ghiaguy

Here is my first look at the ATS-V. I was considering it down the road as a successor to my C55 AMG. As far as I can tell, new middleweight AMGs and Ms have nothing much to fear:

I am completing my video of the entire 2014 SF Auto Show here soon. It was decent, but seriously lacking in AMG- or Mercedes for that matter...

Ingenieur

Good article in the new C & D
It is a nice car
Good layout
3600 lbs
450 hp
440 lb ft
Not official yet they are waiting on the SAE to certify
More power and torque than the m3/4 but same weight

They the cts version will have 600 hp

ghiaguy

I just doesn't seem upmarket enough to compete with the Germans at its price point. Words like 'leatherette' hurt my head when paying 60k

Ingenieur

Isn't mbtex standard in amg's

Mfgs make very little
Basic body structure
Block and heads
Diff housing ?
Tranny rarely


That's about it
Rest are suppliers building to the mfgs spec
So caddy and mb may actually use the same seat supplier
Same for gauges, wheels, glass, dash, etc
Even the pistons and crank are supplied by others usually mahle
Same goes for plastic body panels

It comes down to engineering, design, build quality and after sales service

It seems to me that gm/caddy have been improving

Hdale85

I don't see the issues with leatherette and similar materials, they are generally more durable than real leather and offer the same feel usually when done right.

ghiaguy

I had experience with GM leatherette and it didn't hold a candle to MB-Tex or whatever BMW has how. I'm sure that they have improved the materials compounds in some way since my early CTS experiences, but not as much as they need. I was only able to get my hands on a loaded ATS as the V was 'look don't touch' at the moment. Recaros aside, you can see the materials/layout won't be different than the ATS. The car doesn't feel as well put together as other samplings, even compared to the baby Audi (S3) that I sat in after the loaded ATS.

Hdale85

Those are all valid complaints but not really what you said in the first comment about the leatherette. Certainly there are different levels of quality when it comes to all materials, and I certainly don't expect GM to be the leader in that regards at all lol.

Ingenieur

If the seats are made by Recaro (or Lear or who ever) I bet the material is the same as most others mfgs get?
Maybe different grades/levels
Same for switchgear etc

Haven't actually seen one yet but GM has been on a steep improvement curve
This coming from a guy who traditionally had little respect for the US industry

elijah

That front end looks mean.

It's a great vehicle for european streets. It doesnt scream "LOOK AT ME" like the M's & the AMG and that's what I like about it.

Ingenieur

Not too shabby

ghiaguy

As it sits, with my money, it's still behind the new M3, M4 and C63 -of course that's without driving it. Claimed performance numbers sound promising though- only 3.9s to sixty?!

Just finished the rest of the SF Auto Show, including the new RC F, worth a look:

Name Brand

I like it.

ghiaguy

The more I look at the ATS-V the more I'm excited to drive it. That RC F is cool but I can't get past the grill. Somebody even mentioned it while walking past as I was filming :P

Viper98912

Looks like a good car to me