First drive: 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe in the UAE

The Cadillac ATS sedan that was launched a couple of years ago was the General’s answer to the BMW 3-Series. And at least in terms of chassis dynamics, it had succeeded. Now there’s a coupe version. We briefly took one for a spin recently.

With sharp edges and restrained amounts of chrome, the ATS Coupe is a pretty car. It does not look a whole lot different than the sedan in overall profile, but it’s apparently longer, lower and wider by a bit.

Inside, the coupe shares its dashboard design with its four-door counterpart, with a mix of stitched-leather padding, alcantara, debatable carbon-fibre and metallic trim pieces. We appreciated the generous use of padded surfaces not only on the doors, but also on several lower panels as well as in the rear passenger compartment, both areas which certain other carmakers sometimes skimp on.

In terms of space, it’s perfectly fine up front, but rear passengers will struggle to slip in back there and taller passengers won’t feel very comfortable. The boot is also decidedly average in every dimension except length.

Tech features that stuck in our minds during the short test-drive were the cool heads-up display and the responsive touchscreen. The rest was too complicated to get into, whether using the overkill of buttons on the steering wheel or the distracting touch-panel buttons on the centre-console. We assume both get easier to use with time.

The ATS Coupe drives well, with responsive steering that even offers more feedback than any of its rivals, and a platform that’s as stable as any class-leading BMW. It rides a smidge firmly and allows in a bit too much road noise for a luxury car, but it’s compliant enough for the daily slog.

With a 320 hp 3.6-litre V6 under the hood, there’s no shortage of power as well. What it lacks in is low-end torque. At a time when the Germans have upped their game with monstrously-torquey turbo-sixers, the ATS Coupe, just like coupes from Lexus and Infiniti, lag behind with naturally-aspirated motors that build up power linearly rather than offering that rocketship kick only a direct-injected turbo engine can provide. Also, mated with a somewhat-hesitant 6-speed automatic in “normal” mode, it needs to always be in “sport” mode to cash the cheque that its chassis is writing.

As such, the ATS Coupe is a perfectly good sports coupe that’s got the driving dynamics nailed, but will need a more modern 6-cylinder powertrain offering to match up with the ever-evolving competition. However, we’re told V-Series models are coming here in good time, while this V6 version’s price-point is largely competitive with its direct Japanese rivals, and lower than its equivalent German competitors. It’s a fine effort as it is.

For prices and specs, visit the Cadillac ATS Coupe buyer guide.