= 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe 3.6 (GM should make a new Monte on this platform ?)=
#1
10-17-2014, 07:20 AM
= 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe 3.6 (GM should make a new Monte on this platform ?)=
INSTRUMENTED TESTarrow
2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe 3.6
What would John Keats drive?
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When the poet John Keats suggested that “a thing of beauty is a joy forever,” it could well have been a description of the new Cadillac ATS coupe—had it not been published in 1818.
Even with a Ouija board, we’ll never know whether Keats was given to prophecy. But in the case of the ATS we can augment Mr. Keats with this corollary: a thing of beauty is more of a joy if it goes fast, thrives on switchbacks, stops in a hurry, and generates a compelling bond with its driver.
The ATS answers positively to all of the above, and anyone who fails to see beauty in this sporty variant needs to visit an optometrist. Soon.
SEDUCTIVE V-6Even with a Ouija board, we’ll never know whether Keats was given to prophecy. But in the case of the ATS we can augment Mr. Keats with this corollary: a thing of beauty is more of a joy if it goes fast, thrives on switchbacks, stops in a hurry, and generates a compelling bond with its driver.
The ATS answers positively to all of the above, and anyone who fails to see beauty in this sporty variant needs to visit an optometrist. Soon.
The coupe rolls onto the scene with two engine options—a 272-hp 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder (standard) and a 321-hp 3.6-liter naturally aspirated V-6, both nourished by direct fuel injection. The two-door model escapes the (disappointingly mundane) base ATS sedan’s 2.5-liter four. The turbo four actually huffs up a little more torque (295 lb-ft versus 275), but the V-6 vectors a bigger herd of ponies to the rear wheels.
In an age of long-stroke engine designs, Cadillac’s V-6 is something of an anomaly: Oversquare (94-mm bore, 85.6-mm stroke) and willing to rev (6800-rpm power peak, 7200-rpm redline), it delivers no-lag throttle response and makes seductive noises as the tach needle spins. Even better, it does all this on regular fuel despite an 11.5:1 compression ratio, thanks to direct injection.
This translates into 18 mpg city and 28 highway on the EPA dynos, and we were pleasantly surprised when, at the conclusion of vigorous testing, we’d recorded 26 mpg. More gratifyingly, we also logged 0 to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, a quarter-mile run of 14 seconds flat at 102 mph, and a top speed of 146 mph.
Those numbers stack up pretty well versus competition from the Teutonic trio that has long set the pace in the luxo sports coupe (and sedan) biz.
FANCY DANCERThis translates into 18 mpg city and 28 highway on the EPA dynos, and we were pleasantly surprised when, at the conclusion of vigorous testing, we’d recorded 26 mpg. More gratifyingly, we also logged 0 to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, a quarter-mile run of 14 seconds flat at 102 mph, and a top speed of 146 mph.
Those numbers stack up pretty well versus competition from the Teutonic trio that has long set the pace in the luxo sports coupe (and sedan) biz.
More important, the two-door ATS also does better than hold its own in terms of fancy footwork. High chassis rigidity, a firm suspension (GM’s Magnetic Ride Control), a slightly wider front and rear track than the sedan’s, and quick (2.7 turns lock-to-lock) ZF rack-mounted electric steering combine to provide the sense of connection that prompts drivers to seek the long way home and sends them forth on lengthy weekend forays with no particular destination.
Our test car wore Bridgestone Potenza RE050A RFT summer performance run-flats, staggered front to rear (sized 225/40 and 255/35), on 18-inch aluminum wheels. The combo yielded impressive skidpad grip (0.91 g) and contributed to strong braking performance. In repeated 70-to-0-mph stops, we recorded only six feet of difference between shortest (162 feet) and longest (168), the latter coming first, when the brakes were cold. We recorded no trace of fade.
The little Caddy exhibits gunfighter-quick reflexes, minimal body motions, and nicely weighted steering, although it could benefit from a little more on-center feel. There’s moderate understeer near the limits of adhesion, although those limits are quite high. A minor downside here: Although the suspension is well tuned for athletic responses, it can feel overly stiff, a trait magnified by the run-flat tires, provoking some head toss on gnarly pavement.
Our test car wore Bridgestone Potenza RE050A RFT summer performance run-flats, staggered front to rear (sized 225/40 and 255/35), on 18-inch aluminum wheels. The combo yielded impressive skidpad grip (0.91 g) and contributed to strong braking performance. In repeated 70-to-0-mph stops, we recorded only six feet of difference between shortest (162 feet) and longest (168), the latter coming first, when the brakes were cold. We recorded no trace of fade.
The little Caddy exhibits gunfighter-quick reflexes, minimal body motions, and nicely weighted steering, although it could benefit from a little more on-center feel. There’s moderate understeer near the limits of adhesion, although those limits are quite high. A minor downside here: Although the suspension is well tuned for athletic responses, it can feel overly stiff, a trait magnified by the run-flat tires, provoking some head toss on gnarly pavement.
While a manual transmission option is limited to the four-cylinder turbo, the six-speed automatic isn’t exactly a comedown. In manual mode, it doesn’t ram shifts home with the authority of, say, an Audi DSG but it’s close, and the transmission will hold shifts against redline—no autonomous upshifting. It also matches revs on downshifts, and it’s seamless in full auto mode.
MEASURE FOR MEASUREWeak points? Not many. The rear seat is set up for only two, and if those two are tall their heads will scrape the ceiling. (Solution: Make sure all your friends are under five-foot-ten. Facebook friends exempted.) The front buckets complement a well-appointed, handsomely designed interior, but for a car capable of 0.91 g in cornering, the bolsters should be more pronounced, particularly at the torso. We’re expecting Recaros when the ATS-V is revealed at the L.A. show in November, but this car already performs well enough to warrant more support.
Beyond that, there’s the frustrating CUE touch-screen system, of which Cadillac seems so strangely proud. Don’t forget the ambitious pricing (the 3.6 starts $7155 higher than the 2.0T), but get used to it: Johan de Nysschen, Cadillac’s new boss, doesn’t want the division’s products to be perceived as cut-rate luxury.
Will the ATS stand its ground against luxury-coupe contenders? In our 2012 mano-a-mano sedan comparo—BMW 328i versus ATS 2.0T—the Caddy finished second. But this is a different game with a different body style and a different powertrain.
Considered on its own merits, the ATS 3.6 measures up as an elegant blend of athletic style, gratifying performance, and technical sophistication. It may lack the cachet of a BMW, but it’s a thing of beauty in its own right. We bet Mr. Keats would find joy in it. View Photo Gallery
PHOTOS (37)
Beyond that, there’s the frustrating CUE touch-screen system, of which Cadillac seems so strangely proud. Don’t forget the ambitious pricing (the 3.6 starts $7155 higher than the 2.0T), but get used to it: Johan de Nysschen, Cadillac’s new boss, doesn’t want the division’s products to be perceived as cut-rate luxury.
Will the ATS stand its ground against luxury-coupe contenders? In our 2012 mano-a-mano sedan comparo—BMW 328i versus ATS 2.0T—the Caddy finished second. But this is a different game with a different body style and a different powertrain.
Considered on its own merits, the ATS 3.6 measures up as an elegant blend of athletic style, gratifying performance, and technical sophistication. It may lack the cachet of a BMW, but it’s a thing of beauty in its own right. We bet Mr. Keats would find joy in it. View Photo Gallery
#2
10-17-2014, 07:22 AM
>specifications <
SPECIFICATIONS
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE AS TESTED: $53,610 (base price: $46,145)
NEED a Chevy Monte Carlo for $25 K to $35K ?
NEED a Chevy Monte Carlo for $25 K to $35K ?
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 24-valve V-6 aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 217 cu in, 3564 cc
Power: 321 hp @ 6800 rpm
Torque: 275 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm
Power: 321 hp @ 6800 rpm
Torque: 275 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with manual shifting mode
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 109.3 in
Length: 183.6 in
Width: 72.5 in Height: 54.8 in
Curb weight: 3565 lb
Wheelbase: 109.3 in
Length: 183.6 in
Width: 72.5 in Height: 54.8 in
Curb weight: 3565 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 5.4 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 13.3 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 25.1 sec
Street start, 5-60 mph: 5.7 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 3.1 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 3.8 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.0 sec @ 102 mph
Top speed (drag limited): 146 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 163 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.91 g
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway: 18/28 mpg
C/D observed: 26 mpg
Zero to 60 mph: 5.4 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 13.3 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 25.1 sec
Street start, 5-60 mph: 5.7 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 3.1 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 3.8 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.0 sec @ 102 mph
Top speed (drag limited): 146 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 163 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.91 g
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway: 18/28 mpg
C/D observed: 26 mpg
#3
10-17-2014, 07:46 AM
So much 2 See/Read > so little time > EnJoy `Now<
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#4
10-17-2014, 09:07 AM
Did U ever have one ? Drive One ? What is it ?
Oldsmobile Toronado A giant 400 horsepower, two-and-a-half-ton Mini is a gas, but it's not for citizens with cardiac conditions.
- January 1970
- BY CAR AND DRIVER
- PHOTOGRAPHY BY GENE BUTERA
From the April 1968 Issue of Car and Driver Luxury isn't enough in the luxury car field anymore.
It simply won't do to say, "My luxury car has more trick stuff than your luxury car," and so Oldsmobile's Toronado with its manufactured, Spanish-sounding name should be the last word in the neighborhood one-upmanship contest. After all, snow tires on the front have to be worth at least three points in establishing you as the Jones everyone has to keep up with.
The Toronado mystique—which began by being highly touted, found itself buried beneath comparisons to ordinary, every-clay cars that we all know and love, and is now just barely becoming touted again—centers around its front-wheel-drive system.
One of Oldsmobile's problems in toutistry of fwd is that it's great to blather about, but it doesn't seem to be generally understood. The advantages of locating the engine and driving wheels on the same end of the car are fairly obvious. More weight on the driving wheels for traction and the absence of driveline tunnels intruding on passenger compartment space are desirable features in any automobile.
The problem then is simply choosing the right end. Engine in the rear presents the least mechanical problems since the driven wheels will not be required to steer. But, distinct stability advantages result from locating the weight forward. A car in motion is very much like an arrow in flight. Imagine a tail-heavy arrow or, to be closer to the subject, a VW in a crosswind. Since the arrow analogy establishes a better than good case for fwd, will there be any disadvantages other than cost? Sadly, yes. Whenever the most heavily loaded pair of tires is also the driven set there will be a certain reduction in ultimate cornering ability. This applies only to passenger cars where the same size wheels and tires are used both front and rear.
Now in fwd cars, front tires are expected not only to carry more than their share of the load and supply all of the tractive force, but also to do the steering. As a result, the cars normally have peculiar handling characteristics and extraordinary front tire wear.
Knowing the principles, it comes as no surprise to find the Toronado performing exactly as expected.
The popular fwd cars in the world: the BMC Mini, the MG 1275, and the Renault R-16, are economy cars designed to make the best use of available space. Their boxlike bodies allow maximum usable passenger space, they have flat floors and a rear suspension design that does not intrude on luggage space. Not so the Toronado. To carve a notch out of the Thunderbird/Riviera market, Oldsmobile has chosen a unique approach. Attractive styling—probably the most important single commodity in this price class—precludes the use of the boxy shape. And right away, there goes one of the most significant advantages of the fwd concept: large passenger and luggage space. Happily for Oldsmobile, that in itself is not a serious loss in the Toronado's marketing slot. On the other hand, what's left? Good directional stability with peculiar handling and a flat floor—and that is precisely the difference between a Toronado and the more conventional automobiles it competes against.
Our test car was the Ultimate Weapon from the Oldsmobile camp. Every available option had been screwed, clamped, or bolted on at the Toronado works. Disc brakes, radial ply tires, Comfortron air conditioner, automatic speed control, stereo tape player, power bucket seats, electric windows all came along with the test car to warm us, cool us or confuse us. With them came a 400-hp Force-Air engine to keep everything in motion. And too, there was: tinted glass, head restraints, transistorized ignition, chrome wheels, tilt steering wheel, paint stripes and the list goes on. Come on, admit it. Our Toronado had more trick stuff than your car. It had to. The list kept going right up to $7,023.07 and 4655 pounds. Now are you convinced? You aren't? Maybe you'd like to hear about the sneaky little horn ring they've concealed inside the steering wheel rim. Wonderful device. All you have to do is squeeze it and it beeps. Never fails to go off when maneuvering into a tight parking spot or crawling in or out of the car. You could offend fewer people with rough, chapped hands or greyer than grey laundry.
When we heard about the optional 400-hp Force-Air engine we knew that nothing less would do: 455 cubic inches with dual, exhausts, high performance camshaft, and fresh, outside air stuffed right up its air cleaner snorkle is a hard package to resist. We were right, it was great. Started and ran with never a temperamental moment and even broadcast a slightly irresponsible exhaust note just to assure the world of its presence. Still, regardless of engine size, neck-snapping acceleration can't be expected from a 4600-lb. car so we were satisfied with 15.7 second standing start quarter-mile times at 89.8 mph. Not inspiring but then it shouldn't alarm your insurance company either. Continued... <Click (your choice)PHOTOS (7)Specifications >
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger coupe
PRICE AS TESTED: $7,023.07
ENGINE TYPE: pushrod water-cooled V-8, cast iron block and heads
Displacement: 455 cu in, 7450 cc
Power: 400 hp @ 4800 rpm
Torque: 500 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 3-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 119.0 in
Length: 211.6 in
Width: 76.4 in Height: 52.8 in
Curb weight: 4655 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 7.7 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 21.0 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.7 sec @ 89.8 mph
Top speed (estimated): 129 mph
Braking, 80-0 mph: 238 ft
FUEL ECONOMY:
C/D observed: 10-13 mpg
Last edited by Space; 10-17-2014 at 09:10 AM.
#6
10-18-2014, 07:30 AM
GM = Give More ?
4-warded 2 GM
- General Motors
Corporation - General Motors Company, commonly known as GM, is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, that designs, manufactures, markets and distributes vehicles and vehicle parts and sells financial services. Wikipedia
- Stock price: GM (NYSE) $30.24 +0.30 (+1.00%)
Oct 17, 4:06 PM EDT - Disclaimer - Headquarters: Detroit, MI
- CEO: Mary T. Barra
- Founded: 1908, Flint, MI
- Founders: William C. Durant, Charles Stewart Mott
DETROIT – Chevrolet today previewed several performance-oriented concepts of some of the brand's most popular passenger cars, including the SS Sport, Sonic, ... Oct 16, 2014-
Last edited by Space; 10-18-2014 at 07:32 AM.
#8
10-18-2014, 03:34 PM
Good Point...Maybe the CTS - V then (?)...
Thanks for your input/post & sharing
I just hope that GM doesn't bring back the Monte Carlo nameplate & put it on something like the below
Last edited by Space; 10-18-2014 at 03:38 PM.
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