You came across as if you were shocked BJ tried to redefine your own point of view
Anyway, I happened to drive by one of our local Caddy dealers. The only 3.6L ATS with performance trim they had was an all wheel drive. So I drove it.
First let me agree with you the steering was very light, precise but light. Although it tightened up as the car picked up speed. Initially I was very unhappy about it, but then I started revving the V6. The thing sounded so labored and strained above 4k I quickly forgot about the light steering.
Although I knew no 4 cylinders or V6s could rival I6's smooth revving nature, the 3.6 simply gave me the impression that it wanted me to shift gears at 3k and be done with. The little tachometer tugged at the left corner seemed to underscore that notion.
But then magic happened. As I went on a twisty road with no traffic, I told the sales guy hold on I was going to push this thing hard in sport and manual mode. All was forgotten. The entire chassis was transformed into a unified piece of attack machine, it shot through the bends and corners like a bullet train on the rail.
Never have I had experienced the same in any of the cars in this segment. The F30 335i sport I drove during the BMW Olympic Team Drive event took the same route, I liked it over the A4 and C class, but this ATS was just refreshingly different.
Once we got back to the local traffic, I was again reminded of the light steering and labored rev.
So the 3.6 has no lack of power to attack the corner or straight, just as long as you can overcome the less than refined V6 above the mid range, you will be rewarded of a new experience. In the street, you put it in standard touring mode, it never revs high so you don't have to think above the strained high rev.
But because the exhaust sounded so sweet I kept stepping on it to hear it, if I went a little overboard, would again be reminded of the unrefined high revving.
As for the light steering, it was also forgotten as soon as you put it in the attack mode. I am afraid the only way to retain the kind of steering connection to the road surface, through the rack and tires, is to keep your 3 with the hydraulic system. No EPS system will save us on this one, at least not likely in this segment.
The car interior was otherwise very well stitched together. If you are not in the habit to push it, it will be a very plush and quiet ride, just as long as you do not put it in sport mode, because the suspension will be hard. This car did not have MRC, only the sport suspension.
I didn't really care about trying or looking at anything else about the car. My initial impression is, if I wanted to take my car out on a twisty just to have some fun, I definitely want to be in this ATS 3.6, but the rest of the way, I will have to choose between hearing the nice exhaust, and reminded of its less refined engine.
It will be a tough decision.