It's a shame Cadillac doesn't seem to be able to make its brand work in Europe because this, the new ATS saloon, looks (at least on paper) to be a seriously credible rival to the BMW 3 Series.
And the ATS should banish all bad memories of the last attempt Cadillac made at a compact premium saloon - the deeply underwhelming BLS, which was based on the already-aged Saab 9-3.
This time around, Cadillac's 3 Series rival is built on all-new rear-wheel drive architecture (though there is also the option of four-wheel drive), and sugars this with multi-link independent rear suspension (Cadillac's first) and double-pivot MacPherson struts at the front.
Power will initially come from a 200hp 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, a thoroughly pokey-sounding 270hp 2.0-litre turbo and a 318hp 3.6-litre V6. All engines get direct inject injection and variable valve timing and are coupled to a six-speed Tremec manual or an in-house six-speed torque converter auto.
Cadillac hasn't confirmed whether the new car is destined for sale in the UK, but it has, we're told, planned the car for right-hand drive. A range of diesel engines for the ATS are also on the way, so even if the ATS does make it to Blighty don't expect it to arrive until the oil-burners join the line-up.
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