It was purpose-built for SCCA autocross.
Although the Cadillac ATS–V may be gone, it is not forgotten. The compact Caddy, available in sedan or coupe form, was a performance dynamo and easily outperformed the competition from BMW and Mercedes Benz. General Motors discontinued the ATS after the 2019 model year. However, a new report from Trucks indicates that the automaker isn’t letting it just fade away. Probably.
The Performance Driving Team is a group within GM. It’s a group of race enthusiasts and gearheads that spend their time racing. Right now, they have a Cadillac ATS-V sedan with 500 horsepower (373 kilowatts). The group has autocrossed with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) for the past few years. This year, the focus shifted to more prominent machines such as the Cadillac ATS-V. Camaro and Corvette to the hot-rod ATSV.
The team also added an anti-lag system that keeps the turbos revving. This is a great benefit for the low-speed twisting world of autocrossing. The car was also loaded with 250 pounds of sound dampening and stereo equipment. However, plans are underway to make it lighter. The suspension’s camber plates and springs have been upgraded, but the ATS-V still has its amazing Magnetic Ride shocks. The 315/30 18 inch tires are the highlight of these changes. They are so large that it required some modifications to the fender.
The ATS-V is already gone so there’s no chance of similar upgrades on a future model. We are not convinced that the successor to the ATS-V will get such an optional treatment. The CT4_V launched with 330 hp from a boosted 4-cylinder. However, we discovered that is not the real ATS-V successor. Camouflaged CT4 prototypes emitting a distinctive V6 yowl were spotted. So hopefully buyers will have at least a 400-hp compact Caddy to take on less ambitious autocrossing adventures.