Vehicle Overview

Cadillac's long-awaited ATS gives GM's luxury brand a direct competitor to the BMW 3 Series, which is still the best-selling luxury car in America. It's something Cadillac has lacked ever since the brand enlarged the CTS for 2008. Cadillac says the ATS weighs less than 3,400 pounds — less than the minimum weight of the 2012 Acura TSX (3,400 pounds), BMW 328i (3,406) and Audi A4 (3,505). That's an impressive statistic from GM, a company whose cars often show up heavier than the competition.

The rear-drive ATS will have three engines — two four-cylinders and a V-6 — with manual or automatic transmissions. All-wheel drive is optional. The ATS comes in base, Luxury, Performance and Premium trims.

    See also:

    Braking
    Braking action involves perception time and reaction time. Deciding to push the brake pedal is perception time. Actually doing it is reaction time. Average driver reaction time is about three-quart ...

    Turn and Lane-Change Signals
    An arrow on the instrument panel cluster will flash in the direction of the turn or lane change. Move the lever all the way up or down to signal a turn. Raise or lower the lever until the a ...

    Tire Pressure Light
    For vehicles with the Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS), this light comes on briefly when the engine is started. It provides information about tire pressures and the TPMS. ...