Launched to give Cadillac a proper compact premium coupe, the ATS Coupe rides on the Alpha platform and clearly targets drivers tired of the usual German pair. The styling stays very American, yet the chassis is surprisingly precise and the car carries genuine dynamic ambition. In practice, it is chasing the territory of a BMW 4 Series far more than that of a traditional muscle car.
The 2.0 turbo LTG accounts for most sales and is enough to make the car feel lively, while the 3.6 V6 adds more smoothness. At the top end, the ATS-V and its LF4 twin-turbo V6 move into a different league and demand much stricter maintenance discipline. Whatever the version, gearbox quality and front-axle condition matter hugely to the way the car feels, because this coupe does not respond well to bare-minimum upkeep.