It’s no secret that Cadillac is about to embark on its biggest product offensive in recent history. The circumstance will result in the introduction of a plethora of new models by the year 2020. But the situation will also result in the discontinuation of existing ones, and it looks like we’re getting a glimpse into that today.
The Evidence
According to VIN code documents submitted by Cadillac parent company General Motors to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2019 model year and first discovered by TTAC, the Cadillac ATS family will lose the sedan variant for the 2019 model year. Instead, the ATS coupe will remain. It doesn’t look like any more changes are in store for the ATS, and powertrains will remain the same as they have been since the 2016 model year, including:
- 2.0L Turbo LTG with Automatic Stop/Start making 272 hp (203 kW) @ 5500 rpm, 295 lb-ft of torque (400 Nm) @ 3000 rpm
- 3.6L LGX with Active Fuel Management and Automatic Stop/Start making 335 hp (250 kW) @ 6800 rpm and 285 lb-ft of torque (386 N-m) @ 5300 rpm
- 3.6L Twin-Turbo LF4 making 464 hp (343.3 kW) @ 5850 rpm, 445 lb-ft of torque (603.3 N-m) @ 3500 rpm
GM’s NHTSA Filing for 2019 Cadillac ATS shows that the model will be available exclusively as a coupe
Before we go on, a note of warning, we should note that Cadillac has yet to officially announce these changes, and the information could be incorrect. In fact, GM can submit documents to the NHTSA 60 days prior to starting production of 2019 model year vehicles. Given that production of 2019 model year GM models is still months away, the automaker has plenty of time to file changes. However, we do not believe the information about dropping the ATS Sedan is incorrect, since the model will be replaced by the upcoming Cadillac CT5.
CT5 Replacement
Earlier this year, Cadillac president Johan de Nysschen stated that Cadillac will “rebalance its sedan portfolio” by replacing the ATS, CTS and XTS with two vehicles. The first will be the 2019 Cadillac CT5 sedan that will be targeted at buyers looking for vehicles “in the $35,000 to $45,000 range”.
As such, the discontinuation of the ATS sedan makes sense, since it appears that the CT5 will be priced in the same general price range. Meanwhile, a smaller sedan will arrive roughly a year later to slot under the CT5.
We expect that Cadillac will continue making the ATS Coupe until the CT5 range gains a coupe variant of its own, at which point the entire ATS lineup will be discontinued. However, it is currently unclear what body style variants outside the four-door sedan the Cadillac CT5 or the sub-CT5 models will offer.
2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe
Ralph Lasley
Chasing BMW has been a colossal waste of time and money.
The ATS coupe should have been a hardtop convertible only, and the sedan is too cramped inside (something the car mags never worried about until Cadillac threatened the sportiness of their precious Germans). They were better off with the first gen. CTS size.
Alex Luft
First, we don’t know what has or hasn’t been a waste of money… that information has never been released.
Second, it’s not a matter of “chasing” anyone, but rather building vehicles that the market desires… which happens to be something BMW, Mercedes, Audi and Lexus have figured out how to do.
Third, describing the ATS as “cramped” is to not understand that it’s a compact sedan that is targeted at the last-generation vehicles of the segment it’s in. Those vehicles have evolved to be slightly larger for this generation, but the ATS incorrectly benchmarked the last-generation models without anticipating the size increase. Hence, you can be sure the ATS’ sedan replacement will “pull ahead” in terms of size and general features/content.
That said, there are vehicles that are smaller and therefore “more cramped” than the ATS that are in the same price class, including the A3/S3 and CLA-Class… and that hasn’t prevented them from selling in sizeable quantities.
Ted
The interior in either model is not cramped.. The prblm is ingress and egress. The seatback should be nested behind the door pillar. Once in the ATS & CTS the space is fine.
RICHARD GAUS
I LOVE MY ATS SEDAN FROM BUMPER TO BUMPER. THE CAR WAS DESIGNED WITH ME IN MIND!…OFCOURSE THERE IS NO REAR LEG ROOM–THAT MEANS I DON’T HAVE TO BE THE DESIGNATED DRIVER.
Alex Luft
There is enough rear seat legroom for most passengers. There only isn’t enough if you’re the size of a professional basketball player.
Joe Manning
In China, you will see som ATS-L vehicles with an extended wheelbase that provides another 5-6 inches of rear legroom. Wonder why it was never offered in the USA.