Discover the face of American luxury performance: Cadillac ATS-V

Wondering what the new Cadillac ATS-V looks and feels like? We had the privilege of getting a look at Cadillac’s latest ATS-V lineup at Milk Studios in Los Angeles, and we couldn't have been more excited.

While some cars are simply nice to look at, these vehicles are built to be driven. Johan de Nysschen, the president of Cadillac, introduced the completely new V-series lineup. The V-series is Cadillac’s high-performance addition to its luxury vehicle portfolio, similar to the offerings of Audi’s RS, BMW’s M series, and Mercedes Benz’s AMG models. With German engineering as the common thread among these brands, Mr. de Nysschen emphasized Cadillac's new mission: to become the benchmark for European luxury brands to strive toward. At 112 years old, Cadillac is certainly setting its sights high.

The ATS-V, a high-performance version of the ATS Coupe, offers both stunning looks and impressive factory-built track capabilities. It boasts a twin-turbocharged 3.6 V6 engine, producing 455 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque, making it the first-ever V-series to feature a turbocharged engine. With a 0-60 mph time of just 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 189 mph, the ATS-V has certainly shed Cadillac's previous image and proven to be a true force on the luxury car market.

Moreover, this car is based on GM's Alpha platform, which is an extended version of the platform used for the CTS. The luxury street vehicle, which is also a high-performance track car, as the Chief engineer Tony Roma noted - is ready for the track right out of the showroom, without any modifications needed. However, what truly catches your eye is its design. Available in both coupe and sedan models, the ATS-V boasts an aggressive look with a ducktail spoiler, front splitter, ventilated carbon fiber hood, and quad exhaust outlets. The lightweight hood features an air-extracting vent that not only removes hot air from the engine compartment but also reduces lift at high speeds by directing air pulled through the radiator over the top of the car instead of under it.

The brand deliberately chose to offer a single 18-inch wheel diameter for the ATS-V, surprising some. However, this allowed the engineers to focus on perfecting one wheel-tire combination to ensure optimal ride quality, handling, and wheel control. The goal was to create a luxury car that could be driven daily, yet still perform exceptionally well on the track. Cadillac didn't let any performance anxiety get in the way of competing with the best. To prove the ATS-V's capabilities, it was tested on the renowned Nurburgring track in Germany. The new V-series is available in two rear-wheel transmission options: a six-speed manual with rev-matching, or the same eight-speed automatic found in the 2015 Corvette Stingray.

Optional Recaro seats and carbon-fiber trim are among the features found in the interior of the ATS-V. Additionally, the Corvette's well-known camera and GPS-based performance data recorder are available as optional features.