Our most recent review of the Cadillac ATS determined that Cadillac had finally made a sports sedan worthy of besting the F30 BMW 3-Series. But the ATS was also docked points for providing E36 3-Series-esque rear passenger space. Cadillac’s Chinese division appears to have remedied the problem, with a rather unfortunate English marketing slogan.
For the Cadillac ATS-L’s launch, Cadillac has decided to go with the rather unfortunate slogan “I’m Coming With Length”. We’ll leave it at that.
The ATS-L really is packing more size. With an additional 3 inches of wheelbase, .79 inches of width and a .25 inch lower ride height, the ATS-L is the car that we should have gotten all along. From the photos, it doesn’t look like the car’s proportions were compromised either. Powertrains are the same as well, but only the 2.0T and 3.6L engines are available.
We now return to your regularly scheduled, less juvenile programming.
HUH?
Wouldn’t it be easier to just build more CTSes?
The CTS now has as much usable interior space as the 2010 STS I bought my mom. The ATS seems to me like a car for people who want a CTS but don’t need the backseat much and can’t afford the higher cost. The CTS starts $12,000 higher than the ATS. Seems to me that anyone in China (of all places) with money and inclination for an ATS should have the money for a CTS.
You would think that, but China has a burgeoning market for long-wheelbase versions of the 5-Series, A6 and such. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that there’s LWB A4s, C-Classes and 3-Series’s as well.
I don’t get it, other than perhaps status and market segmentation.
I was in China a few weeks ago, and there are LWB versions of the 3 and 5 Series BMW lines, e.g., 335iL. You can see the difference if you look for it; the rear doors are clearly longer. I did see a few Cadillacs over there, including a new CTS, but Audi appears to dominate the luxury sedan market.
It’s a cool place for car/vehicle watching due to the enormous variety. The automall in Chengdu is absolutely enormous, unlike anything I’ve seen here because it includes marques available in the U.S., plus Peugeot, the Chinese marques, and others.
It means you can carry rear passengers in relative comfort, which is the opposite of the stupid product offered in the US where you are forced into a SUV/CUV for the privilege.
Thank you.
Forced. I feel that whenever I look for a bona fide wagon…you don’t always need a truck.
Thank you CAFE….
Is the CTS tooled up in China? If not it faces massive tariffs. Also, my understanding is the Chinese still have a fairly rigid “don’t drive as nice a car as your boss” social system.
Cadillac voiceover in television advertisement:
“Right now, well-qualified lessees can lease an ‘I’m coming with LENGTH, BRAH!’ Cadillac ATL-L for around $289 per month, with $875 due at lease signing.”
Ignoring the [hilarious] innuendo I think most of this comes from China’s ore rigid social structure. Basically, from what I understand in China it’s frowned upon to drive a car that’s as good as, much less nicer than, your boss’. So if you boss has a 5er/CTS/A6/E-class, then his underlings need to drive a 3er/ATS/A4/C-class. So the long wheelbase versions of the smaller cars let you have the rear seat of the next size class without stepping on your boss’ toes and driving a car as “nice” as his.
Does size really matter? And if it does, doesn’t girth count for more than length?
Are you asking for the return of Wide Trac?
That’s what she said.
Dang! Beat me to it!
Odd as well, they are implying the “pull zoom” finger motion you use on touch screen devices – which does not make things actually larger, only closer.
Vellum Venom: From above, the sharp hood creases continue naturally, and at that angle match up with the front corners of the sunroof.
They’d better lock that one down before Cialis tries to steal it……
Really though, why would something like this occur in China, independently I guess, and not here? Especially considering that the size issue could potentially torpedo the ATS’ value in the domestic market place. Really unusual.
Because they have manufacturing over there, and really no matter what size the sedan is, the Chinese want a LWB.
“The space in the back is more important than anything else.”
This one is right up there with other Engrish classics, such as “Biggest pussy in the cathouse”.
That was a Russ Meyer film, wasn’t it?
@koshchei – it is opposite for female anatomy. “Biggest” cat in the room is not what I’d want to spend my money on ;)
Jackie Treehorn.
For the Chinese market people tend to ride in the back so more rear leg room in a cheaper car is desirable.
Are you saying the Chinese want to get a good deal on enjoying as much length as possible through the back door?
Yes, Beavis, I believe so. If only we could get BS’s opinion on this topic…
Uh hu hu hu hu hu.
Yeah! I like to burn things!
@racer-esq.- you implying that this will be a great big pain in the ass for Cadillac?
The US market has always been manipulated to push you to a bigger car. Small cars were for folks who couldn’t afford big ones. Small meant cheap, slow, crude and noisy. When you grew up or got money, then you did what Detroit and god and Texas intended, you got a big car with road hugging weight, a proper V8, and soundproofing. You didn’t think the small car was noisy by accident, did you ?
Folks from Europe, where cars are taxed according to size/displacement, made other cars based on other rules.
The big car is now a truck, but the game remains the same.
Now, China shows us that the lack of six inches in the floorpan is intentional, in almost identical models to what we get.
Here in the US, better to force the family man to pony up bigger bucks for the next size up car. Never mind the cost of production is the same…the price certainty isn’t. Sorry that those kids have legs…you NEED a bigger car, er, truck…..
Correct sizing and no stupid naturally aspirated I4? Yep, this is the ATS Cadillac should have offered in the US.
China gets all the good GMs. Is this the cost of the end of American Hegemony? We did finally get the Skyline.
I think that GM is too worried about flaccid sales to ejaculate the ATS-L into North American dealerships.
I kill me. I kill myself.
You sure that’s not BTSR’s personal marketing slogan?
First it was “Chevy runs deep” and now Cadillac is “…coming with length”. Who is running their S&M? Beavis and Butthead. *facepalm*
Huhuhhuhuhhuhuhuh…S&M
Best. Car. Ad. Evar. Not only the slogan, but the “shocker” under the car. Priceless!
Also have to agree, the extra inches not only don’t hurt the car, they actually help it. The standard version looks kind of chopped off in the back.
+1 for firing the ‘shocker’ combined with your name.
China ATS: I’m coming with length.
US ATS: I’m coming without length.
Didn’t dodge have a similar campaign in the USA with the Durango? I seem to recall a commercial with 2 guys talking about length in the bathroom.
Here it is……..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtHYheUiQXE
funny.
How would this translate in Chinese?
Of all the (mostly juvenile) comments, no one raises the issue of how the extra length affects handling. Since these small sport sedans are tuned to the extreme for just the right balance, response and movement, merely adding a couple of inches has to create a whole different set of driving dynamics. If these long-wheelbase models are to satisfy a Chinese market for chauffer-driven cars, then the manufacturers may not be so concerned about producing ultimate driving machines, the best or nothing, truth in engineering or standard of the world.
@alexndr333 – you raise an interesting point (no pun intended). Adding length also adds weight. These 2 factors will affect the ride and handling. In theory the length and weight will reduce cornering prowess but improve ride and enhance straight line stability.
I doubt the John Holmes version would be a slug in the corners.
It would be ugly though
I think the metaphors are apt. It reflects the usual initially flaccid GM approach in a market that has lots of stiff competition.
Phrasing
Wouldn’t it make sense to offer the L version here too? One of the big complaints about the ATS is the lack of rear seat room (plus tiny trunk and CUE), at least they could address that issue with the L version. Then again, it is GM, we don’t get the Cruze hatchback or wagon, and we don’t get an ATS with a usable backseat.
“a usable backseat”………. is that in the traditional sense or in keeping with the mood of this thread?
Size queens…
@April – considering the innuendo exhibited in this thread, an avatar of a cute bunny with an axe is rather disturbing ;)
Her avatar makes me think of the Rabbit of Carebannog. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_of_Caerbannog But then I’m a Monty Python Geek.
Death awaits us all…with nasty big pointy teeth…
Death smiles on us all, all a man can do is smile back.
No worries. :)
Ah, yes, the “Extenz” package…
By the way, if you have Netflix they have a hilarious documentary called “Unhung Hero” about a guy who goes around the world looking at various…ahem…enhancement techniques. People do some CRAZY s**t for a bigger schlong.
How cum I keep forgetting how tall the Chinese are?
Come at me BRAh!
It should be obvious why china gets this (ahem) package.
Cadillac, the car that love you looooong time!
“the ATS-L is the car that we should have gotten all along.”
“Powertrains are the same as well, but only the 2.0T and 3.6L engines are available.”
This is very telling, IMO. The mindset is China matters, North America does not.
Sigh. How come we can’t have nice things.
This topic has been stroked to its climax with Nazi like precision and zeal.
I am wondering if the ATS-L chassis might be what we will see under the 2016 Camaro rather than the larger CTS chassis which could make the Camaro too heavy.