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Comparing Cadillac's crazy classy coupes

I just returned from the press launch of Cadillac's new ATS-V, a high-performance version of the US luxury marque's entry-level compact car. While ordinary ATVs offer a choice of a 202-horspower, 4-cylinder, a 272-hp turbocharged four or a 321-hp V-6, this one packs a twin-turbo V-6 that pumps out 464 thoroughbred horses and 445 pound-feet of hard-charging torque. Starting at $62,000 for the sedan and $64,000 for the sexy coupe, ATS-Vs are available with a 6-speed manual (with Active Rev Matching and no-lift shift capability) or an 8-speed automatic with steering-wheel shift paddles. They comes with GM's latest 4-mode Magnetic Ride Control, 5-mode Performance Traction Management (with launch control), competition-spec traction and stability controls, an electronic limited-slip differential, specially-tuned electric power steering, huge Brembo brakes, and added air cooling for their engine, transmission, and rear axle lubricants. They roll on 18-inch Michelin Pilot Super Sport tri-compound summer tires on 9-inch-wide front alloy wheels and 9.5-inch-wide rears. And they will rocket from rest to 60 miles per hour in less than four seconds while delivering 16 city EPA miles per gallon and 24 highway with the automatic and 17/23 with the manual transmission. The obvious purpose of all this technology is to effectively endow Cadillac's latest V-Series models with a rarely achieved true dual personality: go, stop, and corner like race cars on a track, then sooth, coddle, and entertain like luxury cars on the way to and from the track, or work. We had ample opportunity to verify both personalities with multiple hot laps of the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) Grand Prix course, followed by a more leisurely drive on public roads near Austin, TX. Even lacking wheel-to-wheel comparisons, we believe these hot new ATS-Vs are fully competitive with their pricier German competitors, and probably superior in some ways. So now, Cadillac will offer not one but two very sharp-looking, upscale, small-volume, 2016 compact coupes, almost the same size and at similar prices, but with totally different missions: this new high-performance ATS-V and the soon-to-be-upgraded ELR extended-range EV. The key question: why? Aside from its cramped back seat and ridiculous $76,000 starting price, I loved the ELR when it was introduced for 2014.

Expect the Cadillac XT3 small crossover in late 2018

Cadillac's sedan-heavy lineup can't complete in this crossover-crazy market, it seems. The Detroit News spoke to Cadillac boss Johan de Nysschen and found out some more details about the brand's plan to alter its lineup to cater more to current consumer tastes. It's no surprise that these plans would include a small crossover, because de Nysschen has been talking about a vehicle smaller than the XT5 like this since at least 2015. The report also pins the Fairfax Assembly Plant, where GM builds the Buick LaCrosse and the Chevrolet Malibu, as the site for what could be called the XT3's production. That's not an immediately obvious choice, since the LaCrosse and Malibu are based on the latest evolution of the Epsilon platform, known as E2XX. And the XT5 is based on a crossover version of that same platform (known as C2XX), while XT3 is expected to be smaller than the XT5. So perhaps there's a different assembly line going into Fairfax, or the C2XX platform can be significantly shortened. We assume that the XT3 would be built on a smaller platform, perhaps the Gamma II that underpins the Chevrolet Trax and Buick Encore – which are built in either South Korea or Mexico, depending on which market they are to be exported to. The Encore is selling very well for Buick, with sales figures increasing through late last year. Another possibility is the D2XX platform that underpins the Chinese-built Buick Envision and the GMC Terrain and Chevrolet Equinox, perhaps with assembly happening at the CAMI plant in Ontario. At this early stage, without confirmation of GM as to what platform the XT3 will use or where it will really be built, it's too early to say what the Fairfax rumor means. This isn't the first time we've heard about a small Cadillac crossover. Back in 2015, de Nysschen told us to expect it sometime in 2018. But later that year, speaking to Reuters, he posited that it'd be closer to 2019. The Detroit News says de Nysschen told them it'll launch in the second half of 2018, splitting the difference between what we'd heard previously. Remember, Cadillac's only two vehicles in the segment are the XT5 and Escalade. We know that the brand is almost certainly scrambling to fill the holes in that side of the lineup. We think a three-row crossover will slot between the two, probably called the XT7.

2014 Cadillac CTS configurator open for business

Cadillac has just set the new configurator for the redesigned, 2014 CTS live. While we've already tested out the new CTS, this is our first chance to play with all the interior and exterior color options and to get a fair idea of the price. The new CTS covers a broad swath from the $46,025 base model, with the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, to the $59,995 VSport, complete with its brawny, 3.6-liter twin-turbocharged V6.
It doesn't take much to send the CTS's price up from there, though. Opt for the VSport Premium trim, and the price immediately jumps $10,000. Opting for one of the premium paint colors is all that's needed to nudge the CTS past $70,000. For reference, a 556-horsepower CTS-V (previous-generation, naturally) starts at $64,515.
Click over and have a look at the configurator for yourself.