Cadillac’s high-performance variant of its ATS sport sedan, the ATS-V, will start at $61,460. The coupe will start at $63,660.
Both prices include shipping.
“The V-Series is the ultimate expression of Cadillac’s re-ignited product substance and the passion at the core of our brand,” Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen said in a statement today.
“The ATS-V expands the V-Series lineup, bringing a new kind of performance character to Cadillac. Lightweight, agile and potent, the ATS-V will make an ideal pairing with the larger and even more powerful all-new 2016 CTS-V midsize sedan, which arrives later this summer,” he said.
The models are now available through dealers and will be available to order online in April, a statement said.
The V series has helped Cadillac burnish its performance credentials, a key part of its strategy to directly compete with more-established luxury rivals such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi. The ATS-V will be the first V-series launch since the debut of the CTS-V coupe in mid-2010.
Cadillac dealers are discounting existing inventories of ATS sedan by thousands of dollars, Reuters reported today. Cadillac and its dealers had about six months’ worth of unsold ATS sedans at the end of January, Reuters said.
In January, GM sales rose 18 percent, but Cadillac sales only increased 2.6 percent, with ATS sales down 8 percent from a year ago and CTS sales plunging 24 percent. The brand is trying to establish new momentum with its 2016 V-series models. Engineers modified the base of ATS models, now featuring 25 percent stiffer structures to handle cornering and torque loads that go “significantly beyond” those of non-V models, Automotive News reported in November.
The 2016 ATS-V models are powered by twin-turbocharged V-6 engines rated at 455 hp and 445 pounds-feet of torque.
They speed from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 189 mph. The engine comes with a six-speed manual or a paddle-shift, eight-speed automatic transmission.
The models also feature a variety of performance elements equipment including magnetic ride control, Brembo brakes and a carbon-fiber hood.
Mike Colias contributed to this report.
