jerome8283

What are your thoughts?

http://www.roadandtrack.com/tests/dr...3-cadillac-ats

RobbieRob

I actually think its one of the nicest looking Caddy's of the recent years. Even though the ats is not a competitor to the w212, I love the info and tecno gadgets on the screen, looks easy to use since its touch screen. Light years ahead of our system. Hopefully MB will step it up soon in that department. Probably one of my only real issues with my w212, which is not that big of a deal.

petee1997

The Germans should start looking in their rear view mirror. Ford and GM are narrowing the gap and if the Germans should blink, North America could regain top spot in premium cars. I for one plan to at least look at the XTS. Doubtful that I'm ready to switch, but it's the time in years that a North American car is even on my radar.

telemakhos

The interior styling is not at all appealing to me, particularly the center stack. Looks amateurish compared to the elegant design of the E. I would not want to look at that every day.

WEBSRFR

Actually what the Germans should be worried about is Tesla. They are playing an entirely different game at an entirely different level and there's nothing out there like it.

The Tesla Model S performance is about the only car in the world in the segment of the W212 that I would trade my E550 in for and the Germans should be very afraid. Actually for my next car lack of AWD is just about the only reason that I would stay with Mercedes and not get a Tesla. If the model S came with AWD my next car would not be another Mercedes.

If you get the opportunity, drive a model S. The refinement and driving experience is impeccable. It's the only car that I was ever proud of to be American made and I'm someone who generally stays away from American cars like the plague. What a shame that the model S is lacking AWD

jmatero

I don't think MB has to worry about the Model S as the market is tiny. If fact, the E makes a great cruiser and with no backup generator, your range is limited.

WEBSRFR

I used to feel that way too.

Drive one and you'll understand why I'd give up my E550 for a Tesla Model S. The Tesla can handle 95% of the driving I do and if I need to drive 400+ miles one day I do have a second car as I bet is the case with most people who drive an E class.

K-A

Cons: Looks like a clear GM platform share, i.e like it could have been (or could be) a Malibu.

Pro's: It just works. Probably one of the nicest modern Cadillacs period. It's not as quirky and fussy as the CTS, and fuses the "oddball" Caddy styling language much more elegantly. I just don't like that incoherent weird upward character line randomly in the C-Pillar.

I dig it, and think it might be a big game changer for Caddy. Only thing I can see working against it is if in person it has too much of that "GM Fleet Car" look.

As for the new XTS, one of the ugliest cars I've ever seen. I haven't seen a car that aesthetically "designed for geriatrics" since Caddy's from the 90's. Just looks awful and to add to that, they tried to fuse in these "futuristic" themes that makes it look like a mess.

WEBSRFR

PS: In case anyone is curious about the new Model S, check out this WSJ article:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...238740966.html

jmatero

I've driven it and it's impressive for sure but until the infrastructure is in place and the product proven with regard to durability, etc it's not a viable option for most. MB have been at this for 100+ years. The Model S has been on the road 4 weeks.

hyperion667

If I were going by looks alone, I'd keep searching, but that is merely my opinion......
if that is what you like then by all means go and buy it because life is too short not to get things you like!
I have not seen the material inside, but Cadillac has always been a pretty nice car right?
I honestly have zero when it comes to knowing anything about (Caddies) anything lol

Wig

I disagree. I think the XTS looks very good. For those of us who bought our E-Classes as cruisers, the XTS could be a great value alternative. Ultimately I probably won't go with a Caddy, but it's worth a look.

The technology seems ahead of the W212 in the XTS. I think Benz HAVE to address this issue for the facelift model.

My lease is up soon, and I'd love to get into a 2013 W212, but I wish the facelift was here already. I might regret not waiting for it.

troymir350

Absolutely agree. It's very narrow minded to think MB doesn't respect Tesla. Given that they have invested 10s of millions of dollars and committed to have Tesla supply the drive system for the new B model EV. Having been in the Facility several times I can tell you that they are for real.

As for the ATS, it is a new platform. Will be interesting if they can keep from whoring it to the rental cars and fleets. I'm in the Detroit area and as much as I want them to succeed there just isn't the mindset that builds brand equity. It's more about keeping the plants running no matter how they have to get rid of the cars. Same old story. But hope it does well for sure. Maybe they can change now that they have decided to get rid of idiots lime Ewanick. Yes I put that in writing.

vdubpower

i drove the xts extensively, and it drives like a basic american fwd car, if you close your eyes you wouldnt know the difference in drivng an impala or lacrosse. they all feel the same

yeah it has its luxury features but nothing more than we get with MB. Obviously price is less.
Looks wise, not good in person.

interior size is great, Almost S class rear room,
trunk is enormous

front seats are not very caddy like, its almost like they put ctsv seats up front, good for some of us, but not for the market i think they are trying to reach, like my dad. Even he felt they were unbearable, and this is someone who drove his 83 eldorado 200000 miles and had a 94 STS , before he got the w140.

CUE, ehh. i dont like having ipads in cars, it takes 10 steps to do anything, and that goes for all car makes, w126 and w140 were the best most elegant dashes, simple, functional.

luckily the w212 isnt too bad

at the end of the day its a good car but not something id get

RobbieRob

Its real wheel drive? Isn't it?

K-A

The XTS is FWD (which really hampers the proportions as well as I'm sure the driving as VDub pointed out). The ATS, impressively is a RWD, which suggests to me that GM is serious about playing with the big boys of the entry-Sedan size segment.

RobbieRob

What is the xts?

WEBSRFR

http://www.cadillac.com/xts-luxury-sedan.html

BM2BZ

here you go: http://www.cadillac.com/xts-luxury-s...|_cadillac_xts

joseph1980

Too bad caddys are not sold in Hong Kong. I've always liked the styling of CTS and the interior looks nice.

BenzV12

Here is a link to one of the nicest youtube guys and it's about xts or whatever it is xperimental tractor station

I honestly prefer my dad's LT1 powered Fleetwood over those . I know these new Caddies should be expected to have more improved riding quality, lots of goodies , tech gadgets galore though

Labelling these cars is also weird , I prefer traditional model names not some type of fax machine names lol

jerome8283

Man that car is loaded with goodies. I haven't looked at the ATS closely yet but if it has half the goodies the XTS has it 'might' be an add to my list.

I don't think MB will ever compete with those tech gadgets. It might raise the cost of the car beyond range.

ImInPA

I went to the Caddy site and built one. With the 2.0L Premium, and a few "must have" packages, the ATS I was building came out to $53K. I think that is way to high for this level of car. Even if the reviewer is correct, and GM has nailed the BMW 3 series dynamic and hit it out of the ball park, at this price, who cares? I wish GM well of course, because, I would love to see Cadillac return to the "Standard of the world" status it once had. In addition to building a great car, GM will also have to offer enough incentive to give it a try. I was in a CTS as a rental with about 2500 miles on the clock. It was tight and quite impressive. I was in a co-worker's with 30K miles and it had some noticable squeaks and creaks coming from the structure. My 2011 E, as it approaches 40K miles, is still tight as a drum and virtually rattle free. GM will need to prove to me that they really offer the full meal deal, not just sexy sheet metal.

K-A

DAMN! $53K for that? That's about $20K more than it should be, all things considered.

jerome8283

$20k is for tech gadgets and options.