When Cadillac first unveiled the ATS sedan at Detroit’s College for Creative Studies as part of a soirée the evening before its full

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song and dance intro at the 2012 North American International Auto Show, it was a forgone conclusion that an ATS two-door would follow. The then-new ATS meant that the CTS would likely grow in size, which we now know occurred for the 2014 model year, a reality that we expected would more than likely eliminate the much-lauded CTS Coupe and, alas, the fabulous CTS Sport Wagon (RIP). All said the sleeker and sportier ATS Coupe was inevitable.

Where Cadillac dabbled unsuccessfully in compact four-door luxury in the early to mid-’80s, the 2015 ATS Coupe is altogether new territory for GM’s topmost luxury division. Prior to either ATS body style, Cadillac’s previous CTS appeared to be a winning

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solution for attracting premium D-segment buyers that were snapping up Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class models at record rates, offering them a larger car for the same if not better value, and while Canadian sales hovered around the 4,000 unit mark from 2005 through 2008, they never recovered from the market crash that followed, only passing 3,000 units for 2011. In comparison, BMW’s 3 Series has averaged around 12,000 units per year since 2008, hitting a high of just over 14,000 in 2010 albeit just climbing over the 10,000 threshold last year; Mercedes’ C-Class sold in the 7,000 to 8,000 range from 2008 to 2010 and then cycled up to more than 10,000 for 2012 before sliding

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back down to the mid-7k range for 2014; while Audi’s A4 steadily grew from mid-4,000 sales during 2008 to a high of more than 6,000 for 2012 and has since ebbed slightly below 6k, but this said all the Germans see a great deal more success than the crested-wreath brand.

With these troubling sales numbers on Cadillac’s collective mind, along with better per capita yet still underperforming results in its primary US market, the premium brand decided the problem had to be the CTS’ larger size and therefore chose to reinvent its D-segment strategy with a car that would target its competitors more directly. The then-current BMW E46 became the vehicle to beat and the ATS development program, housed at GM’s Technical Center in Warren, Michigan, became Cadillac project one. The end result is a car that I personally lauded in my first 2013 review, summing it up by saying, “The good news for Cadillac is that its ATS

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compares very well against the 3 Series and other compact luxury four doors, delivering one of the best interiors in the segment and what is arguably the sportiest performance…” while my 2014 ATS review claimed, “Bar none, this is the sportiest sport-luxury sedan this side of an M3 or C 63 AMG, including the regular 3 Series, C-Class and Infiniti Q50…”

Did they hit the mark? Unequivocally, although despite the smaller ATS sedan’s improvements across the board its sales numbers have refused to increase substantially, its US results only up slightly and Canadian deliveries hitting 3,256 units in calendar year 2013 and 3,714 last year, although it should be noted that its immediate peers achieve their much higher sales with multiple body styles.

Enter

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the ATS Coupe. From a driving perspective, it’s right on target too. Of course, the new lighter and nimbler BMW 4 Series is now upon us, and redesigned Audi A5 and M-B C-Class coupes on the way, so any ATS Coupe performance advantages are more challenging to notice than the ATS sedan’s were two years ago, while some of the entry-level Cadillac four-door’s gains in interior quality have been upstaged by an ever-rising competitive bar now that the coupe has finally arrived. On top of that the two-door Caddy’s styling appears to be targeting a more conservative audience than the new 4 Series’ clientele, let alone what early images depict of the upcoming four-ringed and three-pointed star rivals, while

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Lexus’ daring new RC will no doubt hamper Cadillac’s ability to woo the few buyers that are bored with the Germans.

Don’t get me wrong, as Cadillac’s new two-door is endowed with attractive fastback lines, but next to the near radical edginess of the electrified ELR and its more muscular CTS Coupe predecessor, the ATS Coupe’s upright, sedan-like stance is more elegant than aggressive. This will soon be remedied by the 2016 ATS-V Coupe, but less powerful iterations will continue to play up to a more luxury-oriented crowd despite the model’s superb driving dynamics. On that note the larger grille looks impressive just the same, modified since the original ATS sedan, although the four-door received an updated version as well for 2015. It’s proud and distinctively Cadillac, as are the sensational wrap-over combination headlamps that boast signature LEDs. A thin strip of chrome spans the lower engine vent, bookended by small vertical fogs that are tastefully understated.

Following the headlamps down the Coupe’s front fender leads to a set of particularly stylish bright metal-adorned and LED-infused body-colour and glossy black side mirror housings, while thick chrome window surrounds add richness to the design. Simple 18-inch chrome-like polished aluminum 10-spoke wheels on 225/40R18 front and 255/35R18 rear run-flat summer tires are again understated, whereas the classy aluminum-topped backlit door handles are some of the nicest in

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the entire industry; truly I could mount one of these on a pedestal and display it on my desk.

From the back, a gently raked roofline tapers off over an abbreviated rear deck lid, the latter forming into a Cadillac V-shape as it becomes an integrated spoiler, the entire rear end of the ATS Coupe coming to a subtle centre point with two asymmetrical sides visually supported by vertical taillight assemblies that pay homage to Cadillac’s more endearing past, the entire back end finished off with the model’s sportiest elements just below, two fat chrome-tipped tailpipes integrated into a matte black rear diffuser-style valance.

The

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ATS Coupe’s overall styling isn’t exactly "Wow, look mom!" but rather a more mature and sophisticated, “Look everyone, my son the dentist has finally arrived!” On that note the ATS Coupe isn’t going to pull many away from sportier 4 Series and RC coupes, or even the few remaining Audi A5s still available, bit it might just cause a current M-B C-Class Coupe buyer to sit up and take notice.

Like the ATS sedan, the Coupe’s interior is easily up to the standards set by Audi, BMW and Mercedes, with a nicely contrast-stitched leather-like dash top that extends down the front of the instrument panel, further down each side of the centre stack and lower console, across each door upper and the rear windowsills. A nice padded synthetic covers the lower portion of the dash and glove box lid too, the latter a lot nicer than the Audi A5’s glove box lid that gets finished in hard plastic, while the door inserts receive the pliable plastic treatment right down to the

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insides of their map pockets, as well as the armrests of course, but the very bottom of each door is a harder plastic that’s not up to 4 Series or A5 standards, the two Germans using soft-touch plastics all the way to the lower extremities of their doors, although the hard plastic used for the lower sides of the centre stack and console is better quality than the 4 and A5’s cheap hollow surface panels. Overall it’s a tit for tat situation, with the Germans outclassing this domestic in some respects, but Cadillac easily measuring up. This said, if GM hopes the ATS Coupe to gain traction it needs to overwhelm its prospective buyer in a similar way to how Lexus’ new RC is competing, although as you’ll see by that model’s sales numbers, even coming to market with an arguably better widget won’t necessarily guarantee success.

Back

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to the ATS Coupe, genuine cold-to-the-touch brushed aluminum is used for the dash and door trim, while the pillars are all cloth-wrapped as per the segment status quo.  There’s plenty of nice dark chrome accents to fulfill the expected bling quotient as well, plus more piano black lacquered surfacing than you’ll find in any competitor, which is normally something I complain about due to this surface treatment’s magnetism to dust and scratches, but with the ATS I don’t mind so much because Cadillac also seamlessly incorporates capacitive touch-sensitive controls for a much more upscale experience than the wiggly buttons you’ll find in an Audi A5 (or any Porsche for that matter).

The

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screen quality and graphics are also as good as anything else in the class, from the appropriately red, white and blue TFT enhanced primary gauge cluster to the same theme on the impressive CUE infotainment system, it’s all superbly designed, feature filled and easy to use. The cheap light-grey plastic used for the overhead console isn’t particularly pleasing to look at, however, but the simplicity of the auto-dimming rearview mirror, replete with OnStar, is priceless.

Cadillac offers the 2015 ATS Coupe in four trim levels including Standard Collection, Luxury Collection, Performance Collection and Premium Collection, my tester getting the upper mid-grade Performance treatment, albeit in uprated 3.6-litre

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AWD guise. This meant the base direct-injected and turbocharged four-cylinder rear-drive Performance model’s $48,395 price was pumped up to $52,795, while $3,230 in options were added for an as-tested retail price of $56,025, plus $1,800 for freight and pre-delivery prep. That puts it right in contention with the aforementioned Germans, but mostly worthy of its sizable window sticker.

On that note, the base ATS Coupe with its four-cylinder engine, six-speed automatic or no-charge optional six-speed manual transmissions and RWD starts at a much more approachable $41,240 plus freight, and while filled with most of the

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luxury details just noted is also well equipped with standard 18-inch alloys, LED taillights, Brembo performance brakes, and sport-tuned suspension, while remote keyless entry gets you inside, remote start will make it either warm or cool before you even get there and pushbutton ignition keeps the convenience going, plus the features list continues with leatherette upholstery, wood trim, a tilt and telescoping multifunction leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, trip computer, cruise control, 4.2-inch display audio with a motorized flip-up/down screen incorporating a reverse camera, nine-speaker Bose AM/FM audio system including satellite radio and three USB ports, OnStar with 4G Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, heatable six-way powered front seats, and a 60/40 split-folding rear seat.

My tester was enhanced with some of the Luxury model’s extras too, such as adaptive cornering HID headlights, auto-dimming rearview and driver’s side mirrors, leather upholstery, 12-way and 10-way powered front driver and passenger sport seats with two-position memory for the driver, a heatable steering wheel, universal garage door opener, the larger eight-inch CUE infotainment system I noted before, with voice recognition, a text message assistant and wireless charging. On top of this list my Performance-trimmed variant received those polished alloys and illuminated door handles I mentioned previously, plus alloy pedals, rain-sensing wipers, automatic high beams, upgraded 12-speaker Bose audio, an anti-theft system, collision warning and lane departure warning.

On this note I would’ve liked the ATS Coupe more if equipped with its Driver Assist Package that includes additional electronic safety aids such as forward collision warning with auto-brake, side blind-zone alert with lane-change alert, cross-traffic alert, and automatic seatbelt tightening, plus the convenience of full-speed adaptive cruise control, but my big beef with my as-tested Caddy two-door

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is the inclusion of an antiquated foot-operated parking brake. It’s a throwback that never should have been included in a modern-day sports coupe expected to go toe-to-toe with the revered models already named, let alone the sport-luxury sedan its based on, and therefore the electronic parking brake that comes with this upgrade should truly be standard kit across the ATS line.

Instead, the options Cadillac added to my test car included $1,105 for navigation and surround-sound audio, which also adds a useful 110-volt household-style socket to the backside of the front console, plus it featured a $1,395 powered glass sunroof that was disappointingly not panoramic as offered with some rivals.

Of note, Performance trim can be upgraded with a Midnight Special Edition package that includes dark chrome and gloss black exterior trim, dark chrome alloys, plus a pseudo-suede steering wheel and shift knob, while top-line Premium trim adds a heavy-duty cooling system, limited-slip rear differential with RWD models, Cadillac’s fabulous Magnetic Ride Control suspension, powered tilt and telescoping steering, head-up display, and standard navigation. You can get Premium trim with the Driver Assist package too, plus a Track Performance package for V6 models that includes performance brake pad liners and an oil cooler.

Even

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base cars get two of the best performance features available in any automatic-equipped sports coupe, mind you, genuine magnesium steering wheel paddle shifters. These enhance the ATS Coupe’s overall driving experience, this 2015 model still incorporating a six-speed automatic that shifts well and smoothly, but doesn’t live up to the same performance or efficiency standards as most competitors’ eight-speed autoboxes; look to 2016 ATS models to remedy this issue. The base car’s powertrain is excellent, by the way, an as-noted direct-injected and turbocharged four that displaces 2.0 litres and makes a heady 272 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, but the also direct-injected albeit naturally aspirated 3.6-litre V6 transforms this compact model into a serious performance car thanks to 321 horsepower, although its 275 lb-ft of torque that takes longer to achieve maximum thrust is strangely weak compared to the four-banger. Then again the cacophony of noises the V6 makes ahead of the firewall and even better, through those aforementioned exhaust pipes out back are worth the price of admission on their own.

Fuel economy is pretty good, with four-cylinder models getting five-cycle EnerGuide claimed ratings of 11.1 L/100km city, 7.9 highway and 9.7 combined for the RWD automatic, 12.2 city, 7.9 highway and 10.3 combined for the manual, and 11.5 city, 8.5 highway and 10.2 combined with the AWD auto, while the V6 achieves an estimated 12.8 L/100km city, 8.4 highway and 10.8 combined in RWD guise and 12.8 city, 8.9 highway and 11.0 combined with AWD. As you can see there aren’t a lot of negatives when going with the V6, another reason to expand that smile when opting for the pricier powerplant.

Following up the auditory sensations, my ATS Coupe tester provided the same precise turn-in, high level of grip and superb high-speed tracking that the sedan delivers, which definitely put a big smile on my face. I’m not going to go so far as to say it will walk away from a similarly equipped 4 Series, but it nevertheless enters the C-segment two-door fray as one of its best handlers.

So

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with performance that’s clearly up to par and styling that might not pull eyeballs out of their sockets but at least appeals to the more conservative amongst those who adhere to Cadillac’s Art and Science design language, what else might put off a potential buyer? Yes, I’ve mentioned a couple of detractors already, but I can’t sign off without commenting on a trunk that’s nowhere near as nicely finished as any of the German manufacturers, Volkswagen included. The carpet covering the formed cardboard insert and under-lid cover is nice and soft, but that insert is hollow and cheap feeling, while the seatbacks aren’t finished nicely at all. What’s more, the plastic trim guard covering the trunk’s edge is Chevy quality at best, plus you can see the exposed semi-painted metal just above the seatbacks. The plastic lid that covers the rear-mounted battery is this trunk’s worst bit of pathetically cheap kit; it doesn’t even close properly. Truly, I’d be turned off by this dollar store item if it were in the cargo bay of a Chevy Spark. As for its size, 294 litres (10.4 cubic feet) is a bit small, but should be livable for most.

In summary, Cadillac has produced an attractive looking, great driving sport-luxury two-door, but the ATS Coupe fails in a number of key areas. If a buyer were getting picky between any of the Germans or the new Lexus RC when comparing Cadillac’s new entry, the domestic would shine in some respects and come up short in others, but in my opinion it needs to shine, glimmer and then glow in the dark on all fronts in order to be taken seriously. I’m a 50-something guy who grew up in the ’70s era of poor-quality Cadillacs that only grandpas thought were cool, followed by even worse quality ’80s era Caddys that, looking back, aren’t even remotely respected to anyone.

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Speaking for my demographic, if I can be so bold, Cadillac should no longer even consider including subpar cheap plastics in any of its models or they’ll continue to shoot themselves in their foot-operated parking brakes. In the case of the ATS they’ve got to do premium compact better than any rival in order to gain the street cred they need, and after doing so for what will likely be a very long time they’ll probably achieve those sales numbers they’re looking for. Remember, Cadillac, that Audi was once a poor-quality BMW or Mercedes substitute, and it’s taken them decades to change that image to today’s overall market respectability. Don’t lose hope, but at the same time don’t expect to deserve big time sales if your product isn’t up to snuff.

It’s just one man’s opinion, but it appears to be backed up by black and white sales chart statistics that aren’t growing. In the end, Cadillac needs to adopt a new internal motto, “No bean counters allowed!” Post it over every doorframe and in front of every designer and product planner’s desk. Preach it at every morning pep rally, and over time the Cadillac brand will once again set the standard of the world in the premium sector. Until then it’ll remain an also ran.
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