Rumors of Cadillac ATS V with 425hp V6 Turbo and ATS V+ with a V8

The ATS has been garnering a lot of positive attention for Cadillac and consequently, GM as a whole, beginning with the initial launch of the sedan and continuing with the classy-looking Coupe revealed earlier this week. There's still more to come, including different body styles and more importantly, a V version.

Or make that two "V" versions, if we're going to believe a report from Motor Trend magazine that says Cadillac will offer a base ATS V equipped with a slightly uprated version of the CTS V Sport's 3.6-liter V6 making 425 hp, and later on, an ATS V+ (plus) with an even more powerful V8, though, there are no more details on that.

Strangely, the report mentions plans for the availability of three gearboxes, including a seven-speed manual, an eight-speed auto, and a dual-clutch transmission – the latter doesn't exist yet in a production model.

Finally, it's mentioned that the next CTS V won't get the Corvette Z06's supercharged LT4 6.2-liter V8, but a new twin-turbo version of the Corvette’s LT1 V8 " that's also slated for the next Corvette ZR1" – you know, the one that won’t be offered in the C7, according to another recent report…

We probably don't need to tell you, but we will anyway: take all information with a grain or two of salt until we hear something more concrete from an official source.

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Cadillac Boss Says ATS Family May Welcome Wagon and Convertible After Coupe

If what they say about imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, then Cadillac's German counterparts and especially BMW should feel extremely flattered – and to avoid any misunderstandings, we're discussing the luxury brand's product lineup and strategy.

On Tuesday, the Detroit auto show hosted the world premiere of the second member of the ATS family after the sedan, the new Coupe, both of which are aimed squarely against the German competition in the compact executive segment – think BMW 3- and 4-Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

And this is only the beginning, according to Cadillac global chief Bob Ferguson, who told Autonews that the brand is considering additional body styles, including a convertible and a station wagon.

"You've made the investment. You've built a brand within a brand," said Ferguson. "If you have a winner, you should exploit that and offer variations."

A high-performance V Series model is also a given, with Ferguson adding that there could be another variant beyond that.

However, the GM brand won't try to cover every single niche carved by Audi, BMW and Mercedes, with Ferguson stating that Cadillac will choose its battles in certain categories instead of going "as far and wide as Mercedes and BMW", obviously referring to cars like the 3-Series GT.

"We want to keep our focus on a limited number of vehicles and do them very well," said the Cadillac executive.

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New Cadillac ATS Coupe Officially Revealed in Detroit, Ditches Wreath

The BMW 4-Series should be afraid, very afraid… Cadillac has just unveiled one of the first new direct rivals for it, the ATS Coupe that made its debut on the Detroit motor show floor.

Set to go on sale later in the summer, it was conceived “to be lighter, more agile and more engaging than its competitors, it extends Cadillac’s product-driven growth and the brand’s tradition of dynamic luxury coupes.” It also promises to be more agile than its four-door stable mates too.

Buyers in the US will have a choice of rear- or all-wheel drive and two engines at launch, the 2.0-liter turbo and 3.6-liter V6 from the four-door. However, the four-pot’s torque figure has been upped by 14 percent , and it now delivers 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque in conjunction with the same 272 hp; the V6 makes more power, at 321 hp, but less torque, being rated at 373 Nm (275 lb-ft).

Both motors come with a six-speed automatic gearbox as standard, but the turbo can be had with a manual too.

The ATS Coupe rides on the same wheelbase as the sedan, so room inside should be on par, with the inherent encroachment into rear headroom of the sloping roofline. There are bespoke touches, though, like the unique roof, rear fenders and trunk lid, plus the different front fascia and wider wheelarches that are necessary to accommodate the two-door’s wider track.

Judging from the photos below, the car has a particularly nice stance and continues the predictable yet pleasing Cadillac brand image rejuvenation – it looks like an expensive, premium car. That effect is strengthened by the tech it gets too, more specifically the optional LED headlights with Adaptive Forward Lighting.

It's also worth noting that the ATS Coupe is the first production Cadillac to sport the brand's redesigned logo without the classic wreath.

By Andrei Nedelea

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