Detroit Auto Show: 2015 Cadillac ATS, Now With Two Less Doors!

That new crest is butt ugly

Live shots confirm that front logo is IMHO oddly placed in the grille... Other than that, it's a nice looking car! Meither the blue nor the white one seem to have the LED lighting up front, though... Wonder why they aren't full optioned models as many auto show cars usually are...

I like the shape and look of it, I am glad they went for clean lines rather than the craziness of the CTS coupe. The new logo is ugly and too wide and I miss the wreath.

so, how much underneath is the next Camaro?

No ATS-V unveil?

so, how much underneath is the next Camaro?

I'm thinking the same thing

This is NICE! (and there sure is enough goodies jammed into this car....)

I just love the look of a Coupe, this is so sharp.

Crest isn't THAT bad, you can definitely tell it's a Caddy Crest - Can't wait to see one in person.

I can't wait to DRIVE one! This car fits me like very well tailored glove! I'm going to have to pull my one very good string at Cadillac to get in on the early drives.

Have to say that GM hit a home run with this new Coupe. Lovely lines, clean and just an over all job well done.

In regards to the new updated Cadillac emblem.

WELL DONE Caddy!

Being the target market, 46 year old white collar professional, I really love this new 21st century Emblem. I truly believe this will carry them forward for many decades to come. I know the traditionalist here hate that they dropped the wreath but this is a futuristic take on where they need to go as they finally get their family line of auto's sync'd to an outstanding design language with build quality and desire to match. 21st Century and beyond this will help Cadillac attain their long range goals.

The coupe comes off a little bland, but overall, I much prefer this over the outgoing CTS Coupe. I don't care for the new emblem at all, but I'm not too worked up about it.

When I first saw the press shots of this car, I was fairly unimpressed overall. After having seen it in person and eyeing it up threw my viewfinder, the coupe looks much better in the flesh. There's subtle changes over the sedan you don't quite notice at first. The stance is lower and wider, there's a bit more rake to every angle in the back, and it just seems to be a restrained, attractive design. The oddest aspect of the car... The crestless wreath. The grill just doesn't stand out as much without it. That is one change that will be difficult to get use to.

About what you'd expect from an ATS with two less doors, but that's no bad thing. The only thing I don't like about it the new, too large, wreathless emblem.

I think if they would have just converted the crest to a chrome ring in the same shape or something......

The new crest looks neither as pretty nor as "premium" as the old one. Making it "oversized" doesn't help either. The older crest with the round outer wreath fits better on the ATS's Grille or any grille. It also has more fine details which projects a more premium feel.

Looked at photos of this the other day, and it looks like GM f@#ked up again--just like the outgoing CTS coupe, GM apparently thinks back seat passengers don't get an armrest or center console.

Stupid, stupid, stupid...

No biggie... people w/ coupes don't carry back seat passengers very often anyway...the backseat passengers can just ride w/ their arms on their legs, I guess.

No biggie... people w/ coupes don't carry back seat passengers very often anyway...the backseat passengers can just ride w/ their arms on their legs, I guess.

Bull$h!. Maybe that logic flies in a brand like KIA or Hyundai, but this is Cadillac...or at least it's supposed to be.

No biggie... people w/ coupes don't carry back seat passengers very often anyway...the backseat passengers can just ride w/ their arms on their legs, I guess.

Bull$h!. Maybe that logic flies in a brand like KIA or Hyundai, but this is Cadillac...or at least it's supposed to be.

People buy 4 doors if they are interested in the back seat...it's an afterthought in a coupe. Besides, looking at pics of the ATS coupe, C-class coupe, 4 series and CTS coupe, there are armrests in the rear side panels and a center console w/ cup holder area. All pretty much the same layout. So I don't see what you are bitching about.

ATS coupe:

C class coupe:

4 series:

CTS:

That 4-Series interior has a fold-down armrest. It wouldn't be a dealbreaker for me personally but if one is picky regarding the little details, it does show an apparent lack of attention to detail...

This is a fantastic car... if my rear seat passengers are going to bitch about a lack of an armrest, they can walk.

More importantly, it's a coupe that regular adults can ride in the back seat of.

Do Coupe owners really drive around that many rear seat passengers? I suspect less than 10% of coupe owners have peeps in the back seat that often and if they do, they probably have a 4 door sedan to take everyone. It is so rare to have actual adults in the back seat.

Do Coupe owners really drive around that many rear seat passengers? I suspect less than 10% of coupe owners have peeps in the back seat that often and if they do, they probably have a 4 door sedan to take everyone. It is so rare to have actual adults in the back seat.

It was pretty rare that I carried passengers in the back seat in the 20 years I drove coupes....once in a while I'd go out to lunch at work and drive my Mustang GT or M3 and have people pile in, or in college when I had my Mustang LX....but usually someone had a 4dr car or SUV that we would take. And if I was going to out to dinner w/ a group riding w/ me I'd take my Jeep. And before the Jeep, I had 2dr SUVs which were a pain to get in and out of the backseat..

I almost never carry people in the back seat of either of my 4-door crossovers and I think maybe twice ever in the back seat of my Toronado.

Honestly, Cadillac is supposed to be the "Standard of the World," so when it falls short, to me it's all the more glaring.

Look, I lusted after the CTS coupe only to find a crappy interior (especially the back seat). The excuse given was that the CTS coupe was a pre-bankruptcy car, so some cost-cutting should be understandable. I called bull$h! then.

Now, we have an ATS coupe, post-bankruptcy, with neither a proper rear console, nor a folding rear armrest.

I'm sorry, but the CTS coupe is not a valid basis of comparison; indeed, Cadillac set to meet/exceed the 3-series with this car, and unfortunately the lack of attention to interior details is a dealbreaker for me.

I wanted to like the ATS sedan, but the lack of a 6-disc CD-changer blew it for me since the only CD player was located in the glovebox as far from the driver as possible; had it been at least a 6-disc changer, I could have forgiven that. Now, the ATS coupe is deficient in the same way the pre-bankruptcy CTS coupe was, and is still deficient when compared to the European competition.

Please, someone in the auto industry correct me if I'm wrong, but adding a rear armrest (at minimum) or a proper rear center console couldn't cost more than $500 per car AT MOST--at the price ranges the ATS competes in, $500 is chump change; yet, a proper rear seat isn't even an option here.

More glaringly, the sedan has a proper-height, fold-down armrest. Why should coupe owners have to pay a premium yet sacrifice in passenger comfort the few times they have passengers? Shouldn't the odd rear seat passenger get the same amenities as in a sedan, especially with the pricing premium?

Unacceptable.

Hey, it's no snot out of my nose...I just really want to get a new car, but until GM can build a suitable upgrade, I'll just stick to my 14-year-old Oldsmobile Aurora that continues, to this day, to get plenty of compliments from my passengers--both front seat and rear seat. While I'd love to part with $50,000 on a new car, I'll just continue onward babying Princess Aurora as long as I can. Saves me money, right? But I'm sitting here, a potential new car sale, who refuses to "upgrade" with a compromise.

Get it together, GM. I want you to succeed, and I want to be a Cadillac owner ASAP...and I want to make an emotional purchase I may or may not actually be able to properly afford...but I refuse to compromise in the process.

6-disk changers are going away for everyone. In this case you're trying to hold on to a dying technology. The seats are sublime and the interior materials equal to or better than the Germans. What lack of attention are you seeing here?

So here is a shot of the 2015 BMW M3 back seat. Where are those fold down arm rests that you say all German Brands have?

In regards to 6 disk players, as Drew stated they are a dying technology. I have them, but rarely use them any longer since I like most people have stripped the music onto more efficient digital players.

Trust me, CD players are not going to have the renaissance that record players are having. Most people are more than happy with a single CD player and the head unit having storage so they can strip and move their music to that internal storage or play it via the USB or Bluetooth ports.

As auto's go Internet accessible, then we will see people use the Cloud to access their music, videos and pretty much anything else.

The fold down center armrest in a coupe seems like an anachronism back to the olden days of large '70s 'personal luxury' coupes. The 4 series, ATS, etc are all pretty tiny in the back...pretty much a place for children or child seats. Though the best use of a coupe back seat is folded down to increase cargo space.

6-Disk changers are the one common part across all brands that have the highest levels of failures. They break often and cause issues for manufacturers reliability ratings. I expect that they will rapidly be dropped from new vehicles. In 5 years, it will be hard to find a CD-Player at all in a newly released car.

Are you sure it will take that long as I went through the GM web sites for the 4 brands and did not see a 6 disk option. Now I did not check every auto / SUV / Truck line but the few I checked on each brand I never once found a 6 disk player. Found DVD and CD player which would imply a single drive option.

I bet in the next 24 months Auto companies drop multi-CD players from the options list.

I meant in 5 years nearly ALL CD-players will be gone... even the single disk ones.

Honestly, Cadillac is supposed to be the "Standard of the World," so when it falls short, to me it's all the more glaring.

Look, I lusted after the CTS coupe only to find a crappy interior (especially the back seat). The excuse given was that the CTS coupe was a pre-bankruptcy car, so some cost-cutting should be understandable. I called bull$h! then.

Now, we have an ATS coupe, post-bankruptcy, with neither a proper rear console, nor a folding rear armrest.

I'm sorry, but the CTS coupe is not a valid basis of comparison; indeed, Cadillac set to meet/exceed the 3-series with this car, and unfortunately the lack of attention to interior details is a dealbreaker for me.

I wanted to like the ATS sedan, but the lack of a 6-disc CD-changer blew it for me since the only CD player was located in the glovebox as far from the driver as possible; had it been at least a 6-disc changer, I could have forgiven that. Now, the ATS coupe is deficient in the same way the pre-bankruptcy CTS coupe was, and is still deficient when compared to the European competition.

Please, someone in the auto industry correct me if I'm wrong, but adding a rear armrest (at minimum) or a proper rear center console couldn't cost more than $500 per car AT MOST--at the price ranges the ATS competes in, $500 is chump change; yet, a proper rear seat isn't even an option here.

More glaringly, the sedan has a proper-height, fold-down armrest. Why should coupe owners have to pay a premium yet sacrifice in passenger comfort the few times they have passengers? Shouldn't the odd rear seat passenger get the same amenities as in a sedan, especially with the pricing premium?

Unacceptable.

Hey, it's no snot out of my nose...I just really want to get a new car, but until GM can build a suitable upgrade, I'll just stick to my 14-year-old Oldsmobile Aurora that continues, to this day, to get plenty of compliments from my passengers--both front seat and rear seat. While I'd love to part with $50,000 on a new car, I'll just continue onward babying Princess Aurora as long as I can. Saves me money, right? But I'm sitting here, a potential new car sale, who refuses to "upgrade" with a compromise.

Get it together, GM. I want you to succeed, and I want to be a Cadillac owner ASAP...and I want to make an emotional purchase I may or may not actually be able to properly afford...but I refuse to compromise in the process.

It would seem to me that you are simply destined for a BMW 428i... Luxury line, probably in Imperial blue with the Venetian beige leather. You can have the rear seat armrest and centrally located single CD player (6-disc isn't on the option sheet from what I saw) and give your backseat passengers the best experience possible after ducking and contorting their bodies to enter into the cramped backseat. I suppose there's also the Audi A5, the only other entry in this segment to offer a rear seat armrest, but I think you'll find its even more cramped. Atleast neither are FRS/BRZ levels of cramped.

You all are missing my point RE: the 6-disc changer--I honestly couldn't care less about having one as long as I have a functional single-disc player, which the ATS does not have. While you, the driver and owner, are seated in the driver's seat, you cannot safely use the single-disc CD slot because not only is it located inside the glovebox, but it is mounted on the far outboard side of said glovebox. In other words, unless you are Gumby with stretchy arms, you cannot load/eject a CD at all from the driver's seat without seriously compromising your ability to keep your eyes on the road and pilot the ATS safely.

My point was that I could forgive this egregious ergonomic nightmare if the far-right, completely out-of-reach glovebox-mounted CD slot were multidisc because I could learn to deal by simply pre-loading a few discs and safely cycling between them while behind the wheel. As it is, not only is the CD slot completely useless virtually all of the time I would use it (read: all the radio presets are on commercial breaks and/or attempting to subject me to Katy Perry's caterwauling), but I would still be having to pay several hundred dollars to even get it in the first place.

THAT is what I find so objectionable--that I would have to pay for a feature (which I honestly wouldn't mind in and of itself) that is practically, functionally useless because of its poor ergonomic location.

By the way, I'm laughing at the predictions that CD players will be gone entirely in 5 years--casette players were still in cars well past the point of when casette tapes stopped being manufactured, and optical discs are still being manufactured, and most certainly will still be manufactured, 5 years into the future. No CDs pretty much means Apple and its iPod would have a monopoly in the distribution of music, and record labels would never risk something like that as Apple would have carte blanche to charge whatever exhorbitant prices they wanted.

Lastly, regarding the fold-down armrests, I would actually prefer a full-length, full-height console between the rear buckets, but in lieu of that (for ease of ingress and egress on the passenger-side for both rear seat occupants, I assume) a fold-down armrest would be fine, too. Not only would one greatly enhance passenger comfort for the two miserable f@#ks stuck back there, but one with a small storage compartment is always a great place to store things you don't want attracting attention from prying eyes in parking lots. Fold-down armrests also provide opportunities for a pass-thru door, which has a variety of practical uses, too.

Honestly, Cadillac is supposed to be the "Standard of the World," so when it falls short, to me it's all the more glaring.

Look, I lusted after the CTS coupe only to find a crappy interior (especially the back seat). The excuse given was that the CTS coupe was a pre-bankruptcy car, so some cost-cutting should be understandable. I called bull$h! then.

Now, we have an ATS coupe, post-bankruptcy, with neither a proper rear console, nor a folding rear armrest.

I'm sorry, but the CTS coupe is not a valid basis of comparison; indeed, Cadillac set to meet/exceed the 3-series with this car, and unfortunately the lack of attention to interior details is a dealbreaker for me.

I wanted to like the ATS sedan, but the lack of a 6-disc CD-changer blew it for me since the only CD player was located in the glovebox as far from the driver as possible; had it been at least a 6-disc changer, I could have forgiven that. Now, the ATS coupe is deficient in the same way the pre-bankruptcy CTS coupe was, and is still deficient when compared to the European competition.

Please, someone in the auto industry correct me if I'm wrong, but adding a rear armrest (at minimum) or a proper rear center console couldn't cost more than $500 per car AT MOST--at the price ranges the ATS competes in, $500 is chump change; yet, a proper rear seat isn't even an option here.

More glaringly, the sedan has a proper-height, fold-down armrest. Why should coupe owners have to pay a premium yet sacrifice in passenger comfort the few times they have passengers? Shouldn't the odd rear seat passenger get the same amenities as in a sedan, especially with the pricing premium?

Unacceptable.

Hey, it's no snot out of my nose...I just really want to get a new car, but until GM can build a suitable upgrade, I'll just stick to my 14-year-old Oldsmobile Aurora that continues, to this day, to get plenty of compliments from my passengers--both front seat and rear seat. While I'd love to part with $50,000 on a new car, I'll just continue onward babying Princess Aurora as long as I can. Saves me money, right? But I'm sitting here, a potential new car sale, who refuses to "upgrade" with a compromise.

Get it together, GM. I want you to succeed, and I want to be a Cadillac owner ASAP...and I want to make an emotional purchase I may or may not actually be able to properly afford...but I refuse to compromise in the process.

It would seem to me that you are simply destined for a BMW 428i... Luxury line, probably in Imperial blue with the Venetian beige leather. You can have the rear seat armrest and centrally located single CD player (6-disc isn't on the option sheet from what I saw) and give your backseat passengers the best experience possible after ducking and contorting their bodies to enter into the cramped backseat. I suppose there's also the Audi A5, the only other entry in this segment to offer a rear seat armrest, but I think you'll find its even more cramped. Atleast neither are FRS/BRZ levels of cramped.

BMW designs, while much improved over the past decade, still leave me cold. When a Cadillac rolls past, the design grabs you. In Los Angeles, BMWs are dime-a-dozen; they're the Toyotas of the successful professionals.

2015-BMW-M3-back-seats.jpg

So here is a shot of the 2015 BMW M3 back seat. Where are those fold down arm rests that you say all German Brands have?

In regards to 6 disk players, as Drew stated they are a dying technology. I have them, but rarely use them any longer since I like most people have stripped the music onto more efficient digital players.

Trust me, CD players are not going to have the renaissance that record players are having. Most people are more than happy with a single CD player and the head unit having storage so they can strip and move their music to that internal storage or play it via the USB or Bluetooth ports.

As auto's go Internet accessible, then we will see people use the Cloud to access their music, videos and pretty much anything else.

Didn't look at the 3, but the 4 certainly has one:

RE: Cloud storage--great in theory, until you remember that an internet outage, server glitch, or hacker attack can render you without your music. You also give up ownership rights to the Cloud operator, in many cases. No thanks. I buy the music, I want the content, and I want to still have access to the content even in the event of a technological failure. Plus, with all the drama about the NSA having backdoor access to Cloud services, I really don't want the government knowing I actually paid for Heidi Montag's debut album...whoops, cat's out of the bag on that one now!

What has been heard cannot be unheard.

Why are you laughing at the idea that CD players will be gone (from newly designed cars I said, btw) in 5 years? It is already starting.

2015-BMW-M3-back-seats.jpg

So here is a shot of the 2015 BMW M3 back seat. Where are those fold down arm rests that you say all German Brands have?

In regards to 6 disk players, as Drew stated they are a dying technology. I have them, but rarely use them any longer since I like most people have stripped the music onto more efficient digital players.

Trust me, CD players are not going to have the renaissance that record players are having. Most people are more than happy with a single CD player and the head unit having storage so they can strip and move their music to that internal storage or play it via the USB or Bluetooth ports.

As auto's go Internet accessible, then we will see people use the Cloud to access their music, videos and pretty much anything else.

Didn't look at the 3, but the 4 certainly has one:

RE: Cloud storage--great in theory, until you remember that an internet outage, server glitch, or hacker attack can render you without your music. You also give up ownership rights to the Cloud operator, in many cases. No thanks. I buy the music, I want the content, and I want to still have access to the content even in the event of a technological failure. Plus, with all the drama about the NSA having backdoor access to Cloud services, I really don't want the government knowing I actually paid for Heidi Montag's debut album...whoops, cat's out of the bag on that one now!

Interesting as I did not look at the M4, figured what they did to the M3 4 door would be the same for the 2 door M4 coupe. Interesting that they have different seats with the fold down arm rest.

I still believe that CD players will be gone in 2 years or so, I have not seen a single new car model that has a cassette deck. Those have been gone for a long time as far as I have seen.

The ATS has Multiple USB ports especially in the center arm rest console that allows charging but also ease of plugging in your USB thumb drive and loading music onto the built in 40GB storage of the NAV/Stereo unit. This is far easier and more reliable than a CD player.

Yes it requires you to prep by stripping your music off the CD and onto the thumb drive, but you will get better reliable playback.

I understand the points you are making, but I also feel you are wanting to keep things status quo in a business that is clearly moving forward fast. I do see how a center fold down arm rest with pass through to the trunk would add versatility to the car. Then all I drive due to my Shrek size is full size SUV's. So space is never lacking when it comes to carry something.

2015-BMW-M3-back-seats.jpg

So here is a shot of the 2015 BMW M3 back seat. Where are those fold down arm rests that you say all German Brands have?

In regards to 6 disk players, as Drew stated they are a dying technology. I have them, but rarely use them any longer since I like most people have stripped the music onto more efficient digital players.

Trust me, CD players are not going to have the renaissance that record players are having. Most people are more than happy with a single CD player and the head unit having storage so they can strip and move their music to that internal storage or play it via the USB or Bluetooth ports.

As auto's go Internet accessible, then we will see people use the Cloud to access their music, videos and pretty much anything else.

Didn't look at the 3, but the 4 certainly has one:

RE: Cloud storage--great in theory, until you remember that an internet outage, server glitch, or hacker attack can render you without your music. You also give up ownership rights to the Cloud operator, in many cases. No thanks. I buy the music, I want the content, and I want to still have access to the content even in the event of a technological failure. Plus, with all the drama about the NSA having backdoor access to Cloud services, I really don't want the government knowing I actually paid for Heidi Montag's debut album...whoops, cat's out of the bag on that one now!

Interesting as I did not look at the M4, figured what they did to the M3 4 door would be the same for the 2 door M4 coupe. Interesting that they have different seats with the fold down arm rest.

I still believe that CD players will be gone in 2 years or so, I have not seen a single new car model that has a cassette deck. Those have been gone for a long time as far as I have seen.

The ATS has Multiple USB ports especially in the center arm rest console that allows charging but also ease of plugging in your USB thumb drive and loading music onto the built in 40GB storage of the NAV/Stereo unit. This is far easier and more reliable than a CD player.

Yes it requires you to prep by stripping your music off the CD and onto the thumb drive, but you will get better reliable playback.

I understand the points you are making, but I also feel you are wanting to keep things status quo in a business that is clearly moving forward fast. I do see how a center fold down arm rest with pass through to the trunk would add versatility to the car. Then all I drive due to my Shrek size is full size SUV's. So space is never lacking when it comes to carry something.

I don't know the exact year of discontinuation, but I know Mercedes-Benz still had casette players in their vehicles 10 years ago, and casette sales were virtually nill well before that. I remember this because CD players were still an extra cost option, and I remember thinking, "Who the hell uses casette tapes these days?" Ironic, huh?

I've never had a CD player fail on me, so I'm more likely to argue that the failure of flash memory is far more frequent. CDs can be scratched, yes, but most scratches can easily buff out with a Disc Dr. or something similar.

It's not so much wanting the status quo as it is trying to find something that fits my needs--I don't care that I may have to pay an obscene amount just to get a CD player, but don't make me have to pay for something that's functionally useless. I have several friends who are in the music industry, and while digital sales/music have blown up the last few years, CDs aren't going anywhere. They're portable, they're great to just hand out to people (think: demo CDs for upcoming artists), and everyone has a player. USB sticks are so easy to lose/misplace, and are so tiny that labeling them is a chore.

Being in Los Angeles, parking spaces are really tiny because space is at a premium--maximizing space and utility in as small of a package at possible is extremely desirable. Being able to squeeze into that last little bit of curb space before a driveway or red zone because your neighbor parks like an asshole to try to take up 2 spots on street sweep day is also very desirable.

And for those who are still skeptical of the utility of fold-down armrests with pass-thrus, you must not go out at night with many women because women tend to carry these things called "purses" that contain, like, their whole life, yet are "too bulky" to carry into every restaurant or club while still going with their outfit. A pass-thru is great for a lady to leave her purse in the trunk, hidden from view, without having to go outside the car, pop the trunk, and draw attention to herself doing so...and then retrieve it quickly/safely/easily upon re-entering the vehicle for the ride home.

A hot-looking car designed for attention and sex appeal--like any good coupe--should, IMO, have these important, thoughtful details, at least available as a chargeable option.

Similarly, that's why I still drive my beautiful 2001 Aurora--not only has her design aged extremely well, but that car was designed with a lot of thoughtful touches and attention to detail that are greatly appreciated by my passengers along with myself. Indeed, I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard, "I love riding in your car," "She's THIRTEEN years old?!" or "I can't believe they stopped making these" because then I would have quite the tidy little sum to make it rain lol

Of course, maybe that was the idea, since I'm neither in a huge rush to get a new car nor do I plan to get rid of her in the event I eventually do purchase.

The last cars produced with a tape cassette option were the Lexus ES/LS and Toyota Avalon.....

The last cars produced with a tape cassette option were the Lexus ES/LS and Toyota Avalon.....

And before those probably the Ford Panther models in '11...

The only coupe you can really fit someone comfortable in is the Mercedes Benz CL-Class.

in the back or front?