Reviews of the 2013 Cadillac ATS are rolling in, and so far they appear to be very positive. While a verdict isn’t in on where it stands in direct comparison, word is the car is right up there with long-time segment leader the 3-Series.
The ATS is the smallest Cadillac in years (can we please just pretend Cimmaron never existed?) and arguably the best.
It slots in as a direct competitor to the 3-Series, leaving the CTS to move up to compete versus the 5-Series. While many of us are fixated on ATS, Automotive News is reporting on what’s next for Cadillac – a flagship. You might remember that Caddy is debuting its “bookends” this year – ATS at the low end, XTS at the high-end.
But, while the XTS will be Caddy’s most expensive sedan (for now), it was never designed to be the brand’s flagship. That role is being left to the rear-wheel drive Omega. We’ve heard about this car in various forms for years, ever since the Sixteen Concept debuted. Zeta was often bandied about as a basis platform. Instead of Zeta, a Cadillac-exclusive platform is being developed for the car, and it is dubbed Omega.
The Ciel Concept was a preview of Cadillac’s thinking regarding a new flagship. Approval of a flagship would be a huge step forward both symbolically and substantively. These image cars serve as important halos for the rest of the lineup, and would serve as a powerful symbol of Cadillac’s resurgence. The lineup has been barren for years – the mid-size CTS has been Cadillac’s only truly competitive sedan throughout the past decade.
That is about to change with the ATS and XTS arriving, leading us to believe Cadillac’s current sales levels are much more of a floor than a ceiling. Caddy’s numbers are remarkably robust given its model count. As the lineup gets fleshed out, sales will rise significantly. The flagship can’t come soon enough – AN reports it is scheduled for a debut in 2015.
