First Drives: Cadillac ATS-V

[Bruce Nunnally]

Autoblog: http://www.autoblog.com/2015/04/26/2016-cadillac-ats-v-first-drive-review-video/

Cadillac has stepped up with a seriously competitive car, and its ATS-V makes a compelling argument for itself in a high performance realm where it wasn't always taken seriously

[Bruce Nunnally]

Car & Driver: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2016-cadillac-ats-v-coupe-test-review

Highs:

Sprints as well as it pivots, a true all-around athlete.

Lows:

Put on more than a few pounds during strength training.

Verdict:

Cadillac's longtime aspirations achieved.

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 4.2 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 9.9 sec
Zero to 120 mph: 13.7 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 5.3 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 9.6 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 6.9 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 12.6 sec @ 115 mph

[Bruce Nunnally]

Autoweek: http://autoweek.com/article/car-reviews/no-excuses-2016-cadillac-ats-v-first-drive-and-track-test

Beyond that, as Cadillac strives to re-invent itself again and compete in rarified space owned by factory tuners from its European competitors, there’s this: The Cadillac ATS-V may be a better track car than any of them, but there’s no guarantee it can overcome the Euro-centric predilections of luxury-performance buyers.

The smallest, lightest Cadillac V Series cars to date make a legitimate case for best-in-class. Unfortunately, it can be harder to re-engineer a brand than to engineer outstanding cars.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Motor Authority: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1098014_2016-cadillac-ats-v-first-drive-video

Test drive video:

https://youtu.be/pi9n-Oeb-RI

While BMW and Mercedes have shifted their targets eying each other, Cadillac has taken both into account, and hit right at the vulnerable underbelly: sheer flat-out ability. Fueled by a racing program that works closely with V series development (as are M and AMG) and being willing to push as close to a four-door Corvette as we’re likely to come (or a rather more luxurious Corvette coupe, if you choose) they’ve nailed the power, handling, and driver feedback elements—the very core of the thing—while doing a fine job on all the rest, too.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Autoguide video: https://youtu.be/8VGYv4Gg1L8

More powerful, quicker and outright faster than a comparable BMW, Cadillac’s newest model is the best reason to skip the letter M and head all the way down the alphabet to V.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Business-Panorama.de (in German): http://business-panorama.de/news.php?newsid=274552

For the standard equipment is very rich - and it also challenges the entry prices of 74 900 euros for the sedan and 77 500 euros for the coupe, which move at exactly the same level of competition. This is true, it can be according to our tests be stated, for the performance and quality level of this American. A more convincing sport sedan has never been there from Detroit.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Edmunds: http://www.edmunds.com/cadillac/ats-v/2016/road-test.html

Why Should You Consider This Car?

Maybe you're a patriot, maybe you like to see the home team win or maybe you just like to be different. The ATS-V gets you all three in a no-compromise package that's every bit as capable and comfortable as the German offerings.

Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Road & Track: http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/first-drives/features/a25628/first-drive-2016-cadillac-ats-v/

Maybe they'll sell a lot of ATS-Vs, maybe not. Our bet is somewhere in the middle. The car is certainly a lot of speed for the money, and as a track proposition, it's friendlier and gutsier than anything German. But as a prestige sport sedan, there's something intangible missing. You can't shake the notion that this car is a first step, not an arrival.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Yahoo Auto: https://www.yahoo.com/autos/2016-cadillac-ats-v-first-drive-of-caddys-war-117428265087.html

Our test left us with little road time (what I did learn is that even in Touring mode the ride is quite harsh) focusing primarily on track work. While I’d say the ATS-V isn’t as capable as the BMW, it remains more playful and, in some ways, more rewarding to drive.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Jalopnik: http://jalopnik.com/2016-cadillac-ats-v-a-464-hp-hurricane-for-the-track-a-1699626251

Aside from the lamentable lack of a wagon version, the ATS-V is even better. It’s rowdier, more nimble, better on track and more high-tech in every way. It’s also more fun to drive. The ATS-V came with a lot of doubt because it’s a turbo V6 and not a V8, but those doubts were unfounded.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Digital Trends: http://www.digitaltrends.com/car-reviews/first-drive-2016-cadillac-ats-v/#ixzz3YXKkOD3m

That being said, the ATS-V regains some lost ground on personality and style. Buying a BMW M3 is like moving to Orange County, understandable but also so predictably boring. Buying an ATS-V is more like moving to Austin, it says that you are at least trying to be interesting. Though, if you do buy an ATS-V, I recommend moving to a place with more curvy roads than Austin.

[Bruce Nunnally]

WSJ: http://www.wsj.com/articles/cadillac-ats-v-and-the-strange-joys-of-engine-noise-1431111902

Was the experience a bit, um, synthetic? A bit, in a vague and ineffable way. It would also be nice if the car didn’t look like a Chinese box kite. I also wish Cadillac’s little hellion wasn’t quite so much in vain in terms of the Cadillac brand. Yes, on a particular day, this one particular Cadillac can run down the rival BMW. But BMW makes lots of cars with delightful driving character. At Cadillac, performance is still an outlier.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Car & Driver: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2016-cadillac-ats-v-sedan-test-review

ATS-V Automatic

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 3.9 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 8.4 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 13.9 sec
Zero to 150 mph: 19.8 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 4.7 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 2.4 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 3.2 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 12.1 sec @ 122 mph

They don't like the interior materials, and still don't like CUE:

Now it’s time for us to intervene. Cadillac, we can’t sit idly by and enable these design lapses. You have a problem and you must admit it. The designers need editing and it’s time to do something about it—it’s not fair to the engineers who made the ATS-V the best-driving car in its class.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Autoguide comparison:

2016 Cadillac ATS-V Coupe vs. 2015 Lexus RC F

A brawl for luxury performance-coupe supremacy

http://www.autoguide.com/car-comparisons/2016-cadillac-ats-v-coupe-vs-2015-lexus-rc-f