As the smallest member of Cadillac's family of high-performance cars, the ATS-V brings the compact sport sedan fight to the door of German companies like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, which have been bolting go-fast bits into their compact sedans and coupes for decades. Those brands have more experience building fast cars like the M3 and C 63, but Cadillac has proven it can build a car to keep up with them, not to mention various other super-sedans and quick coupes from Japan and elsewhere in Europe.
For 2018, the most notable change to the ATS-V is a new version of Cadillac's CUE infotainment system. The second-generation setup boasts a more user-friendly smartphone-like interface and flexible software that will make it easier to update the system with new features. Apple Watch users can also connect their devices to the system.
Otherwise, the ATS-V is unchanged with its twin-turbo V6 that cranks out 464 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque and can be mated with a six-speed manual transmission or an optional eight-speed automatic.
Though AWD is common in upscale circles, the ATS-V and most of its competitors are strictly rear-drivers, making them less well-suited to year-round use in Canada than their regular-grade counterparts.
Cadillac says the ATS-V will scoot to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds and reach a top speed of more than 300 km/h -- exactly the kind of performance you'd expect from a car built to compete with cars bred for the German autobahn. When it's time to stop, big Brembo brakes do the work, and GM's excellent magnetic ride control suspension is tasked with keeping the 18-inch wheels and their Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires glued to the road.
For track driving enthusiasts, Cadillac offers a front-facing camera that lets you record your drives and lap times, with data and footage stored on a removable SD card.
Cadillac is a newer player here, but so are Alfa Romeo and Lexus with their Giulia Quadrifoglio and IS F. The ATS-V competes in a surprisingly deep field of cars considering industry experts keep talking about the impending demise of the sedan body style. Then again, the ATS-V comes as a coupe too, allowing it to line up with two- and four-door models from Cadillac's key competitors.
Distinguished from its lesser siblings with more aggressive exterior styling cues, the ATS-V can be further augmented with carbon fibre trim.
For those lead-footed drivers who care about such things, Cadillac's fuel consumption estimates for the ATS-V are 13.9/9.4 L/100 km (city/highway) with the automatic transmission and 14.4/10.4 with the stickshift.
This vehicle has not yet been reviewed
