0-60MPH In 5.4 Seconds for the 2013 Cadillac ATS - Matches F30 335i Time

The 2013 Cadillac ATS is the hot new sports sedan that GM has specifically stated will be a BMW killer. The ATS and it's flat out challenge to the BMW has been meet with excitement and skepticism. The big brother to the ATS, the CTS-V has been stacked up against the BMW M5 (Road & Track M5 vs CTS-V) on more then one occasion.

The first production Cadillac ATS are out and we're getting performance figures that should put all the arguing to an end, or start up a new round of heated discussion between Cadillac and BMW enthusiasts.

Base models of the Cadillac ATS come with a direct-injected, 202-horsepower in-line four that returns a GM-estimated 22 mpg city and 32 mpg highway. The run from 0-60 takes 7.5 seconds, which is slower than the Mercedes C250 Luxury (6.9 seconds) and the Audi A4 Premium (6.3 seconds.).

the 2.0L Turbo Performance ATS, which comes packing a 272-horsepower takes the ATS from 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds, which is 0.2 seconds quicker than a BMW 3281 2.0L Turbo. In this case, though, the fuel economy nod goes to the BMW, which delivers fuel economy of 23 mpg city and 33 mpg highway, one mpg better in each category than Cadillac projects the ATS will return.

Opt for the 3.6L Premium variant of the ATS, and you’ll get a 3.6-liter V-6 engine good for 321 horsepower, enough to propel the fastest ATS from 0-60 mph in just 5.4 seconds. That’s the same time put up by the BMW 335i, which comes with a 300-horsepower turbocharged in-line six engine.

The two engine variants that closely match BMW's N20 turbo 4 cylinder and N55 turbo 6 cylinder the Cadillac matches or beats the F30 3 Series. Would you consider trading in your bimmer for a caddy?

Thanks to Motorauthority for the information.

In the end it won't be the 0-60 times that will win the sales race.

I wish Cadillac all the luck, but merely matching BMW isn't going to cut it. The S4 is already a good deal faster than the 335i.

Originally Posted by AutoUnion

I wish Cadillac all the luck, but merely matching BMW isn't going to cut it. The S4 is already a good deal faster than the 335i.

The S4 is also a good deal more expensive to start than either the ATS 3.6 or the 335i.

If it matches the performance of the 335i and comes with more amenities/better interior materials, I expect this to do quite well. Besides, more competition in the segment will keep BMW from just resting on their laurels. Competition never hurts us as consumers!

Originally Posted by alep1985

The S4 is also a good deal more expensive to start than either the ATS 3.6 or the 335i.

If it matches the performance of the 335i and comes with more amenities/better interior materials, I expect this to do quite well. Besides, more competition in the segment will keep BMW from just resting on their laurels. Competition never hurts us as consumers!

+1 - the manufacturers vying for consumer dollars is good for the consumer - more standard features I as a minimum I hope. Quite honestly, I am amazed at some of the standard offerings by other manufacturers these days - it leaves me looking at the BMW offerings and wondering why we get hit so hard for things like comfort-access...

Originally Posted by alep1985

The S4 is also a good deal more expensive to start than either the ATS 3.6 or the 335i.

If it matches the performance of the 335i and comes with more amenities/better interior materials, I expect this to do quite well. Besides, more competition in the segment will keep BMW from just resting on their laurels. Competition never hurts us as consumers!

Recently I've been finding the S4 to be a little cheaper than the 335 xDrive when similarly optioned. Setting aside BMW's vastly superior lease program.

I'm really glad to see that American Auto Manufacturers are "back in the game." One thing I can say about Cadillac, based on my experience with the CTS, is that many options that run the bill up on a bimmer, come standard with the Caddy.

Originally Posted by mdsbuc

I'm really glad to see that American Auto Manufacturers are "back in the game." One thing I can say about Cadillac, based on my experience with the CTS, is that many options that run the bill up on a bimmer, come standard with the Caddy.

Yep, the turbo model with the special shocks, navi, hud, manual will be about 44k. That's loaded compared to a 3 which with the same stuff will run over 50k easy.

Originally Posted by WJGreer

Recently I've been finding the S4 to be a little cheaper than the 335 xDrive when similarly optioned. Setting aside BMW's vastly superior lease program.

You wont be finding the S4 to be cheaper for repairs. Volkswagen and the higher-priced Volkswagen (Audi) is found dead last on ConsumerReports & JDPower reliability list. BMW and Benz were actually rated higher than GM. And so what about this Chevrolet Cruze with leather? Ugly. Dash will still be made of recycled McDonalds food trays.

Originally Posted by BMW 3-SERIES

You wont be finding the S4 to be cheaper for repairs. Volkswagen and the higher-priced Volkswagen (Audi) is found dead last on ConsumerReports & JDPower reliability list. BMW and Benz were actually rated higher than GM. And so what about this Chevrolet Cruze with leather? Ugly. Dash will still be made of recycled McDonalds food trays.

What a load of crap.

On JDPower, guess which German luxury maker is last? BMW, not Audi. VW isn't dead last on any list. That would be Land Rover, MINI (a BMW company), or Fiat depending on where you look and when.

Originally Posted by AutoUnion

What a load of crap.

On JDPower, guess which German luxury maker is last? BMW, not Audi. VW isn't dead last on any list. That would be Land Rover, MINI (a BMW company), or Fiat depending on where you look and when.

Initial Quality, Audi is below average and VW is at the bottom:

http://autos.jdpower.com/content/pre...lity-study.htm

VW sells at least 28 times more cars than Mini (8.1 million v. 285k in 2011). So with VW at 124 problems per 100 cars, you're talking significant quality control issues for one of the world's largest manufacturers.

BMW doesn't own Land Rover and hasn't since 2000.

The ATS sounds like an interesting car! If the engineers can get the suspension tuning right, it may just give the 3 a run for it's money.

Originally Posted by BMW 3-SERIES

You wont be finding the S4 to be cheaper for repairs. Volkswagen and the higher-priced Volkswagen (Audi) is found dead last on ConsumerReports & JDPower reliability list. BMW and Benz were actually rated higher than GM. And so what about this Chevrolet Cruze with leather? Ugly. Dash will still be made of recycled McDonalds food trays.

And even more crap. The ATS is no Cruze. It's been built from the ground up to compete in the class.

Originally Posted by BMW 3-SERIES

You wont be finding the S4 to be cheaper for repairs. Volkswagen and the higher-priced Volkswagen (Audi) is found dead last on ConsumerReports & JDPower reliability list. BMW and Benz were actually rated higher than GM. And so what about this Chevrolet Cruze with leather? Ugly. Dash will still be made of recycled McDonalds food trays.

Please do some research on the ATS before spouting off elitist garbage.

False statement #1:

Originally Posted by BMW 3-SERIES

BMW and Benz were actually rated higher than GM.

FALSE. Cadillac is 4th in Initial Quality for 2012 according to J.D. Power, just behind Lexus, Jaguar, and Porsche (kind of surprised to see Jaguar that high, though). BMW and Benz are ahead of Chevy (though Chevy's still ahead of the industry average), but Chevy is not GM as a whole, so don't lump them together.

False statement #2:

Originally Posted by BMW 3-SERIES

And so what about this Chevrolet Cruze with leather? Ugly. Dash will still be made of recycled McDonalds food trays.

It's your opinion on the interior, but I don't think you can get much more spartan, bland, and plasticky than the base 3-series. I'm all for German simplicity of design, but the new F30 has a rather cheap interior unless you spec it out with one of the lines that are available.
As for they Chevy Cruze comment, this really shows how little you know about the ATS. Not only is it on a totally new RWD/AWD platform (that the 2014 camaro and CTS will probably get, too), it's actually lighter than the F30. Sorry to bust your bubble, but Car and Driver already said they thought the design of the exterior and interior were nicer than the 3-series, and the driving dynamics were so good that they'd need to test them head-to-head later on to make a final decision.

I love both the F30 and ATS, honestly. I've seen both in person, and they each have their pluses in my eyes. If I were leasing, I'd probably do a 3-series, as no one can beat their leasing program. If I were buying, it'd be a tossup. I'm at least willing to give them consideration since I'm considering buying in the next 1-2 years, as I'm sure the long-term costs of repairing one out-of-warranty would be WAY cheaper than any German car.

/rant.

The competetion is good, keeps everyone on thier toes.
But in the end, it's about much more than just performance numbers.

Originally Posted by BMW 3-SERIES

You wont be finding the S4 to be cheaper for repairs. Volkswagen and the higher-priced Volkswagen (Audi) is found dead last on ConsumerReports & JDPower reliability list. BMW and Benz were actually rated higher than GM. And so what about this Chevrolet Cruze with leather? Ugly. Dash will still be made of recycled McDonalds food trays.

I agree that Audis are more expensive to maintain. I've owned two.

I don't agree that Audis are badge engineered VWs, as you imply. Although there is definitely parts sharing happening, I believe that every Audi except possibly the A3 is a completely individual design not represented in the VW lineup.

In the end it will come down to brand loyalty but with a better pricing due to competitions.

Audi isn't "dead last" on any JD Power survey I've read, either. Usually somewhere on the low end of average.

I would never buy a Caddy. American cars are in a perpetual race to see who can make the biggest front grille and badge. Caddy does really well with that, but watch it, the GM trucks are gaining on the Caddy for 'big face' bragging rights. Seriously, I have not seen an appealing American car in decades. I'll take my 07 760Li and it's quirky personality over a car that reminds me of a rapper that still can't find a big enough necklace to wear...

Originally Posted by bluzplayer

I would never buy a Caddy. American cars are in a perpetual race to see who can make the biggest front grille and badge. Caddy does really well with that, but watch it, the GM trucks are gaining on the Caddy for 'big face' bragging rights. Seriously, I have not seen an appealing American car in decades. I'll take my 07 760Li and it's quirky personality over a car that reminds me of a rapper that still can't find a big enough necklace to wear...

You've obviously never seen or ridden in a CTS-V, then.

That being said, America has not produced a true full-size flagship sedan like your 7 series in decades. I think we're several years out from that, and it'll take years before they're on par with the Germans in that category. The new 7 series has gotten pretty horrible reviews, though, the A8 spanks it in nearly every category.

I would not compare the ATS or CTS to what rappers rap about (the Escalade). Besides, a lot of German cars (Mercedes G-Class, Mercedes SLS, Audi R8's) show up just as much in hip-hop culture as American luxury SUV's.

What else commonly happens on a Cadillac in 5.4 seconds:

The door handle breaks off
The lumbar support gets stuck
The windshield wipers go the wrong direction
The radio is stuck in AM

Besides the persistenly horrible interiors, it's always the stupid stuff that breaks on a GM.

Originally Posted by theckj

What else commonly happens on a Cadillac in 5.4 seconds:

The door handle breaks off
The lumbar support gets stuck
The windshield wipers go the wrong direction
The radio is stuck in AM

Besides the persistenly horrible interiors, it's always the stupid stuff that breaks on a GM.

Seriously? If anything, it's the Germans that are questionable on reliability these days. All you have to do is look at a 335i (HPFP issues, electronic issues galore) or an Audi A4 (oil leaks, transmission/suspension issues) and see they're not exactly bulletproof vehicles. So much for "German engineering".

If you haven't been inside an ATS interior, go check one out. I saw one the other day, and I've driven both the E90 and F30. It'll floor you how much nicer the base ATS interior is compared to a base 3 series. The F30's base trim is almost pathetic; you have to add $5000 worth of options before it even begins to look like a luxury car inside.

Originally Posted by alep85

The F30's base trim is almost pathetic; you have to add $5000 worth of options before it even begins to look like a luxury car inside.

What options do you add to an F30 that change the quality of the interior materials?

Caddy?

NO thanks.

I'm not 70.

Originally Posted by WJGreer

What options do you add to an F30 that change the quality of the interior materials?

You're kidding, right? The base F30 interior looks terrible (particularly in beige with the black dash.....just awful).

-First off, the aluminum that's on the base model F30 isn't even real aluminum....it's some kind of composite plastic junk. To me, this crappy plastic trim is a major downgrade from the wood trim on the E90. So either you spend $500 for the wood trim, or you buy one of the "lines" for a few grand.

-I don't mind that BMW's don't have leather standard, but at the prices they're asking, it's a little absurd that they don't. If Audi can do it in the A4, I don't understand why it's so hard for BMW to offer leather standard.

Originally Posted by MMME30W

Caddy?

NO thanks.

I'm not 70.

Well, that's your loss, and a very dated viewpoint (would've been true 4-5 years ago). I love BMW's, but I'm not so jaded to think that Cadillac/Infiniti/etc. can make a car just as good. Besides, it's good that companies like Caddy are stepping up to the plate and taking on the 3 series....it makes BMW work that much harder to produce a great sports sedan.