2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe: The Second Front

When one door closes another one opens - at least that's how things seem to be shaking out at Cadillac, which is introducing the 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe hot on the heels of the CTS Coupe riding off into the sunset.  The entry-level ATS Coupe plays a different role than its larger predecessor, however, as the right-size two-door is aimed squarely at shoppers who might have previously considered either a BMW 4 Series or Audi A5.  As a result, it tones down the Art and Science angles that dominated the previous-generation CTS and instead evolves the attractive, yet more conservative shape of the ATS sedan.

After having driven the 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe under a canopy of fall foliage along the shores of Lake Ontario, it's fair to say that the new model is at least as good as its four-door line-up mate.  It's also proof positive that Cadillac is serious about building lightweight driver's cars that give up almost nothing to their European competitors.

• Also: 2013 Cadillac ATS - Track Tested
• Also: 2013 Cadillac ATS: The New First Impression

Familiar Drivetrains

It's addition by subtraction for the 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe under the hood, with the 2.5-litre base four-cylinder found in the sedan erased from the two-door's order sheet.  This is good news for fans of spirited driving, as it makes Cadillac's 2.0-litre turbocharged four standard with the car.  Tweaked to offer 295 lb-ft of torque for the current model year, a 35 lb-ft improvement compared to 2014, the boosted engine also pushes out 272 horsepower and can be paired with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission.

Cadillac claims that the turbocharged ATS Coupe will leap to 100 km/h a little bit quicker than the BMW 4 Series equipped with a similarly-sized mill, and it wipes the floor with every other entry-level four-cylinder coupe in the premium segment.  That being said, you have to work it to get the most out of the car's little snail, making the six-speed manual the tranny of choice for performance-hungry drivers.

For this reason - and for the more pleasing soundtrack at both the front and rear of the car - I prefer the available 3.6-litre V6 that can be ordered with the ATS Coupe.  321 horses and 275 lb-ft of torque don't give it an enormous advantage over the turbo motor in a straight line, but power deliver is smoother and more immediate.  Of course, you're stuck with a six-speed automatic should you go with the V6 (as well as if you select all-wheel drive with either engine).  Fortunately it's a good little slushbox available with responsive paddle shifters and a rev-matching feature when dropping down a cog.  Fuel efficiency figures for the two engines are quite close, with the turbocharged 2.0-litre delivering 11.1 l/100 km in city driving and 7.9 l/100 km on the highway.

Sporty, But Not A Sports Car

Cadillac has worked hard to keep the curb weight of the 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe below that of BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz rivals, and I can't say enough about how much of a difference this philosophy has made when discussing the car's handling.  In an era when even former slalom kings like the BMW 4 Series (the new name for the 3 Series coupe) have packed on the pounds, Cadillac's dedication to reducing mass and balancing the ATS Coupe's chassis as close to a 50/50 distribution as possible has paid dividends.  This is particularly true if the vehicle is equipped with the available magnetic adaptive suspension package, a technology that automatically adjusts the coupe's dampers to adapt to road conditions.  While you can also order track-ready pads and additional engine and oil cooling for the ATS Coupe, it would be a bit of a stretch to repurpose the two-door as a weekend toy.  Rather, this is a fun to drive sporty coupe that provides solid cornering and braking capabilities without sacrificing a comfortable ride in the process.  It's nice to see this formula presented in a less-diluted manner than what is on offer from the latest generation of German-sourced premium cruisers.

Well Turned Out Interior

I've already mentioned that the 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe lacks the visual flair of other recent Cadillac two-doors but the most appealing aspects of the ATS sedan have been retained, and while there's a somewhat truncated feel to the coupe's shape it's actually a touch longer than the four-door model.  For those concerned with heritage and history, the new vehicle also marks the first model to appear in the modern era without the wreath surrounding the Cadillac badge.  There's also a wider track for the ATS Coupe that helps to beef up its first impression, although the vehicle's wheelbase is the same, which means that as in the sedan rear seat riders must endure fairly tight confines.

Up front it's a different story, and since most coupe shoppers aren't looking to carry a full load of passengers on a regular basis, that's what matters most.  I was able to slide the seats back in the ATS Coupe until I couldn't even touch the firewall with my feet, and as none of the test vehicles I drove were equipped with a sunroof, headroom was quite generous as well.  I was also pleased with the optional red and black leather seats and trim that were outfitted to several of the examples in the test fleet, with the added soft materials on the dash and door panels elevating the interior to a sufficiently luxurious level.  Like all modern Cadillacs, the ATS Coupe comes with the occasionally-frustrating, but still-useful CUE touchscreen and capacitive touch panel interface, as well as a new 4G LTE mobile wireless Internet option that worked on and off as we drifted in and out of cell tower coverage along Lake Ontario's northern shore.

Paying The Price

As with every other two-door luxury car currently in its class, the 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe asks you to pay a price premium for the privilege of amplifying style and reducing practicality.  With a starting MSRP of $41,240, the coupe is about $1,700 more expensive than its sedan counterpart, and while that price does include larger wheels and a few other additional features, the differential is largely linked to prestige.  You'll pay a couple thousand more for the V6 engine and another few thousand for all-wheel drive, too, with the ATS Coupe topping out at just under $53k.

This makes the Cadillac ATS Coupe a relative bargain, especially once optional equipment has been tacked on to the stickers of the 4 Series, C-Class, or A5.  More importantly, you're not paying less to get less with the Cadillac - you're simply benefiting from pricing that's intended to lure in first-time buyers who may have never previously considered the brand.  It's a strategy that worked well with the ATS sedan, a vehicle boasting an ownership mix that's 50 percent new to the brand, and there's no reason to think that the as-impressive ATS Coupe won't be able to continue this trend.