Cadillac is a division of General Motors that designs and produces luxury vehicles. Throughout its extensive history, the American automaker has released many car models, including sedans, coupes, and SUVs. In 2012, the brand announced its ATS line-up to target the compact luxury car segment. Cadillac ATS quickly gained recognition in the global auto industry after its launch.
Here we’ll revisit the Cadillac ATS history to examine how its design and features evolved over the years.
Cadillac ATS History: Evolution of the Car Models
Let’s walk through the entire timeline of the Cadillac ATS line-up. It outlines the evolution of the design, features and trims of the car and the reason behind its discontinuation.
Cadillac ATS First Generation (2012-2014)
The Cadillac ATS was introduced as a direct replacement for the Cadillac BLS, which was a front-wheel drive compact executive car. Announced in 2012, the Cadillac ATS was publicly released in 2013. Since its first generation, Cadillac ATS offered three engine options with a six-speed manual and auto transmission:
- The 2.5-litre naturally aspirated engine delivered 202 horsepower and 191 lb-ft of torque.
- The 2.0-litre turbocharged engine generated 272 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. Both rear-wheel drive (RWD) and all-wheel drive options (AWD) were available.
- The 3.6-litre V6 engine delivered 321 horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque. AWD was available as an option.
The 2013 model also set the basis for four different trim levels of the ATS sedan. They include Standard, Luxury, Performance and Premium. Details about trim levels of Cadillac ATS over the years are given below:
Standard
The base trim level included keyless entry, dual-zone automatic climate control and power-adjustable front seats. For infotainment, there was Bluetooth connectivity and a 7-speaker sound system.
Luxury
This trim added leather upholstery, a heated steering wheel and heated front seats. It also included driver seat memory settings, remote start and additional safety features like rear parking sensors.
Performance
The Performance trim of the 2013 Cadillac ATS focused on sportier features. It included a sport-tuned suspension, adaptive headlights, front sport seats, advanced navigation and a 10-speaker surround-sound audio system.
Premium
The top-level Premium trim added even more luxury and convenience features, such as adaptive cruise control, a head-up display, forward collision warning and lane departure warning. These are all advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) features that make a driving experience more comfortable and safe.
Design and Features
The 2013 Cadillac ATS was a noteworthy addition to the history of Cadillac in terms of design and features. The car had a sleek design, with the brand’s distinctive vertical LED headlights and a bold front grille.
The interior offered a driver-centric layout with high-quality materials and modern technology. It featured an 8-inch touchscreen display with the Cadillac User Experience (CUE) infotainment system.
The car also had optional features like a panoramic sunroof and special performance seats. An interesting fact about Cadillac is that the automaker has always been at the forefront of technological innovation.
The First Generation Facelift, Coup and V-Series Era (2015)
The facelifted version of the 2015 ATS came out with a few design changes. The front fascia of the line-up had an updated front bumper and grille. The car also featured the new crest emblem.
The brand’s visual representation was revamped in 2014, abandoning the classic laurel wreaths. It was among the most prominent upgrades in the history of the Cadillac logo and is still in use.
Addition of the 2015 ATS Coupe
In addition to the sedan, the 2015 Cadillac ATS expanded its line-up in the form of a coupe. The two-door variants were designed to offer a sportier and more seamless driving experience in the ATS series. The new design featured a sleek and aerodynamic look with a shorter overall length that enhanced its sporty appeal.
Engine Options, Trim and Features
Under the hood, the 2015 ATS had the same three engine options as the 2013 models. The car was powered by either a 202-hp 2.5-litre inline-4, 272-hp turbocharged 2.0L or a 321-hp 3.6-litre V6 engine. The 2.0-litre turbocharged engine and 3.6-litre V6 models also had the AWD option.
The facelifted line-up also had the same four trim levels available as its predecessor models. It came in Standard, Luxury, Performance and Premium variants, with RWD and AWD available for 2.0-litre turbocharged engines.
Inside the 2015 ATS, the upholstery combinations were revised with suede microfiber-accent and semi-aniline leather interiors. The car also gained an updated infotainment system with Siri Eyes Free compatibility and the addition of 4G LTE connectivity, providing enhanced connectivity and convenience features.
Introduction of the ATS-V Series (2016)
Another breakthrough in the history of Cadillac ATS was the introduction of the V-Series in 2016. Later in the year, the ATS-V introduced the first-ever twin-turbocharged 3.6-litre V6 engine. It produced 464 horsepower and 445 lb-ft of torque. The brand’s growing luxury range offered both sedan and coupe variants.
The car series was equipped with the third generation of the brand’s trademark Magnetic Ride Control. Moreover, Cadillac’s Performance Traction Management (PTM) further enhanced the overall control and stability of the vehicles.
Exterior Upgrades
The V-Series Cadillac ATS models also introduced some subtle changes in the exterior design of the car. The use of aluminium and carbon fibre was increased in the different parts of the car structure. The purpose of these structural changes was to make the car design lighter and more performance-focused.
Interior and Infotainment Touch-ups
The 2016 ATS-V series came with the option of 16-way-adjustable RECARO performance front seats. The line-up was designed with a performance-focused cabin. The rest of the interior was adorned by decorative stitching and breathable materials, such as carbon fibre.
The ATS-V featured a 5.7-inch, three-window car instrument cluster display. The infotainment system had the flagship V-Series graphics and gauge read-outs. Both the ATS-V sedan and coupe were equipped with the latest CUE and Bluetooth connectivity with voice recognition.
The Discontinuation Period of the ATS Series (2018-2019)
Despite its popularity, Cadillac discontinued the ATS-V sedan in 2018 and went on with the production of the coup. The automaker was shifting focus on other models that it had in the works for the compact luxury segment.
However, the ATS-V coupe also experienced a similar fate. It was discontinued only a year after the discontinuation of its sedan variants. This is how the journey of Cadillac ATS ended. The American brand then introduced its CT4 line-up, which made its debut in 2020 and is still going strong.
Cadillac ATS may not be in production anymore, but its sedan is still a sought-after luxury used car in the UAE. It appeared among the top-performing models in our luxury used cars annual market report.
This brings us to the end of the timeline for the Cadillac ATS history. Besides Cadillac’s ATS series, there is a whole list of cars that were discontinued during the 2010s.
Those who want to make the ATS line-up a part of their car collection can pick from these used Cadillac ATS cars for sale in the UAE.
Keep following the dubizzle car blog for more interesting pieces on the history of popular automakers and their models.
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