Skip to main content

Cadillac whets appetites for the 2016 ATS-V with the ATS-V.R racer

Cadillac isn’t quite ready to revealed its steroidal 2016 ATS-V, but it’s offering a major tease in the form of the ATS-V.R race car.

Unveiled at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, the ATS-V.R is the track-going counterpart to the ATS-V, which will debut at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show later this week.

Based on the ATS Coupe, the ATS-V.R is built to FIA GT3 specifications, meaning it can race in a wide variety of series for production-based cars around the world.

Power comes courtesy of a tuned version of the 3.6-liter twin-turbocharged V6 used in the larger CTS Vsport. In this case, though, it makes up to 600 horsepower and 520 pound-feet of torque. Output may be restricted based on the rules of specific race series.

The engine uses the same aluminum block and heads as production versions, and is lashed to a six-speed sequential gearbox.

The rest of the car gets leaner and meaner bodywork, including a carbon fiber hood, deck lid, doors, and fenders that have been enlarged to house bigger wheels and tires.

There are also the requisite aerodynamic aids for keeping the ATS-V.R glued to the track, and plenty of ducting and vents to facilitate cooling.

The interior is stripped of all of its luxuries and fitted with an eight-point roll cage. No CUE infotainment system here.

Cadillac hasn’t said exactly where the ATS-V.R will race, but it currently campaigns the outgoing CTS-V Coupe in the Pirelli World Challenge.

That series sees everything from Lamborghini Gallardos to Kia Optimas duking it out on the track, and the ATS would be a great addition to the mayhem. It’s also possible that the new car will race overseas as Cadillac works to build up its credibility in Europe.

It’ll also make for some great publicity photos once the street-legal ATS-V arrives. Available in both coupe and sedan forms, it’s expected to pack a similar 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6, but with a less ferocious 420 hp.

Check back here for more on the ATS-V later this week as we roll through our 2014 L.A. Auto Show coverage.

Editors' Recommendations

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Cadillac aims to balance its lineup with a small electric SUV
Exterior of the Cadillac Optiq compact electric SUV.

Cadillac will add an entry-level electric SUV to its lineup in 2024.

The Cadillac Optiq is a "luxury compact SUV" slotting below the Lyriq in the brand's EV hierarchy. Photos released with the brief announcement show styling features that tie the Optiq to the larger Lyriq, such as split taillights, but other details won't be released until closer to the Optiq's launch.

Read more
Why your EV’s voltage matters, and what it means for your car’s charging speed
Front three-quarters view of a 2023 Kia EV6 GT in a desert setting.

Electric cars are slowly, but surely becoming commonplace, and they introduce a whole new generation of specifications that are worth caring about. Range is an obvious one -- but there's another metric that has a major impact on the overall experience of owning an electric car: voltage.

You'll often see the voltage of an electric car's battery pack touted in advertising. Hyundai, for instance, is proud of the 800 -volt battery in cars like the EV6 -- that's double the voltage of the 400V battery in the Tesla Model Y.

Read more
This Milwaukee tire inflator is 59% off in Amazon’s Black Friday Sale
Milwaukee M18 Inflator connected to a van tire.

One of the most rewarding parts of covering Black Friday deals is finding an essential tool at a truly low price that can help our readers get out of a jam. Such is the way with this Milwaukee M18 Inflator, which will inflate your tires to a precise PSI at the touch of a button. This device is perfect for people that already own one of Milwaukee's M18 tool batteries, which is what it uses, but (we'll soon see) it is also a fantastic entry point into using Milwaukee cordless power tools. Normally the Milwaukee M18 Inflator is $310, but you can get one now for $128. That's a savings of $182. Tap the button below to grab one quickly, while they're still in stock, or keep reading for why we like it.

Why you should buy the Milwaukee M18 Inflator
First and foremost, the Milwaukee M18 Inflator provides an easy way for you to inflate your tires in a pinch or awkward situation. It is particularly great for the tires of riding lawnmowers. They tend to be awkward to get to the gas station or other place where you traditionally inflate tires and would be a pain to hand inflate. Usage of the machine is simple. Insert an M18 Milwaukee battery, set the desired PSI for the deflated tire, connect to the tire and wait until it is done inflating. The Milwaukee M18 Inflator will stop pumping air automatically once the ideal PSI is achieved. When you're done, the Milwaukee M18 Inflator is small and easy to tuck away, being about the size of a lunchbox.

Read more