New Technology With The 2013 Cadillac ATS
by Scott A. Sumner
For carmaker GM, the 2013 Cadillac ATS fits into a segment called the compact luxury car that has competitors like the BMW 3 series. It is not made to replace the Cadillac CTS but to bring buyers in that are looking for a sport luxury car according to Brad Haywood, Used Vehicle Sales Manager at Badanai Motors in Thunder Bay.
“ There is a ton of new technology on the Cadillac ATS from GM. As soon as you get in the car everything is blacked out and when the car is running all the systems light up displaying the Cadillac name. The new CUE system which stands for Cadillac User Experience gives you a whole array of services like the touch screen, the navigation system, 3 USB ports and voice controllability,” said Brad Haywood. “ It is very easy to use and be as complicated as you want it to be. It can dial your phone, read your text messages and so on.”
“ The first thing you notice when you touch the screen is it has an I Pad feel to it with big large icons that are easy to use and select. When you select something all the not pertinent in formation will go away until you touch it again. The screen has a proximity system on it so as soon as you bring your hand close to the touch screen all the buttons will visualize again. It is very user friendly.,”said Haywood.
The 2013 Cadillac ATS has three different engine combinations including the base 2.5 liter 4 cylinder that is an all-new engine from GM this year and is also used in the new Malibu. There is also a 3.6-liter V6 engine that really has a lot of power and is available with a manual transmission. The 2-liter turbo is also available with a ton of technology. It gives you a lot of torque soon and all the way through the power band. For the performance driver that wants to get good economy and performance the 2 liter turbo will just go. The car is also very light using a lot of aluminum.
“ You can feel how nimble it is when you drive it. It weighs less than a Cobalt sedan and has the Cadillac magnetic ride control which can be adjusted from normal to sport to even a system that would maximize it for snow and ice,” said Haywood. “ The ATS is not your traditional Cadillac of the past. I have driven many mid sized sportier cars owned by friends and they don’t compare. When you take your first corner you will realize the power of the car. It will be an awesome offering for Cadillac with a nice MSRP depending on what engine and options you choose. It is just very fun to drive and the first car we have received that has all the user-friendly technology that will be standard on all the new models. The lease rates will be very attractive as well as it is a traditional leasing segment car.”
