It remains a long road, then, to educate the uneducated, and it’s cars like the 2016 Cadillac ATS-V that must turn the tide.
This is a machine that rivals Mercedes’ C63 AMG and the all-conquering BMW M3/M4. The BMW, in particular, defines the performance sedan/coupe segment. It’s the benchmark from which we must all judge.
At our pre-drive briefing for the new ATS-V in Austin, Texas, at the Circuit of the Americas, Cadillac — worryingly — talked about how the ATS-V was its precise V-Series offering while the new CTS-V will be the blunt sledgehammer. I say worrying because the M3/M4 is a precision instrument, forgoing emotion in the quest for raw performance. Mercedes’ C63, on the other hand, scores because it isn’t precise at all, opting for a booming soundtrack and muscle car-like dynamics. It’s perhaps not as capable as an M3 on track, but it’s a proper riot to drive — and people like to have fun.
I feared Cadillac had attempted to take on BMW by being BMW.
Thankfully, after just a couple of laps, it was clear that wasn’t the case: The ATS-V’s character differs substantially, both from the Bimmer and the Merc. It straddles the lines between the two, offering buyers a worthy alternative. It’s also bloody fast.