2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe priced from $37,995

Cadillac has released pricing details on its new-for-2014 ATS Coupe. The new model, which will be available with buyer's choice of a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder or a 3.6-liter V6 (the ATS Sedan's base 2.5 won't be making the trip) can be had with optional all-wheel-drive in place of the standard rear-wheel setup, while customers can also snag a six-speed manual or six-speed auto.

Prices start at $37,995, which represents a $2,900 premium over the 2014 ATS Sedan (pricing on the 2015 four-door isn't available yet) with the same 2.0-liter engine. Still, the ATS Coupe starts at just over $2,500 less than a base BMW 428i, which is also less powerful and offers less standard equipment. The Caddy is also less costly than the Mercedes-Benz C250 Coupe, although only by about $200. It's even cheaper than the Audi A5, which starts at $38,105, but that model includes all-wheel drive as standard. It should be noted that these prices are without their respective destination charges (*$995 for the Caddy, $925 each for the BMW and the Mercedes and $895 for the Audi).

Unfortunately, Cadillac hasn't released any additional pricing information beyond what we have here, so we can't tell you how much things like all-wheel drive, an automatic transmission or the 321-horsepower V6 will cost. That makes it difficult to figure out just how reasonable the ATS Coupe will be relative to its challengers, but so far, the value equation looks to be in the car's favor. When those full details roll in, though, you know where to look. Scroll down for the official press release from Cadillac.

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Cadillac dealers get $5,000 incentive for ELR test drives

The 530 Cadillac dealers - out of 940 total dealers - that signed on to sell the brand's ELR for $75,000 or lease it for $699 per month have managed to move 247 of them in the last five months. That's a little less than two cars for each dealer more than two dealers for each car if you need help with the math. With inventories of the luxury plug-in hybrid building up - Automotive News reports a 725-day supply - General Motors has created the Demonstrator Allowance Program to billow the sails on that slow moving ship, giving dealers $5,000 to promote ELR test drives.

A dealer with one ELR in its test fleet that racks up 750 test driven miles between May 1 and June 2 earns the fifty Benjamins, a dealer with two ELRs in the test fleet will get one hundred Benjamins. That will be added to summer incentives for dealers that pay $2,000 for units sold in July and $1,000 for units sold in August, while on the customer side, Cadillac has put "customer discount certificates" worth $3,000 on the hood for buyers and lessees.

Cadillac suggests this is about raising awareness of the ELR, but the question is how much dealers will be able to do for a car that observers - and buyers, apparently - still consider highly overpriced.
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Is Cadillac working on an ELR-V? [w/video]

Could it be? Could Cadillac be working on an even higher-end version of its ELR plug-in hybrid? Well, General Motors' Executive Vice President Mark Reuss has gone on record as... well, not saying much. The exec was more than a bit coy on video (which you can view below) when asked about the idea of an ELR-V, although he did say that Cadillac was looking at "expanding the tuning envelope" for its plug-in coupe. What that means could be hinted at in these spy photos.

Cadillac is certainly up to something with this little red ELR. As is often the case, it's the car's enhanced brakes that give it away. Bigger binders are a telltale sign of sportier aspirations, and it's safe to say that rule applies with the ELR. The larger rotors and four-piston Brembo calipers are sourced from the Buick Regal GS, which we imagine would be plenty to bring the high-priced hybrid to a halt.

Obscuring those rotors and calipers are larger, double-armed five-spoke wheels. And, according to our spies, hiding behind that camouflage is a new grille. Outside of those two items, though, there's not much aesthetic change.

Perhaps the biggest hint that Cadillac is looking at a more potent ELR is the vehicle this car was being tested with - a Tesla Model S. The poster-child for the EV movement is a known performer, so it'd make sense that Cadillac is benchmarking this car against it.

Despite these bits of evidence, though, we're still far from convinced. Building an ELR-V seems to go against everything Cadillac is trying to do with both the ELR and the V range. Instead, we're betting this will become a VSport, following in the footsteps of the new CTS VSport.

That could explain the new brakes as well as the aesthetic changes, but not necessarily the Model S being tested alongside it - we suppose it's possible that GM could add a bit of grunt to the ELR's powertrain.

Continue reading Is Cadillac working on an ELR-V? [w/video]

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Cadillac bids farewell to CTS-V Coupe with special edition

With the introduction of the latest Cadillac CTS, we knew it would only be a matter of time before a new CTS-V would come along. Now General Motors has revealed that the next CTS-V will arrive sometime next year, but before it does, the company is sending off the outgoing coupe with a special edition.

For 2015, the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe will come in a limited edition of 500 units decked out with a dark grille treatment, satin-finish wheels, red brake calipers and an upgraded cabin. The interior is decked out Recaro seats trimmed in black with red stitching, Midnight Sapele wood trim, metal pedals and a microsuede-trimmed steering wheel and shifter.

Buyers will be able to opt for white, gray or optional black exterior paint, an available sunroof and a six-speed transmission in either manual or automatic configuration. Of course, the 6.2-liter supercharged V8 comes standard with 556 horsepower, as does Magnetic Ride Control and brakes by Brembo.
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GM offers employee pricing to owners of recalled vehicles

Owners affected by the General Motors ignition switch recall are getting even an better incentive to return to its brands for their next new car. The automaker says that these drivers can now get employee pricing on its models. Previously, GM was only offering them a $500 discount if they bought a new 2013 to 2015 vehicle.

According to GM spokesperson Jim Cain speaking to Autoblog, the company has been offering the incentive to affected owners for about a month. But it purposefully isn't advertising it or disclosing volumes. "We want to give dealers as many tools as they need to satisfy customers," he said. Buyers get employee pricing on 2013 to 2015 models, which is a certain percentage below dealer invoice, and it replaces the previous $500 offer. It will be available throughout the duration of the recall.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the original $500 enticement wasn't enough to bring buyers back to showrooms. Many of the roughly 2.6 million affected vehicles are on their second or third owners, and they might not be able to afford a new car.

GM's recall campaign for the ignition switches began in April. Cain said the effort is going as planned. Delphi is running multiple shifts for replacement parts and may add a second or third production line. The company expects to have a majority of vehicles repaired by October. In the meantime, affected drivers can take advantage of free loaners while their car is serviced.
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The Obama Car: Chromed Cadillac CTS

While he might be the man of the people, Barack Obama is still a president, so whenever he wants to go out for a stroll, he does so in his armour plated Cadillac. It has guns, plating its own oxygen and even a night-vision camera.

This is probably NOT Obama's car, but it's so interesting that it might as well be. The owner of this Cadillac CTS Coupe had it chromed out, so now, it looks like a brand new nickel. Plastered over the passenger side door is a photo of him from Time magazine and the "Forward" messing from President Obama’s new re-election campaign slogan.

Who needs guns when America has cars like these. Now all we need to do is feed the homeless!

Photos via acidcow.com

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Cadillac ELR, Nissan Resonance and Ford Atlas win Eyes on Design awards

This year's annual Eyes on Design awards were presented at the end of press days for the Detroit Auto Show on Tuesday. Given out for the best production and concept car designs that debuted at the show, and voted on by an esteemed panel of actual car designers, this year's award for best production vehicle design went to the 2014 Cadillac ELR. The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette, which was the show favorite among Autoblog editors, apparently did not impress the Eyes on Design judges enough with its all-new vent-festooned design.

The award for best concept design was actually split as a tie among the Nissan Resonance and Ford Atlas concepts. Last year's winners were the 2013 Ford Fusion and the Lexus LF-LC concept.

The Eyes on Design organization also presented a new honor this year called the Catalyst Award to Bob Lutz, former Vice Chairman of General Motors. Lutz is reported to have given a defense of design in his acceptance speech, arguing that advancements in quality across the industry as a whole have made good design a key differentiator for buyers.

News Source: The New York Times

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