If there ever was any doubt of whether Cadillac is officially over its days as the “old man’s ride,” then the 2018 Cadillac ATS-V Coupe settles it once and for all.
The higher-performance model of the sleek two-door Caddy is a slithering quick note of confirmation that the American luxury carmaker is well over its days of resting on its past nostalgia.
Now, that’s not to say that the new ATS-V completely abandons the 115-year heritage of Cadillac. In fact, many of those key luxury touch points that have long defined the brand are still very much intact. It’s just that the latest reiteration of the high-performance coupe totally redefines the idea of a Caddy in a way that makes the brand more appealing for those who prefer cranking up a Sirius Channel like Shade 45 or Alt Nation over ’70s on 7 when driving.
Powered by a twin-turbo charged V6, the ATS-V Coupe puts out a massive 464-horsepower and 445 lb-ft of torque, with a 0 – 60 mph time of 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 189 mph. But what’s most impressive about the track-inspired Cadillac is how well-balanced it feels when maneuvering all that power through twists and turns.
It almost feels as if there’s some high-tech drone flying high above the ATS-V, secretly relaying signals to the car to help you corner it through some wickedly, insane turn, then quickly setting you up for the next move. Sure, most of today’s sports cars are engineered to be pretty intuitive when it comes to more spirited driving situations. But the ATS-V’s system delivers on the idea in such a seamless manner, proving that a car with adrenaline-rushing performance need not sacrifice its luxury roots for the sake of a few extra thrills.
