What's New for 2015

Introduction

In just two years, the ATS has become Cadillac's breakout hit. It was the brand's second best-selling model last year, and why not? It looks sharp, packs cutting-edge (if frustrating) technology and drives as well as its BMW and Audi rivals. The 2015 Cadillac ATS evolves further with the addition of a new coupe model and subtle changes to the sedan.

The coupe wasn't hard to see coming. It offers another entry point for buyers for whom sedans lack style, regardless of practicality. Cadillac has resisted infusing the ATS coupe with the over-the-top (but no less awesome) styling treatment given the two-door version of the larger CTS. While the CTS two-door appealed to enthusiasts with its thick haunches, broad C-pillars and center-mounted exhaust, most people left the dealer in a sedan. Cadillac instead adopted the more reasonable strategy of simply lengthening the door openings and tapering the roof line, not unlike on the new 2014 BMW 4 Series, the ATS coupe's chief intended rival.

Sumptuous coupe style won't come without compromise, however. Compared to the sedan, the ATS coupe sacrifices an inch of front passenger headroom and slightly more than 1.5 inches in the rear seat. Shoulder room is also more pinched in the coupe. Overall interior volume is also down by 7 cubic feet, while the two models share the same 10.4-cubic-foot trunk dimensions.

We don't expect Cadillac to alter the formula too drastically for the sedan's update. Keen observers will notice a single lower air intake grille spanning the length of the front end, instead of three separate intake ports as before. More important is Cadillac's new badge, placed squarely in the middle of the upper grille. The classic Caddy crest last changed in 2000, and the new design -- modernized, widened and shed of its wreaths -- is Cadillac's loudest appeal to young money. The new crest will first show up on the coupe, then the sedan.

The 2015 ATS will offer base, Luxury, Performance and Premium trim levels and a choice of either a turbocharged four-cylinder rated at 272 horsepower or a 3.6-liter V6 that delivers 321 hp. The four-cylinder is available with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. The V6 gets only the six-speed automatic. Rear-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive should be optional for either engine, but matched only to the automatic transmission.

You can get a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine in the current ATS sedan, but it won't be offered in the new coupe. Caddy could keep the engine around to make the sedan's starting price more affordable, but we wouldn't be surprised to see the anemic 202-hp engine disappear from the spec sheet altogether.

The new ATS sedan should carry the latest -- and, dare we hope, improved -- version of the CUE infotainment system, complete with a snazzy 8-inch swipe-and-tap touchscreen. The new CUE will offer 4G LTE cellular connectivity to turn the ATS sedan into a Wi-Fi hotspot. It will also offer the CUE Collection, what Cadillac calls a "new in-car app marketplace."

Available safety features should include automatic brake drying to help in wet and snowy conditions, automatic braking to mitigate front and rear collisions, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control and a head-up display.

The 2015 Cadillac ATS coupe should arrive at dealerships by late summer, with the sedan to follow in the fall. Expect both models to be priced within the same broad range -- low $30,000s to mid $40,000s -- as the current sedan. Check back for a full review of the 2015 ATS sedan, including driving impressions, specs and buying advice as it becomes available.