When it comes to making a true drivers car, power is only one half of the equation. The other half involves weight. The lighter a car, the better it will handle, the faster it will accelerate and the easier it will be on fuel. The go-faster gurus at Cadillac understand this side of the equation very well, and have spent quite a long time making sure the all-new ATS is as light as possible. Using alloys like aluminum for the hood, and magnesium for the engine mounts gives the ATS a curb weight under 3,400 lbs. That makes it one of the lightest cars in the segment.
“The team focused on grams, not pounds, every day of the ATS’s development,” Masch said. “Even the smallest of changes could contribute to the overall mass goal.”
While weight was stripped, comfort and luxury were still high on the engineer’s lists and thee managed to meld the two seemingly contradictory goals together. One such way was the use of special sound deadening that places the sound absorbing materials between two layers of laminated steel. THis process was originally used on the CTS.
Sporty, sophisticated and hopefully blisteringly fast, we look forward to our time with the ATS. IF you are interested in picking one up for yourself, it goes on sale this summer for a starting sticker of $33,990.
