2013 Cadillac ATS challenges world’s best compact luxury cars

2013 Cadillac ATS has a long 109.3-inch wheelbase and wide front/rear tracks enhanced by short overhangs and taut sheet metal that appears to wrap tightly around the tires.

The all new 2013 Cadillac ATS compact sedan definitely made people turn their heads when I drove into the high school parking lot to pick up my kids. Visually, the ATS is a winner, with a narrow set of headlights that curve up the front quarter panel and over the wheel well. The LED daytime running lights are a nice touch, too.

The ATS is Cadillac’s entry into the world’s most significant luxury car segment and is designed to challenge the world’s best premium cars. Its sophisticated driving experience is enhanced with Cadillac CUE, a comprehensive in-vehicle user experience that merges intuitive design with industry-first controls and commands for information and media data.

Developed on an all-new, lightweight reardrive platform, the ATS reflects a new expression of Cadillac’s philosophy centered on a foundation of driving dynamics and mass efficiency. It is the most agile and lightweight Cadillac, with one of the lowest curb weights in the segment – less than 3,400 pounds All-wheel drive is available.

Germany’s famed Nürburgring served as one of the key testing grounds for the ATS, along with additional roads, race tracks and laboratories around the world, where engineers balanced performance with Cadillac refinement. Contributing components and features include:

• 50/50 weight balance • Cadillac’s first five-link independent rear suspension using lightweight, high-strength steel and efficient straight link designs

• A multi-link double-pivot MacPhersonstrut front suspension with direct-acting stabilizer bar

• Driver-adjustable FE3 sport suspension with Magnetic Ride Control real-time damping

• Underbody aerodynamic shields

• Premium (belt driven) electric variableeffort steering gear from ZF Steering Systems

• Four-channel ABS with available Brembo performance brakes

Available all-wheel drive.

The ATS is offered as a well-equipped standard model and in Luxury, Performance and Premium collections. A broad lineup of engines is available, including two fourcylinders and a V-6, to capitalize on the car’s lightweight structure. The optional engines include an all-new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder rated at 272 hp and Cadillac’s 321 hp 3.6 liter V-6.

A long, 109.3-inch wheelbase and wide front/rear tracks are the cornerstones of the ATS stance, enhanced by short overhangs and taut sheet metal that appears to wrap tightly around the tires. Seventeen-inch wheels are standard and 18-inch wheels are available.

On the inside, there’s a driver-focused interior with integrated technology and crafted materials that complement the exterior. Everything, from the placement of the pedals to the position of the shifter, is designed for effortless performance driving. The instrument panel wraps into the doors and the center stack in the mid-instrument panel flows into the center console. LED lighting for the gauge cluster enables clear, at-a glance viewing in all lighting conditions, while ambient lighting accents functional elements of the console and doors.

Pricing on the 2013 Cadillac ATS starts at $33,990.

Grant Miller is the publisher of Community Newspapers. He may be contacted by calling 305-662-2277 or by addressing email to Grant@CommunityNewspapers.com


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