General Motors said the upcoming Cadillac ATS-V will kill the BMW M3 and M4. But they didn't say how. Now, thanks to our friends at Road & Track, we know — it will try to do so with a twin-turbo V6 packing 450 horsepower and the option of three pedals and a stick.
R&T's report about the ATS-V isn't online yet, but we sent an intrepid Jalopnik reporter all around Manhattan to find a copy of their Performance Car of the Year issue which is in print, wherein lies the secrets of the new ATS-V. Thanks to his legwork, we know the lowdown on Cadillac's new baby sport sedan and coupe.
The mag says the ATS-V has a 3.6-liter V6 packing 450 horsepower and 445 pound-feet of torque. The car weighs in at 3,600 pounds. Weight-wise, it's about on par with the M3, but it has a lot more power — compare that with the BMW's 425 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. It's the same engine as the CTS Vsport, which is not slow at all, only with even more power.
They say the ATS-V also has a beefed-up suspension to make it handle even better than the already superb ATS, and it comes standard with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires. An optional track pack includes an aero package that helps produce 100 pounds of downforce at 150 mph.
And yes, you have a choice of transmissions. Buyers can opt for a six-speed manual or an eight-speed paddle shift automatic, which I'm guessing is the same one in the 2015 Corvette Stingray and is thus quite good.
Expect the ATS-V to bow in coupe and sedan form at the LA Auto Show next week.