Spy Photos: Rear-Drive GM Caught. Is this the Cadillac ATS?

I hope it's the ATS. Also, that picture of the front of the XTS with Brembos? Does that mean there will be an XTS-V? That would be a halo car for sure. But I'm more excited about an ATS, specifically an ATS-V. I am dying for a CTS-V right now, but really it's a bit larger than what I really want or need. So I would gladly take a smaller car with maybe a little more oomph than a Camaro SS (you wouldn't want to be slower than a Camaro or M3).

Unlikely. Buick Lucerne was one of our first guesses here but that will, probably, ride on a Zeta II platform with a wheelbase less than the G8's 118" one. This car is simply too small for that. We think.-mm

Exactly what I was thinking. Or they're just going Brembo from the start because A) They've got some Brembo contracts already and B) It would be awesome to have them in the XTS portfolio from the "entry" level.

@smilez:

I doubt that's what this is. The C pillar's shape isn't right. It flares too broadly at the base, with no curve for the copycat "Hofmeister kink" of the Commodore.

Well the way I understood the XTS concept was that it was supposed to be the American luxobarge of the future powerful and fuel efficient, I doubt they would make a V out of it. But I do think Cadillac understands that they need to give the buying public reasons to pay the extra money for the Cadillac over it's excellent platform mate Buick Lacrosse. Brembo brakes are a nice place to start.

As for our mystery car, my guess is if it is the size of a 3er it must be the ATS.

To long for the Zeta II? Perhaps a Caddy body riding on a Camaro platform?

these pics are like a month or two old

The ATS seems like a good guess. Shouldn't GM be showing a concept soon? NYC perhaps?

I hope they come up with a new name. ATS just sounds stupid.

Sharp angled C-pillar? Check. Ducktail stoplamp spoiler? Check = Cadillac - ATS is the best guestimate.

GM Authority called this as a Zeta-based car. Autoblog (who originally posted these shots) and C&D said it was the XTS. At first I thought it was Zeta-based, but now I'm not so sure. It clearly isn't the XTS, though, unless GM was trolling us with the XTS Concept.

@Mike Magrath: the G8 wheelbase was 114.8". The 118" wheelbase is the Caprice/Statesmen.

Absolutely right on the G8 wheelbase; I misread my chart. It could be Zeta-based but that would put it at Camaro (112.3 wheelbase ) / CTS (113.4 wheelbase -- but on Sigma) size and that seems unlikely. My gut says this is Alpha.

Re GM trolling us with XTS concept: Check the other spy photo of the clearly FWD (or AWD, clearly Cadillac spy photo with the huge front overhang. Different car. That one's got to be XTS and confirm's GM's plans.
-mm

@Magrath. Aren't you supposed to be partying (or chaperoning) in Vegas?

The last time Edmunds knew anything about future products was, oh right, never.

It is the XTS, I'm not guessing.

@iver_builder, you're saying the XTS will be rear wheel-drive. Seriously?

First Off:

HAS ANYONE VER THOUGHT THIS MIGHT JUST BE THE NEXT GENERATION CTS?

HAS ANYONE THOUGHT THAT THIS MIGHT BE A 5 SERIES COMPETITOR TO SLOT IN BETWEEN THE XTS AND CTS?

Second:

If you look at the other prototypes on the left of the Caddy, you see the Chevrolet Orlando. It might be hard to tell, but the large front bulkiness kinda of proves it.

The vehicle on the far left looks to be a Malibu. It sounds nuts, but the camo's grille shape matches that of a Chevrolet. The front end seems too small to be an SUV or crossover so it is most likely a sedan.

Hey, maybe it is a coupe version for the Cruze? Maybe a model to slot in between the Impala and Malibu? Or maybe it is a new Buick to slot in between the Verano and Regal.

Of course it's the ATS! What other GM brand has squared off green houses besides Cadillac? It looks great in proportion. I'm sure the interior is up to par as well. But it better handle at least as well as the MB C-class. The future of Cadillac is riding on this car, because with its introduction, the CTS is moving up market, and the ATS would become the bread and butter seller. It can't get here soon enough.

Buick doesn't need anymore sedans. 3 is enough, and the Lacrosse is big and luxurious enough. Buick would be stepping into Cadillac territory with a rwd sedan.

Also, I didn't know that the XTS was for sure going into production. A proper rwd flagship is supposed to appear in dealerships in 2014 or 2015. I guess GM thought they needed a hold over, which makes sense because what is Cadillac without a full size sedan?

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this is your next CTS and that yes, the platform will be shared with Chevy and Holden. I have heard and it MUST come true that the Camaro must lose at least 400-500 lbs ASAP. That way a smaller engine could be used and more MPG but same performance.

My guess is this car is the sedan version of this platform and that they'll spread the costs over a few models and that it's going to be great. I have a G8 and it has no flaws that a diet and a more efficient power-train wouldn't fix.

That V-shaped light/spoiler on top of the trunk lid seems indicative of a Cadillac, not to mention the angular tail lights and the Cadillac looking front end. The wheels also seem to match the current Cadillac designs, especially the ones used on the current SRX. Considering that this is a RWD Cadillac with a 3-series wheelbase there seems to be little possibility that it is anything other than the ATS. Especially if because the ATS is supposed to come out before the next CTS. If you watch the Ed Whitacre GM ad, the ATS in the ad appears to match this prototype. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ENsIVtFOJo&feature=relmfu)

Also, what is that car in the third picture, two cars to the left of the XTS?

That car is GMX 351. (Malibu)

Looks like between car and driver and IL, no one really knows what this car is. This is good for GM. They have us pretty confused right now.

A new CTS should be due soon and it looks alot like one so....it probably is. Doesn't look like it is sub-CTS in size at all.

@Mike Magrath: You're right, I completely forgot about that last picture. My bad.

In any case, all we can do right now is speculate and hope that this car (the rear-drive one) is spied again, hopefully near a current sedan (GM or otherwise) with known dimensions that we can use for comparison.

A few things: Most other sources are pretty certain GM will be bringing back the G8 as a Chevy.

And supposedly in addition to the XTS there might be a proper RWD replacement for the STS and DTS. If the math is wrong here and this really is a large car, then this could be that car.

Isn't it too rounded to be a Caddy? I like the idea of a better looking CTS, but seems unlikely

Here's what i know so far as im on holiday in OZ right now and here's some tidbits from some articles in wheel's magazine i've seen.

GM is claimed to be shifting the Zeta II platform from melbourne to detroit to help with development of the next gen Camaro/Commodore/Caprice . ZetaII is gonna be 100kg lighter also... Secondly there's word of a commodore based chev impala which makes sense considering GM will already have the Caprice PPV In the US (which is a long wheelbase version of commodore). All it would takes is a few badge changes as GM did for Pontiac. I've seen Holden test mules exactly like this and by the look of the pic this would be one of the three mentioned platforms of Zeta or possibly ZetaII. We all won't know for sure for a few months.