Cadillac Taking Some Lessons From BMW For The ATS

[William Maley]

Cadillac Taking Some Lessons From BMW For The ATS

William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

May 16, 2011

Cadillac wants the ATS to succeed badly not only in North America, but worldwide. So they're are studying the big dog in the compact luxury class; the BMW 3-Series.

According to Autoblog, GM has brought in various 3-Series models and stripped them down to their bare metal. The reason; to figure out what makes the 3-Series tick and how they can implement it into the ATS. It makes you wonder why didn't they think of this sooner, but no better time is better than the present. Hopefully, GM takes what they learn from tear downs and utilize this in developing other vehicles.

Source: Autoblog

[Drew Dowdell]

Isn't it a bit late for that? There are mules running around already....

[smk4565]

Should have copied the 3-series 20 years ago. Copying the 3-series is a good idea, but at the same time, the copy is never as good as the original. So Cadillac has to come up with something unique and better than what BMW has. While keeping in mind that the ATS won't be against the current 3-series, but the next generation, although even after 5 or 6 years on the market, the E90 3-series is still the best car in the class.

[balthazar]

GM has been tearing down competitors vehicles since before anyone else ever did.

I'll not make any further comment here WRT implementation, just pointing that fact out.

[CanadianBacon94]

Should have copied the 3-series 20 years ago. Copying the 3-series is a good idea, but at the same time, the copy is never as good as the original. So Cadillac has to come up with something unique and better than what BMW has. While keeping in mind that the ATS won't be against the current 3-series, but the next generation, although even after 5 or 6 years on the market, the E90 3-series is still the best car in the class.

on the other hand maybe they aren't doing an exact copy but just seeing what they are up against and trying to step it up a notch.

and if the new three is going the way of BMW lately it will be heavier and less sporty

[William Maley]

GM has been tearing down competitors vehicles since before anyone else ever did.

I'll not make any further comment here WRT implementation, just pointing that fact out.

True..

[Lamar]

I see it as this.

GM won't be copying anything BMW does with the 3er.

Instead, they're seeing (or they have seen... the AB post doesn't say when they first started with the 3er teardown) what's good with the BMW and how they (Caddy) can be even better at it.

Others have said that the main component being studied was the suspension.

[Z-06]

To me this is no-news. Benchmarking is done by every auto manufacturer.

No matter how less value for money 3er has become, when it comes to handling and dynamics it is on top of the pack till it cedes that crown to the ATS.

[Drew Dowdell]

To me this is no-news. Benchmarking is done by every auto manufacturer.

No matter how less value for money 3er has become, when it comes to handling and dynamics it is on top of the pack till it cedes that crown to the ATS.

indeed - Hyundai was very annoying with their competitive intelligence folks in NYC. They were the first into the Malibu and the journos couldn't get in.

[ZL-1]

Yeah everybody benchmarks against something. But if what is reported on "the other GM fan website" about the Alpha program development is true, then I really don't know what to expect when the cars come out.

[Drew Dowdell]

He's saying that Alpha is going to crest 4,000lbs?

uh... that's V6 AWD Lacrosse territory... (or base 5-series)

grains of salt....

[Robert Hall]

He's saying that Alpha is going to crest 4,000lbs?

uh... that's V6 AWD Lacrosse territory... (or base 5-series)

grains of salt....

Well, this is GM we are talking about..I'd expect it to be at least 500lbs heavier than the competition, that's the Detroit way...

[Z-06]

He's saying that Alpha is going to crest 4,000lbs?

uh... that's V6 AWD Lacrosse territory... (or base 5-series)

grains of salt....

General Bob said that he wanted the ATS to be very light and nimble. The car is very much his brain child. Alpha will be the first GM platform to use high-strength materials all around.

Another thing Alpha is flexible, cresting at 4,000 lbs means that larger vehicles build on that platform may weigh up to 4,000 lbs.

[Drew Dowdell]

I could see a CTS build on Alpha getting up to that weight... but not the ATS.

[FAPTurbo]

Yeah everybody benchmarks against something. But if what is reported on "the other GM fan website" about the Alpha program development is true, then I really don't know what to expect when the cars come out.

It's probably just a beefed up Alpha platform that will underpin the Blue Devil mule.

[smk4565]

He's saying that Alpha is going to crest 4,000lbs?

uh... that's V6 AWD Lacrosse territory... (or base 5-series)

grains of salt....

The 528i weighs 3814 lbs, which is heavy, but not LaCrosse weight. The 528i also gets 32 mpg from a six cylinder. GM has 4-bangers that can't get 32 mpg. 535i will top 4,000 lbs, I think they made the 5-series too big, why make it bigger than it was, although now it is closer to the XF and A6 in size.

I'm looking forward to when the XF gets on an aluminum chassis and gets the weight way down. Safety regs are killing new cars with weight gain. I'd like to see Cadillac build sedans off an aluminum chassis, but if they have to platform share with Chevy, Chevy can't get priced needed to offset aluminum.

[dwightlooi]

He's saying that Alpha is going to crest 4,000lbs?

uh... that's V6 AWD Lacrosse territory... (or base 5-series)

grains of salt....

The 528i weighs 3814 lbs, which is heavy, but not LaCrosse weight. The 528i also gets 32 mpg from a six cylinder. GM has 4-bangers that can't get 32 mpg. 535i will top 4,000 lbs, I think they made the 5-series too big, why make it bigger than it was, although now it is closer to the XF and A6 in size.

I'm looking forward to when the XF gets on an aluminum chassis and gets the weight way down. Safety regs are killing new cars with weight gain. I'd like to see Cadillac build sedans off an aluminum chassis, but if they have to platform share with Chevy, Chevy can't get priced needed to offset aluminum.

Engine size is not really as important as weight and aerodynamics. A 3.6 liter Camaro is 30 mpg on the freeway. That's close to a 528. The biggest difference being the Hydramatic 6-speed auto having a narrower ratio spread than the ZF 8-speed. A taller cruising ratio can easily bridge the gap.