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ATS-V wishlist??

87K views 372 replies 45 participants last post by  yatman60 
#1 ·
Since there isn't an ATS-V thread group yet, it made sense to ask here... And I know it'll eventually focus on the powertrain... :) So what would you like? Let's try to discuss everything.

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Rand49er brought up a few good points which should very well make it to production. Wider wheels/tires, mesh grille and an overall MORE agressive appearance. Personally, I would welcome functional fender vents or a tasteful vented hood. 19" wheels with sticky summer rubber and six piston front/four piston rear Brembos.
 
#5 ·
Certainly more than just a higher-performance motor. Definitely a mesh grill, more rubber, 420 hp or more, availablity of white as an exterior color, ...

I can think of more (HUD, hand ebrake, form-fitting seats, etc), but I'd settle for the first list.
 
#10 ·
I am sure it will get all that. But I would like to revise that to electronic parking brake like the V2. Hand brake levers take up very valuable console space.




19"s maxium, I'm tired of everything rolling on 20's because it's cool.
+1000

I would like to see 18" wheels. fwiw, the ATS on display had 18" wheels with VERY low profile tires. It was stated here somewhere that the Alpha was designed around smaller wheels. I wouldn't be surprised if the ATS-V rolls on 18s.

I too am tired of sedans rolling on SUV wheels.
 
#7 · (Edited)
19"s maxium, I'm tired of everything rolling on 20's because it's cool. Functionally from a performance car perspective, it doesn't make sense.

Unique colors was a good idea, mono-color matched or sueded headliners would be my thing to have.

a DCT would be a wet-dream, but it won't happen.

I'd also like some kind of acutal performance parts program, nothing fancy, forged rims, exhaust, diff cooler, *maybe* engine power uppers or something of the like. The germans are all over that, Cadillac should be too instead of the late to the party performance rotors and no-show diff cooler. This will acutally be a legitimate concern, because if they're shoving an all-new 1-off powertrain in there, they need to bump-start the aftermarket for us.
 
#16 ·
Well... they're Germans. They have a way of doing things, and that way is very rigid. They do some things well, and you can take their word for it if you don't believe it. That's my experience with Germans in the past, and I haven't seen that there's a great deal of difference in that regard from one German engineering organization vs another. For that matter, the Japanese are that way to a slightly lesser degree - but it can vary more from one corporate entity to another.

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No one, and I mean no one, likes GME. I deal with them daily, the most infuriating people possible (and I work for Germans).
I'm new to the whole thing here, heck a year ago I was among the masses that was unfamiliar with the V series, so correct me if I'm wrong - but I get the sense that the autobahn is a lot of what's behind the existance of the V series.
 
#19 · (Edited)
It really is about marketing to the masses. But for those of us who fell in love with the original V (first gen CTS-V) the V means much more. To us, it's kind of an exclusive band of brothers. Or at least it was.
If it were between the self-masterbatory threads and replies on M5board or the V2 section on CF.. I'll take CF all day.

Aside from that, the community difference I would say is overstated after looking at both forums for a bit longer. The V1 crowd might be a bit more laid back or communicative, certinally less ego and more vette owner esque and maybe they know a few people around here personally. V2 people are a bit younger, typically come from other cars and are mostly starting new relationships here, but I still see 'groups' of people that know each other personally or arrange Get togethers.

Bottom line,
V1 people bought a V because it was a Cadillac with a Vette motor, it was almost a niche car.
V2 people bought a V because it was a 4door sedan that could beat an M5 or E63, and it had an automatic, which opened it up to younger people that might not have manual experience or prefer the idea of a paddle shift transmission. It was a car that forced people to start taking Cadillac seriously.

The difference is the V1 sold ~ 10.5K units, the V2 will might triple that, it's natural that you get more 'passing through till the lease is up or the next hot thing is out' when you have a higher volume car. Give it a few more years, and I bet you'll start to see the V2 community more closely resemble the V1 community as the fad-buyers move on and only people that *really* loved the car stay behind.
 
#20 ·
The V1 borders on cult car. It started a new game, a super sedan from America that many could afford. Like the original SHO. Guys who bought them tend to really love them. Not like the use them, abuse them, buy a different color and do it all over again like the buyers in V2.

Like the old SHO, the V1 was an M5 beater. It was standard only and it was good enough to make people leave their favorite marques to get one...
 
#22 ·
Well, glad to have started a conversation, but it seems that I was thinking from a different perspective.

There's a lot more difference than engine between a car with a top speed of 165 MPH and 200 MPH.

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Actually, now that you mention it, I'd be interested in hearing it from a perspective of things that folks have liked about previous V series they want to be sure that they see in the ATS-V.
 
#23 ·
Actually, now that you mention it, I'd be interested in hearing it from a perspective of things that folks have liked about previous V series they want to be sure that they see in the ATS-V.
The ATS has the potential to be a cult-car that the 1st gen is/was, but I can also easily see it being a mix of people like with the V2. Espically since the M3 Sedan will not come in F3 flavor, and that leaves the B8 RS4(if audi even imports it over here..which is always in question), C63 or (presumably) the ATS-V
 
#25 ·
I think discussion about V ownership is relevant. At least, my hopes that the ATS-V is more of a back-to-basics sport sedan like the first generation CTS-V. The second gen V is an amazing machine, no doubt. But it lacks some of the purity of the V1.
what you talking about willis? The V2 has another button for the soft/firm setting on the suspension over the V1, and variable steering, that's it. The E60/F10 M5 and E63 AMG have 20 different acyonyms just to describe the different eletronic nannies keeping you on the road, nevermind the adjustable shift firmness, throttle response, diff lockup , engine output control, ect.. that the F10 Has. The V2 is practicallythe village idiot of the midsized super sedan market, and the ATS will likely have no more than the V2 has right now. Aside from the third magneride setting presumably, and *fingers crossed* for launch control or something similar. That's what Cadillac's targeting as mentioned previously (or in another thread) back to basics and grappling onto the purest drivers car that BMW's forgotten how to build. Plus, it makes things cheaper too when you're not paying for 5 different sensors per wheel and the software, control modules and wiring to go with it.
 
#27 ·
The V1 community has really changed from guys who got a cat-back were the trailblazers to guys who have a stroker motor with a 10" rearend are almost invoke a yawn.
That's sort of a given for any LS powered car. There's so much aftermarket you can go crazy without blowing up the savings account. Personally the only thing you're loosing is braggin rights on an internet forum, which I couldnt care less about; you're not running into 427 CTS-V's on the street everywhere you look. However, the ATS-V will break the trend without an LS powered engine, which then comes more expensive aftermarket and limited power increases, which doesn't make for a good trade-off IMO. I'd rather *not* hand over a $30K check to Dinan for an extra .7L and 130HP.
 
#28 ·
M5eater said:
I'd rather *not* hand over a $30K check to Dinan for an extra .7L and 130HP.
You don't. You hand over a few hundred dollars to <insert vendor here>. If the ATS-V has a twin turbo V6, it'll be easy and inexpensive to modify - just like a TT Supra or 335i.

As for keeping the discussion on topic - V-Series talk is fine. I felt it was going to go away from even that. In any event, just take my request to stay on topic as a reminder to do so. No big deal.
 
#29 ·
You don't. You hand over a few hundred dollars to <insert vendor here>. If the ATS-V has a twin turbo V6, it'll be easy and inexpensive to modify - just like a TT Supra or 335i.
I was going for some dramatic effect there, if aftermarket is similar to what I came from (a B5 S4) then I would be mostly happy. The problem is those cars have depreciated into nothing and an ATS-V would be a 60K vehicle with (presumably) a 1-off engine.
 
#30 ·
I love the B5 S4. In fact, I'd like to own one some day. I think it's a great sleeper and easily modified. As for the ATS-V engine being "one off" - do you mean you think it'll only be available in one vehicle? Because it's going to be in the third generation non-V CTS, the XTS (as soon as it's ready), the fourth generation Escalade and other GM vehicles such as the Camaro and Corvette. The LF3 is going to have a huge aftermarket. I'm all ready for it. :p (it might be down for a few minutes. I need to update the software)
 
#32 ·
******* said:
I don't think there will be much aftermarket on the LF3. The LNF had some following (that's the Sky Solstice Turbo) but nothing like an LS series engine.
That may be the case but I'm leaning toward a good aftermarket for any engine that can be used in a performance Camaro, V-Series Cadillac and possible Corvette.

Look at the aftermarket for the 335i. It's not an M3 - it's just a 3-Series with twin turbo.
 
#33 ·
That may be the case but I'm leaning toward a good aftermarket for any engine that can be used in a performance Camaro, V-Series Cadillac and possible Corvette.
I agree. I was indeed leaning toward it being in a single car. If it's going to be in a vette or camaro, I don't think there's any question anymore that this engine will have a long life of widely avaliable aftermarket.

I don't think there will be much aftermarket on the LF3. The LNF had some following (that's the Sky Solstice Turbo) but nothing like an LS series engine.
There are two problems that happened there;
1) volume; the twin-scroll was only in the GXP and they made <3K of those...
2) brand image.

If Mr. Cadillac is correct, we're easily talking about a 100K+ unit engine here.
I love the B5 S4. In fact, I'd like to own one some day
It's a fantastic Vehicle, and anyone into sports sedans should own one at some point, and the old owners are dumping their K04 Stage 3 cars everywhere these days. You can pickup one for under $12K pretty easily.
 
#34 ·
I have a friend who owns a dealership who also owes me money looking out for a B5 S4 for me. :)

Since both the next Camaro and CTS will be on the same Alpha platform as the ATS, there can be the same engine options available across the board.

That and several other GM models will get the LF3 engine, including the XTS, Escalade group (along with Chevy and GMC) and probably the Enclave, Traverse and Cadillac version of that crossover SUV.
 
#36 ·
You'll be lucky to see 100k units across all lines.
I was referring to across all lines. In any case, all it takes is demand, volume is typically just a helper. The B5 S4, Dodge Neon SRT-4, Evo , WRX STi's of their respective generations and similar other vehicles with *huge* followings all have sub 20K production numbers(the neon has < 21K technically).

So you'd have it in the CTS (uplevel engine) and XTS (uplevel engine) not exactly performance burning cars
There are plenty of people that modify the 5 series, e-class and A6 when F/I motors are available.
 
#38 ·
The LF3 has over 400 horsepower. That's all I know so far.

If the turbo engine I've been hearing about for the Alpha Camaro is the "four" and not the "six", I'll be disappointed. I think there's plenty of room for a "fast" Camaro and a "very fast" Camaro. Same goes for the CTS.
 
#39 ·
We'll probably see a 300 HP Turbo 4, a 450-475 HP V8 and of course, eventually, a supercharged V8 making about 600 HP. No need to have a Turbo 6 making 20-50 HP less than the V8. The CTS doesn't need a regular V8. You'll go from a turbo 6 to a supercharged 8. Basically the LF3 and the new LT1 play in the same sandbox. Right? If you know the LT1 is in a car line, you can pretty much assume it won't have an LF3 and vice versa. The engines are just too close.

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I was referring to across all lines. In any case, all it takes is demand, volume is typically just a helper. The B5 S4, Dodge Neon SRT-4, Evo , WRX STi's of their respective generations and similar other vehicles with *huge* followings all have sub 20K production numbers(the neon has < 21K technically).


There are plenty of people that modify the 5 series, e-class and A6 when F/I motors are available.
Totally differnet cars, with 4-pots, but the LTG will have support like those cars for sure. The latter statement I don't know how much I agree with.
 
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