The article was originally produced on February 18, 2014, some facts and prices may have changed since then.

Cadillac ATS

It's no secret that Cadillac wants to enter the European market – is the new ATS model the right weapon?

Few car brands from the States have such a storied history as Cadillac. The name was taken from a French explorer with the fine name of Antoine de LaMothe, sieur de Cadillac, who, among other things, founded the city of Detroit. The car company started in 1902 and the brand has always stood for luxury and quality. Completely in the American spirit, but for a long time this time-honored brand has been conspicuous by its absence here at home in Sweden. A consequence of the Dutch company Kroymans going bankrupt in 2010 after poor sales results since the beginning of the twentieth century. Now Callisma has made sure to change this matter and now takes care of the Swedish sales. 

The main competitor that the ATS is targeting is the BMW 3-Series, it's not something that Cadillac raves about. In terms of size, the cars are very similar and the key word Cadillac uses in its marketing of the ATS is "sportiness". A word that BMW also uses extensively in connection with its models, and above all the 3-Series. The heart of the ATS is a four-cylinder turbocharged two-liter machine with 276 horses. So a machine in the complete opposite direction to what used to be found in cars from the States. A clear sign that Cadillac has understood the importance of a fuel-efficient but strong machine for the European market compared to its previous models. The character of the engine is very nice, quiet and strong with lots of speed resources. Top speed is reached at 240 km/h, which should be enough for most people. To reach 100 km/h from standstill, the ATS only needs six seconds. Power is delivered to the rear tires via a 6-speed automatic transmission. A manual gearbox is available as an option for those who wish. Fuel consumption for the ATS lands at 0.86 liters per mile. However, this figure is a little more than what could be desired. An equivalent BMW needs just over 0.60 litres. Whether this is a decisive factor when purchasing is seen as quite small. What also helps the ATS get that nerve of sportiness is the chassis and steering, which are very well tuned. You have very good contact with the road, something that can be seen as very un-American. 

The angular design language used by Cadillac has made their models stand out significantly from the crowd. You either like it or you don't. On the ATS, they have rounded off the straight ax lines a bit, but it is still easy to see where the basic shape got its DNA from. The ATS is stylish, really sober with a proper sense of sportiness. The shape that links the front headlights with the fog lights at the bottom gives the front its special but cheeky appearance. On this point, the ATS wins by horse lengths over its competitors, if you like the angular shapes, that is.

It's easy to find a comfortable driving position in the ATS, the controls for adjusting the seats are in the Mercedes-style door. Practical and easily accessible. What, however, is not so practical and easy to operate is the infotainment system, which is controlled by so-called touch buttons under an iPad-like screen. The appearance of the center console in black piano lacquer with symbols is very tasteful. Unfortunately, the buttons do not react at all as you would like and it becomes very frustrating after a while. The whole system has received a lot of criticism and hopefully they have taken this to heart and will update it shortly. Something that is very positive about the system, however, is the sound resources. Deep bass and clear tones flow from the speakers and fill the passenger compartment with the music you have chosen to play wirelessly from your smartphone.

The fine comfort combined with good performance makes the Cadillac ATS a very pleasant mile-eater. In addition, the car stands out from the crowd thanks to its design. If it hadn't been for the lame infotainment system, the ATS would have had the full pot and felt like an obvious challenger to the BMW 3-Series. The future of the ATS contains a really nice combination, namely a combi version with four-wheel drive, which is guaranteed to be a big seller up here in the north. 

When asked why they chose to become a dealer for Cadillac in Sweden and what they think about the brand's future here, Charlie Mannerfeldt from Callisma answers "We have chosen to become a dealer for Cadillac as it represents a very exciting future with several new models in the next 2 years . Historically, Cadillac is a very recognized brand in Sweden and with a very loyal customer base.”