[Apex Motorsports]

I stopped in the Cadillac dealer last night on my way to the Derby City Camaro Club meeting and they had 1 ATS that was already sold. It is a nice car! A little smaller than I was expecting but I like it. I wouldn't mind having a 2.0l Turbo Performance package as a daily driver.

[lexlueger]

Originally Posted by Apex Chase

I stopped in the Cadillac dealer last night on my way to the Derby City Camaro Club meeting and they had 1 ATS that was already sold. It is a nice car! A little smaller than I was expecting but I like it. I wouldn't mind having a 2.0l Turbo Performance package as a daily driver.

Any ????

[Apex Motorsports]

Originally Posted by lexlueger

Any ????

No, I didn't think to snap one.

[lexlueger]

Originally Posted by Apex Chase

No, I didn't think to snap one.

Ah come on! Lol. I may have to take a ride to see it in person.

[Number 3]

So the ATS takes a quinly loss in a Comparo to the 5th generation (or so) all te world champeen in the segment and they "blow it"??? I don't think so. To be in equal discussion to point where little things tip the scale is an awesome accomplishment. Only gets better from here.

[lexlueger]

Originally Posted by Number 3

So the ATS takes a quinly loss in a Comparo to the 5th generation (or so) all te world champeen in the segment and they "blow it"??? I don't think so. To be in equal discussion to point where little things tip the scale is an awesome accomplishment. Only gets better from here.

Reading is fundamental, the title of the thread is "Did GM blow it??". Title was meant to incite discussion. .

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by lexlueger

Reading is fundamental, the title of the thread is "Did GM blow it??". Title was meant to incite discussion. .

What so many of us here on C5 and outside of C5 don't grasp is how passionate the people at that work at GM are. Politics and finger pointing aside, these are people that stayed with GM in the worst of times. They care deeply about the company and the perception of the company.

Did GM Blow It??

or

Cadillac ATS is a better all round car than a BMW 328 according to Motor Trend!

The reporter actually picked the ATS over the BMW until he was talked out of it by another member of the staff. The ATS matched the BMW or beat it with the exception of the shift gate feel. So what do all of you think of the new ATS.

Our demeanor, the tenor of our society is an incubator for negativity. I have had enough GM bashing from the media and on line by private parties. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, jut as everyone is entitled to an... Now I don't know about the rest of you but I can't remember the last time I was walking down the street and asked anyone to share there ....... with me Lexlueger has been around C5 for quite a while. My post is not directed at him. My post is in support of the people that we need as car guys at GM. The ATS is a GREAT car from Cadillac. It may or may not be a commercial success, but that will not change what it really is: a great car that out of the box that is either the equal of a BMW, just below it or just above it. It is everything Cadillac's PR machine said it would be.

WELL DONE TEAM ATS

In our current society, what I just wrote qualifies me in the eyes of many as a fan boy or cheer leader. Guess what? I celebrate my friends victories and agonize their defeats as though they were my own. I have more friends at GM than I do at the other Big 3. That probably means I cheer the wins at GM a little louder. When my friends at the other Big 3 get wins I cheer for them too.

C5 is the 5th Gen Camaro - Chevrolet - GM Home TEAM.

[Nessal]

Originally Posted by rez333

The ATS looks at least 4 inches taller than the 328.

Looks wise I think both look pretty dull, but I think the lights are nicer on the ATS.

It's an optical illusion. The ATS is closer upfront so it looks "taller" i'm sure.

[Rock36]

The only thing I don't like about the ATS is that all the hype is directed towards competing with and benchmarking the 3 series. I think Cadillac should be in this particular market segment, but I'm not so sure about all the focus on BMW. I would rather see an ATS that stands on its own, speaks for itself, and cuts its own piece out of the segment than being a reaction to the 3 series. In fact, I actually think there is a lot to the ATS that makes it stand on its own, and I would rather read about all that instead of hearing about how Cadillac built a 3 series fighter.

GM did not blow the ATS, but damn it quit worrying about the 3 series and just build a damn good Cadillac.

[Rock36]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

C5 is the 5th Gen Camaro - Chevrolet - GM Home TEAM.

Sorry, the C5 is the 5th Gen Corvette, always has been, always will be.

[shaffe]

I think GM absolutely nailed it with the ATS. I can not wait to go look at one. The 3 Series is often regarded as one of the best cars, and GM set out to build a car better than it and the initial reaction from MT was they did. With the exception of the shifter, (which he hated both manuals if you ask me) they said the ATS was better. This is a huge win for GM. You talk to people that like BMWs, and they dont like caddys. Now you build a car that the automotive world is saying is just as good or even better thats saying something.

GM really nailed it with the ATS. cant wait to see a V version

[Rock36]

Originally Posted by shaffe

I think GM absolutely nailed it with the ATS. I can not wait to go look at one. The 3 Series is often regarded as one of the best cars, and GM set out to build a car better than it and the initial reaction from MT was they did. With the exception of the shifter, (which he hated both manuals if you ask me) they said the ATS was better. This is a huge win for GM. You talk to people that like BMWs, and they dont like caddys. Now you build a car that the automotive world is saying is just as good or even better thats saying something.

GM really nailed it with the ATS. cant wait to see a V version

IMHO Cadillac has an image problem not a performace problem, and this has been true for years. Performance numbers alone aren't going to steal many BMW customers, and the message I'm concerned Cadillac is broadcasting is, "BMW makes such an awesome car that we have to try to out 3 series a 3 series". This implicit focus on how good the BMW 3 series is a double-edge sword for Cadillac. It seems to also tell BMW owners and prospective BMW owners that they already have the car to beat, which is not true at all in my opinion.

Maybe I'm reading way too much into this, but that is the impression I get with all the ATS vs. 3-series talk. Again, I want to know what is compelling about this car vs. the segment not just the 3-series.

[Apex Motorsports]

I agree with you guys that Cadillac is shooting themselves in the foot by billing it as a 3 series fighter. They could effectively make the same point without making the 3 Series look so good.

[JusticePete]

The BMW 3 Series is a compact executive car manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. It has been produced in six different generations and in five different body styles. It is BMW's best-selling model, accounting for around 30% of the BMW brand's annual total sales (excluding motorbikes).

Year Total production
1995 54,720[13]
1996 50,248
1997 337,800[14]
1998 376,900[14]
1999 454,000[14]
2000 509,007[14]
2001 533,952[14]
2002 561,249[14]
2003 528,358[14]
2004 449,732[14]
2005 434,342[14]
2006 508,479[14]
2007 555,219[20]
2008 474,208[21]
2009 397,103[22]
2010 399,009[24]
2011 94,371[25]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_3_Series

Average Annual 3 Series Sales 400,000 since 1995 The BMW 3 series sales are double the sales of all Cadillac models. BMW has owned the compact luxury market for decades with the 3 and before that the 2002. Cadillac could spend countless millions to tell the global market what an ATS is. That would take years to establish. Cadillac took the direct route. The ATS is a direct BMW 3 Series competitor by all metrics. It is not a BMW pretender. It is equal to or better. When the ATS-V is released it will be the market segment performance leader, better than a BMW M3. I am not sure what the concern is with the Cadillac ad campaign going head to head with the BMW 3. Cadillac wants to take away a chunk of the 400,000 annual BMW units. In sports, you are not the best TEAM in any sport until you take on the current champion and beat them. The car business is no different. I understand this philosophy well and we live it at Pedders. If you want to be the market leader you lead by being better than the other brands. You go head to head and you better back up all the talk or you'll be laughed out of the market.

Out f the box, the ATS does exactly what Cadillac said it would do. That is a phenomenal accomplishment and speaks volumes about the future of Cadillac and GM.