door handles. The ATS also comes with Cadillac’s signature touch screen infotainment system, CUE, which is designed to look and feel like personal electronics already on the market. Different features on the infotainment system include 3-D navigation, weather updates, Pandora, and phone pairing through Bluetooth. CUE can be accessed through the touch screen, steering wheel controls, and through natural voice recognition. With the purchase of any cue equipped ATS the driver also gets a free iPad 2, loaded with applications for the CUE system that helps to give the driver a feel for the system off the road.
The ATS’ versatility is unmatched. With three different engines and four different trims levels, the driver can customize the driving characteristics of the ATS to exactly how they want it. Three different engine options include a 2.5L four cylinder, 2.0L turbo four cylinder, and a 3.6L v6. The four different trim levels are Base, Luxury, Performance and Premium.
We directly compared the BMW 328i to the 2.0L Turbo Premium ATS and after driving both, the choice is obvious. Not only is the ATS faster, it also handles extraordinarily well and comes with more features than a similar equipped 328i. Sweetening the deal, it all costs $5,000 less than the BMW. Although premium fuel is recommended, the ATS can also still use regular unleaded fuel so the vehicle will save you money on gas as well.
The ATS was named the North American Car of the Year for 2013 and with all the features and characteristics; we think the award is well deserved.
Stop by Morrie’s Cadillac today to test drive the 2013 ATS.
