(ATS-V Side View) Cadillac ATS Coupe needs to be more...

[MonaroSS]

Cadillac ATS Coupe
needs to be more...

Op-Ed by MonaroSS
GMI Contributor – 8 December 2012



Just a quick opinion. With the release of the BMW 4-Series Coupe I am beginning to feel that the ATS Coupe needs to be more than just a 2-door version of the sedan; or even a svelte Coupe body but sharing everything forward of the A pillar. It needs to be more sculpted and overtly styled, breaking further from the conservative ATS sedan body. Yes it should look like an ATS, but more like it could face prosecution if it told a Senate Committee it had never used steroids... And that’s without being a ‘V’ model, which should step it up a notch even further.

I think that in this market sector buyers are expecting more exclusivity from a Coupe, and are willing to pay for it if that promise is delivered upon. Of course it would be cheaper to just graft 4-doors into 2-doors and leave it at that. But I think that type of thinking is why Coupe sales are often low. But when you get an exceptional Coupe design that stands out in the crowd, you not only get higher sales of the Coupe, but extra kudos for the range it symbolises...

What do you think, safe and cost-effective; or a little riskier and bolder design?

EDIT: Added ATS-V Coupe SIDI 4.0 TTV8...

Click to Enlarge

[KretzJ]

Hey Monaro...

if Cadillac is going to say things like "Standard of the World" and "BMW is the bogey"... they NEED to reach farther, quicker.

With a few minor exceptions, I like your red Chop above. The drop from the hoodline down to the front fender is greater than the source (grey car) file. I think it's perhaps too much or too rakish. It starts to remind me of some of the MB styling of late (IMHO they RUINED the CLS with the latest generation, but that's a completely different story!) Most of the rest of the red car gets a thumbs up from me! I am a HUGE fan of the current CTS coupe, mostly because it sticks a finger in the eye of "normal".... severely raked rear glass, fat fenders and rubber... the CTS-V coupe for me is like sex on wheels.

In concept, I agree with you... Cadillac needs to man-up... actions speak louder than marketing slogans these days. The ATS came to market and met most, but not all of it's goals. They will sell them, without a doubt, but they could be selling more. The ATS Coupe needs to be an "out of the park homerun" on the first swing to establish the division as a serious contender. No more "we'll catch up next MCE cycle" garbage.

Can they do it? I think so. Will they be allowed to? God, I hope so. I'm SO bloody tired of the Germans (BMW, Audi, Porsche) walking away from every comparo with a trophy in their pocket... mostly (not always) because they do have a superior product.

-john

[Rocket 88]

Keep it cost effecitve as far as the doors. There are pleanty of ways to make the coupe more dramatic looking.

Regardless of how much better you make a Couple look, the sales are going to be limited. It's not that the coupes aren't better looking any more it's that the sedans are less stodgy and their practicality has surpassed the stigma of driving one.

As a teenage (more then a few years back for me) we always considered sedan's lame. Now cars like WRX and Panamera are completely accepted.

[1.21 giggawatts]

as much as i hate the high belt lines, the belt line on the cts coup helps define the car, also would love to see the touchpad handleless set up on the ats coupe. and since i'm dreaming, would love to see a fastback version of the ats a la 3rd gen camaro/firebird style.

[MonaroSS]

Hey Monaro...

if Cadillac is going to say things like "Standard of the World" and "BMW is the bogey"... they NEED to reach farther, quicker.

With a few minor exceptions, I like your red Chop above. The drop from the hoodline down to the front fender is greater than the source (grey car) file. I think it's perhaps too much or too rakish. It starts to remind me of some of the MB styling of late (IMHO they RUINED the CLS with the latest generation, but that's a completely different story!) Most of the rest of the red car gets a thumbs up from me! I am a HUGE fan of the current CTS coupe, mostly because it sticks a finger in the eye of "normal".... severely raked rear glass, fat fenders and rubber... the CTS-V coupe for me is like sex on wheels.

In concept, I agree with you... Cadillac needs to man-up... actions speak louder than marketing slogans these days. The ATS came to market and met most, but not all of it's goals. They will sell them, without a doubt, but they could be selling more. The ATS Coupe needs to be an "out of the park homerun" on the first swing to establish the division as a serious contender. No more "we'll catch up next MCE cycle" garbage.

Can they do it? I think so. Will they be allowed to? God, I hope so. I'm SO bloody tired of the Germans (BMW, Audi, Porsche) walking away from every comparo with a trophy in their pocket... mostly (not always) because they do have a superior product.

-john

The extra drop down to the fender is to put more emphasis on the hood, like with oldschool Cadillacs...

[Lowboy]

Nice job on the lower belt line!

[DarkKnight67]

Love what you did with the roofline. In my opinion, one of the nicest coupes out there right now is the Audi A5/S5 and the gentle slope into the rear quarter.

[Robert G]

as much as i hate the high belt lines, the belt line on the cts coup helps define the car, also would love to see the touchpad handleless set up on the ats coupe. and since i'm dreaming, would love to see a fastback version of the ats a la 3rd gen camaro/firebird style.

Yes, as to the coupe's door handles, make it a Cadillac coupe signature - handless touchpads.

[johnstarnes]

I LOVE how you sculpted the front end and hood! I am a slut for the Converj....can you add a Converj-style side body crease to anchor the "fins" to?

[Watchdevil]

Make an Eldorado and we can talk. But yes the coupe should have it's own special greenhouse and roofline. There should also be a convertible.

I still like the outrageous Cien too. No matter what though my favorite Cadillacs are the 1960's era Coupe de Villes and convertibles.... In black.

[TIE1-ON]

Awesome rendering on the coupe. Like the aggressive styling. And if it were in a V-Series skin that would be sweet.

[Pisswilly]

Mail slot on hood looks stupid. This car is not a Camaro.

[mchicha]

Well it turns out this BMW coupe is going to rattle the market.

[All Star]

Mail slot on hood looks stupid. This car is not a Camaro.

Agree. I think looking at the differences between the CTS Coupe and the CTS Sedan is a good idea of what Monaro is trying to convey. The CTS Coupe design is a win.

[SX3]

ATS needs a more defining or stronger (character?) line on the sides of the car. That's the only part of the ATS I'd consider bland and where the 3 Series beats it in style.

This is one of my favorites: