Another day, another round of recalls it seems. Yesterday we heard that Subaru was recalling more than 600,000 vehicles due to a potential problem with accessory lights short circuiting and catching fire, but today it’s GM‘s turn. The company is recalling right around 69,000 trucks, vans, and SUVs due to a steering column defect that could potentially allow the cars to roll away after being put in park.
That is obviously no good, and specifically, the problem centers around faulty park lock cables and warped steering column lock actuator gears. If your car is affected by the issue, it means you could potentially shift your car from park without the key in the ignition or without pressing the brake pedal while the key is in the off position. This in turn could lead to a very bad day, and to make matters worse, this problem seems to affect a number of different models.
The 2013 Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT are the cars from Cadillac that could potentially be affected by this flaw. For Chevrolet, we’re looking at the 2013 Avalanche, Express, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, and Tahoe. Finally, GMC cars affected by this defect include the Savana, Sierra HD, Sierra LD, Yukon, and Yukon XL. A total of 55,000 of these vehicles are currently in the US, while 6,310 are in Canada, 670 are in Mexico, and the remaining 7,084 are exports.
Despite this potentially dangerous flaw, there is some good news in that GM hasn’t had any reports of injuries or crashes. The company also says that only 1 in 1,000 of the recalled cars are believed to be affected by this issue, and that most of them are still on dealer lots or on the way to dealers. Affected cars that are still with dealers will be fixed before being sold off, while GM will be sending out letters to owners starting January 22. GM will replace the flawed steering columns at no cost to the owners.
If you know anything about SUVs and trucks from General Motors, you’ll know that the company has largely been replicating their designs so that certain SUVs and trucks match each other. However, starting with their 2014 models, GM will be giving each of its vehicles a unique look to separate them from the pack.
The company has announced that they’re dropping the cookie-cutter approach to the interiors and exteriors of its full-size SUVs and pickup trucks, beginning with the redesigned 2014 models. We already took a look at the 2014 Silverado and Sierra from Chevrolet and GMC, respectively, but it looks like 2014 SUVs, like the Tahoe, Suburban, and Yukon, will look a bit different this time around.
Chris Hilts, creative manager of interior design at General Motors, says that in the past, the company has “shared SUV and truck interiors. That is not the case going forward.” When the Chevrolet Tahoe and the Suburban, the GMC Yukons, and the Cadillac Escalades get their redesigns for 2014, they’ll be getting their own instrument panels, consoles, instrumentation, knobs, materials, and other design elements.
Previously, the Escalades and Yukons shared similar door panels, but since these two vehicles have different prices ranges that cater towards different types of people, GM thought it was necessary to finally give each of their SUVs a unique look that differentiated from one another. Essentially, GM says that a 2014 Silverado and a 2014 Tahoe will look completely different, and won’t have similar qualities that the two vehicles have shared for so long.
Welcome to Friday evening everyone! Not only is this the beginning of the weekend, but it’s also the last day of November. Tomorrow December begins, and the holiday rush will soon be in full swing. How about we all prepare with a recap of the news from the final day of the month? Today Verizon announced that it will soon be sending out Jelly Bean updates to the Motorola DROID RAZR HD and the RAZR MAXX HD, so if you own one of those phones, be on the lookout for an update next week. Apple launched its new iMac today, and we learned that the company will be bringing the iPad Mini to China on December 6, with the iPhone 5 to follow a week after.
Honda unveiled an updated 2013 Civic at the Los Angeles Car Show today, while new user-configurable gauges were shown off for the Cadillac XTS. According to benchmark tests, it turns out that the new iMac is able to boast a 25% performance boost over last year’s model, and it seems that Apple is now offering variable-cost iTunes gift cards at retailers, though they require that you load at least $15 onto them.
We heard rumors earlier today that claim the next Xbox could launch in time for Christmas 2013, and Sony has filed an interesting new patent for a hybrid Move/Dualshock controller that splits in half. A new report from comScore shows that Samsung and Apple continue to dominate the smartphone space, while we learned that Google Play revenue has risen 300% though the App Store still sells more. Nokia is hunting for a Linux engineer, which has the Android community excited, and it appears that ASUS is gearing up to undercut the Nexus 7 with a tablet that costs only $99.
The Humble THQ Bundle has pulled in more than $2 million in just one day, and Xbox Live Gold has gone free for this weekend only. There’s a new PS Vita bundle on the way to the United States, and Facebook has rolled out its new Photo Sync feature for its mobile app. Finally tonight, Chris Burns delivers his review of the Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9. That does it for tonight’s Evening Wrap-Up, we hope you enjoy the weekend folks!
In a move that everyone in the automobile universe is going to understand instantly as groundbreaking in the simple way in which it breaks from the history of the art, the Cadillac‘s new XTS allows drivers to re-arrange their gauges. It makes perfect sense here in our modern mobile world that we’re able to re-arrange any display we’re using – why not the environment in our vehicles? Thus is the idea here with the XTS, bringing on several different displays now that we’ve gone digital – effectively – in the luxury segment.
What you’re seeing here is a set of different dials and clusters of information on a fabulous 12.3-inch LCD screen that replaces the entirety of your traditional analog dials near your steering wheel. You’ll be looking at your speed and fuel information just as you always have, but here you’re able to switch them left to right, arranging the information you want to where you want it to appear.
The folks at Cadillac are showing this week a collection of layouts you might use, including Simple, Enhanced, Balanced, and Performance. Have a peek above and below to see each of them and let us know which one you’re planning on using! With the Balanced view you’ve got a traditional look at the layout with the ability to change the size and graphic quality of the display – three zones exist with a speedometer, tachometer, fuel level, outside temperature, and radio station information.
Next is the Performance layout with “enthusiast” drivers with information about the cars innards you might otherwise never see – unless you head under the hood, that is. Performance is a layout you’ll be using to see the tachometer, speedometer, and a few normal bits, but with awesome additions such as fuel consumption and tire pressure to back you up as well.
With the Enhanced cluster display you’ll be more connected than you’ve ever been before. Enhanced is a layout for the web-loving user with a “web-inspired design” that includes a navigation map on the left, digital speed and fuel readings on the right. This layout allows you to pull up and scroll through information pages with a button tap – imagine the connectivity – but don’t do it while you’re diving 88MPH of course.
The Simple cluster layout is made for the minimalist – here coming correct with speed, fuel, and audio information. You’re also able to pull up additional information in this layout, but it’s hidden unless you absolutely need it. Each of these modes – all of them – also have a “screen-within-a-screen” feature that allows a smaller display to sit inside the center of the speedometer and tachometer allowing users to see navigation routes and grab radio control – just for starters.
Scott Martin, senior creative designer in charge of building the digital cluster layouts, spoke up on the project this week.
“Drivers can also further customize each layout to their own personal liking. They can flip through all the information pages to permanently display their favorite preset radio stations, check tire pressure, navigation, fuel range, and temperature among other features. … Most drivers fall into one of four different categories in terms of the amount of information they want to see at any given time, so we built the XTS gauge cluster layouts to appeal to any one of those drivers.” – Martin
In August of 2011, we learned that the Cadillac Converj concept car would enter production and be called the Cadillac ELR. We didn’t know at the time exactly when the vehicle would enter production. General Motors has officially announced that the ELR Coupe will enter production in late 2013.
The vehicle will be a front-wheel-drive extended range electric vehicle and will be constructed at the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant. The car sounds very much like a Cadillac branded Chevrolet Volt. However, the ELR we’ve seen in renderings, such as the one above, will certainly be a better-looking vehicle than the Volt.
Whether or not that rendering will be what the vehicle looks like when it rolls off the assembly line remains to be seen. The vehicle uses a T-shaped lithium-ion battery, electric drive unit, and a four-cylinder engine-generator. The gasoline engine will kick on to charge the batteries when more driving range is needed.
As I said, it’s basically a Volt with a two-door body. The Volt is already an expensive vehicle, and anything with the Cadillac crest on the grill carries a significant premium. I’d wager we’re talking about a $50,000 or more extended range electric vehicle when the ELR Coupe is available at your local dealership.
The 2013 Cadillac ATS has some serious challenges ahead of it. Mid-life crisis convertible aside, there’s no car segment so fraught with identity issues as the compact sport sedan. So far, the BMW 3-Series has been the “I’ve made it” model to beat, a heady Teutonic mixture of performance, prestige and affordability, but Cadillac is hoping the smallest model in its range can light an American torch to rival it. The specter of the baby Beemer looms large over each aspect of the ATS, but that’s not to say the German icon has things all its own way. We caught up with Cadillac at a 2013 ATS preview to see whether the all-new car was truly as “world-class” as promised.
Design
Cadillac’s design language is clear, the crisp edges softened slightly from the more memorable of the “Art & Science” concepts like the Ciel and Sixteen, but still distinctively purposeful whether parked up or in motion. Some of the details are particularly pleasing: the huge trapezoid gape of the grill slashed across by the front bumper, for instance, and the way the headlamps flood down from the leading edge of the hood and spread somewhat, visually broadening the stance. The rear tapers to the familiar pinch of Cadillac’s existing XTS, the LED lights slashing neatly at the extremes of the trunk lid and haunches.
The 18-inch wheels – standard on the Premium model, an option on the Luxury and Performance – do a good job of filling the arches, though the standard 17-inch set are decent. Cadillac has obviously had the tape measure out to make sure the ATS blends in well with the rest of the compact sport sedan crowd: at 182.8 inches long, 71.1 inches wide and 55.9 inches high, it’s 0.3 inches off the length and 0.2 off the width of the 3-Series, while sitting lower than Mercedes’ C Class or Audi’s A4.
Engines and Performance
The ATS launches with a choice of three powerplants, starting with a normally aspirated 2.5L four-cylinder and topping out with a 3.6L V6, while a 2.0L four-cylinder Turbo slots in-between as the performance option. All are paired as standard with a 6-speed auto gearbox with slick magnesium paddles behind the wheel for those moments you want to take charge – though the turbo can optionally be outfitted with a 6-speed manual – and rear-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive an option on the two more powerful engines.
At the entry-level, the 2.5L musters 202 hp at 6300 rpm and 191 lb.-ft of torque at 4400 rpm. Cadillac claims a 7.5 second 0-60 mph time and 22 mpg city / 32 mpg highway economy, though it’s worth noting that it also recommends regular fuel rather than the premium BMW, Mercedes and Audi would all prefer you to fill up with (in contrast, Cadillac only specifies premium for the turbo). We tested the ATS in a combination of road and track conditions, and while the 2.5L is obviously not the most powerful engine around, that only left more space for the steering and road-holding to shine.
The electric power steering avoids the vague sense of disconnection that some systems of its type suffer, instead being precise and accurate; there’s a sport mode, which tightens response up further, though it’s not an extreme difference in most driving conditions. Nonetheless, point the ATS at a corner and it simply follows, with no wheel shudder or fuzziness. Cruising in sixth gear is a matter of keeping a single finger on the wheel (though we’d recommend more, obviously), but the ATS instantly wakes up when you get to twistier stuff, albeit showing some of its power shortage and demanding you snap at the paddle once or twice to kick into a lower gear.
That’s not a problem that affects the 2.0L Turbo, and what the mid-range ATS engine lacks in capacity it gains in forced-induction grunt. 272 hp at a more usable 5500 rpm, along with 260 lb.-ft of torque at 1700-5500 and a 5.7 second 0-60 time, look better on paper and feel better on the road, and once the turbo has spooled up there’s a broad band of power to make use of. It’s a good foil for the excellent suspension and road-handling, the multi-link suspension – Cadillac’s first five-link system – doing a great job of clinging and smoothing in equal measure.
Cadillac’s own economy figure predictions suggest the Turbo will hit the same mpg as the 2.5L four-cylinder, though we’ll believe that when we see it. If we had a complaint it would be the soundtrack: Cadillac’s Turbo lacks the appealingly animal growl of rival engines, and is serviceable but uninspiring. We can’t criticize the brakes, though, the Brembo discs pulling the ATS to a 60-0 mph stop in 129 feet according to Cadillac’s own testing.
Finally, there’s the 3.5L V6, a step back toward luxury from the forced thrust of the Turbo, but still possessing enough blunt force to make the ATS a machine to be reckoned with on the road. 321 hp at 6800 rpm, 275 lb.-ft of torque at 4800, and a 5.4 second 0-60 run are paired with (estimated) 19 mpg and 28 mpg city and highway economy figures respectively. In short, it’s the fastest ATS but also the thirstiest and heaviest, though Cadillac is at pains to point out that it has undercut all of its segment rivals on the scales. The company scrupulously paired back curb-weight by shaving away unnecessary metal, punching holes through struts and bars, and generally refusing to accept a component if a lighter version was within budget (even down to picking smaller screws where possible, saving 36g apiece).
The biggest engine slurs along smoothly on the Magnetic Ride Control (a cost option on both the Turbo and the Premium models) with all the waft potential you might expect from a larger Cadillac. However, it doesn’t sacrifice all its performance: flick at the paddle shift (or, indeed, let the auto gearbox show its surprising degree of intelligence and handle the changes itself, which we often found we couldn’t fault) and you can expect most of the point-and-play excitement that a sports compact buyer might want. Cadillac’s various electronic driver aids tempered oversteer to the point where it was difficult to coax from the ATS, and it’s possible to throw the car around in ways rear-seat passengers really wouldn’t appreciate.
Interior
BMW, Audi and Mercedes haven’t just built reputations on style and performance, but the quality of their interiors, and thankfully Cadillac has stepped up with the ATS’ kit and trim as well. Pride of place is the latest iteration of the company’s CUE informatics and entertainment system, an 8-inch capacitive touchscreen with HD radio, Bluetooth connectivity for up to ten devices, CD, voice recognition, and both USB and SD connectivity.
CUE looks significantly slicker than most of its segment rivals, and uses the sort of swipes and gestures – such as pinch-zooming – that we’d more commonly associate with the iPad. That helps keep its breadth of functionality easy to approach, and it didn’t take long before we had hands-free calls working and music playing from our smartphone. Commonly-used controls like HVAC use touch-sensitive buttons embedded in the swathe of black running down the center console, with haptic feedback to let you know you’ve stabbed at them accurately. Our only complaint would be the occasional lag in moving between functions, though it was never enough to distract us too much from the road.
Bose has provided not only the speakers but a clever noise-cancellation system that uses the same sort of active noise-suppression as found in some Bluetooth headsets to reduce road and engine noise in the cabin. It works impressively well, and without introducing the bulk and weight of traditional sound insulation. Meanwhile, CUE also pushes information to a 5.7-inch display in the instrument cluster and to a head-up display (the latter part of the Driver Assist package).
Several leather finishes for the seats – or optional (and pleasingly grippy) sports seats – are on offer, including platinum grey, caramel, black and a fetching morello red, with a choice of brown or black accents and either wood, aluminum or real carbon fiber trim, the latter being a first for a Cadillac. The interior mood of the car changes significantly with the different color combinations: the lighter shades and wood trim are less successful to our eyes than the sportier dark leather and aluminum or fiber trim.
Either way, the rear accommodation feels a little more cramped than we’d like, with leg, shoulder and headroom all coming in shorter than what the 3-Series would offer. It’s not a deal-breaker, by any means, but that and the more limited trunk space – 10.2 cu.ft. versus the 12.4-13 that Audi, Mercedes and BMW supply – could be worth bearing in mind.
Two active safety packages are available, dubbed Driver Awareness and Driver Assist. The former includes buzzing seats that warn you if you’re drifting from your lane, forward collision monitoring (that warns but doesn’t prevent bumps), rain-sensing wipers and rear thorax airbags, while the latter adds front and rear automatic braking, collision preparation, adaptive cruise control, side blind-zone and rear cross-traffic alerts, and the head-up display.
Pricing
The 2013 ATS starts at $33,990 for the 2.5L RWD auto in standard trim, stepping up to $38,485 for the Luxury trim. The 2.0L Turbo is $24,615 in RWD with the manual transmission and standard trim, rising to $39,110, $41,510 and $44,315 for Luxury, Performance and Premium trim respectively. The automatic gearbox is between $1,180 and $1,475 depending on trim level, while AWD (which is only available with the auto box) is between $2,575 and $3,280 more than the base Turbo, again depending on trim level.
Finally, the 3.6L RWD Auto is $42,090 for the Luxury spec, rising to $44,590 and $47,590 for the Performance and Premium trims respectively. The AWD option is around $2,000 more. In short, Cadillac undercuts its German rivals and is competitive with Lexus too, despite heaping on the toys.
Wrap-Up
It’s been a long time since Cadillac broached the compact sport sedan segment, but the company has risen to the challenge admirably. Speaking to Cadillac executives, there’s an interesting blend of humility – recognizing the lofty goals of the 3-Series – and ambition; recognition that the 2013 ATS is more than just a shrunken XTS. Yes, it can deliver the traditional Cadillac wafting, but it can also unleash not only a turn of speed but the road-handling to deal with it both with safety and entertainment in mind.
Our complaints are few: a more aggressive exhaust note from the Turbo, perhaps, to match its punchy midrange, and accommodation for passengers and luggage once you get back beyond the front seats is tighter than others in the segment. CUE is ambitious and capable, making the few stumbles we experienced all the more glaring. We’d like to see an ATS-V performance version, too, though that’s likely to arrive in time (something Cadillac wouldn’t confirm, but didn’t seem too keen to deny with any great vigor).
Overall, then, the plusses outweigh the minuses. The 2013 Cadillac ATS looks great, is tightly constructed inside and out, rides brilliantly and does so at a price that’s highly competitive with the high-flyers in its segment. That it’s from a US brand and doesn’t spare the toys are factors that will undoubtedly appeal to many as well. BMW’s “ultimate driving machine” reputation was an ambitious target for Cadillac to choose, and that the 2013 ATS comes so close in many ways should be a huge wake-up call for rivals and buyers alike.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
