bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

apparently it does?

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2012/09/...with-purchase/

Mr Johnson

They aren't fogs and they don't come on every model. You have to reach level 3 of their 4 level branding (Luxury or Performance, I forget which) before you get the DRL lights down there.

LexFather

I don't even understand why the GS F-sport was mentioned in the first place? Why?

Is it ATS competiton? No
Is the F-sport a base model that is being cheap not to include fogs? No
Do other cars not have fog lamps? Yes (A6, M5, M3, yadda yadda)

So why is the GS F-sport singled out? Some cars like the ATS and base ILX are being cheap wads not including fogs in bottom line spec. This is not the case with the GS since the base/luxury/hybrid model (75% of sales) have fogs and for whatever reason, Lexus did not want fogs on the F-sport here. Should we complain Ferrari and Lamborghini don't have fogs either? No, b/c they don't have fogs for other reasons, its not to be cheap.

natnut

Don't forget too that Japan gets fogs for their GS F-Sports. Seems like excluding fogs for the GS F-Sport is a styling decision for the overseas (non-JDM) markets.

Haitwun

Esquire magazine did a pretty extensive review of the ATS. The writer seems ecstatic that the ATS is a luxury car built in America and that the build quality if finally on par with the rest of the automotive industry.

http://www.esquire.com/features/cars...ck=mid#slide-1

chikoo

Sounds like the GM bean counters are back in control. Too bad.

Fizzboy7

They never really left. All one needs to do is look at the rear of the updated 2013 GMC Envoy to find rehashed Saturn Outlook lights and GM is now pushing the defunct Saturn Vue into car rental agencies under Chevy guise. This is the old GM that peeks through here and there. It's a bit annoying and a lot of people are fooled.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

all vendors have bean counters with varying degrees of control on various models at various times. i think the ATS is an awesome car!

fob2000

I test drove the ATS yesterday while waiting for my car to get serviced. Here are my overall impressions:

Disclosure: I've had a 2002 IS300, currently drive a 2005 Acura TL & 2009 Cadillac Escalade. In the market to replace my TL.

Dealer Impressions
I test drove the car at Sewell Cadillac in Grapevine, TX. The sales guy were very helpful and greeted me and answered my questions. Like the previous poster, since the car is so new it took them about 10 minutes to find the car keys. They were very helpful and made sure I had everything to make me comfortable (coffee, drinks, water, etc.). I would expect this from a Luxury Dealership.

ATS Interior Impressions
When I first got into the car, I noticed everything was black. CUE was off, center console was black, steering wheel buttons black. In fact, I thought I was in an unfinished test model because I didn't see any of the dials. However, once I started the car, everything lit up, including the controls on the steering wheel. It reminded me of KITT from Knight Rider who could dim his dashboard to "hide things". Overall I was impressed with the layout.

The leather was nice, although I don't think it was up to Lexus standards. However, there was plenty of stitching even on the dash. According to the dealer they can customize the color combinations of the dash and leather - something that is really seen more in German cars. The seats were extremely comfortable; however, it lacks cooled seats. That's really necessary in Texas where I live. Not a deal breaker for me - but close.

Back seat was pretty tight. I would say it's on par with an IS350, but definintely not as much room as an ES350. Didn't check out the trunk space or fold seats, etc.

CUE Impressions
Ok - I'll admit I was skeptic, but I came away pretty impressed. First of all, I applaud Cadillac to sticking with the touch interface. I hate all the **** controls and to this day prefer to touch what I see on the screen. One of the really cool features is that when you move your hand close to the screen, additional controls show up. Then when you move away it cleans up the interface.

I was also able to sync my phone via Bluetooth. I have a Nokia and it couldn't download my contacts; however, pretty much everything else worked. I was able to take calls, answer texts via voice, and stream my audio via Bluetooth - which was really cool because it also displayed song/artist information and I could control it via the steering wheel. However, swiping and selecting menu items on the CUE interface is a little laggy compared to an iPhone or Windows Phone. However, Android users will feel right at home with the screen lag. :-)

One thing I didn't like about the CUE was the navigation was always in "night mode" with a black backround and lack of street names. I prefer the current Acura/Lexus/Cadillac navigation to CUE.

Also, the HAVAC and volume controls on the center console are also touch. However, you slide your finger left and right for volume control instead of touching up and down. A little more intuitive - but I still prefer a ****. Audio quality was great - very impressive. I came away feeling that I was really in a luxury car, not a rebadged GM with pastic everywhere.

Driving Impressions
I drove the Performance V6 model. This had the big engine without the magnetic riding control (MRC). The sales associate was quick to point out safety features. I put the car in reverse and started backing up, and sure enough the seat vibrated to warn me. Some people think this is a gimick, I think it would actually work. The car started up with a nice sound, and we took the car around the block and on the highway.

Handling is crisp and nimble. The car feels light and responsive to my controls. Breaking was very good as well, and I was VERY SUPRISED at how well the suspension handled bumps, even without the MRC. I left traction control on so I didn't try to peel out, but I did drive the car very agressively and took it up to 95 on a feeder heading onto an onramp to the highway. No doubt the car is very fast, but it didn't "feel" as fast as a BMW 335. We drove for at least 20 - 30 minutes and when we were done I could easily see how I would be comfortable with this as my daily driver.

Let me also note that the instrument cluster is a bit crowded. Because there is a large section devoted for the cue CUE display, it takes away from the MPG clusterand Tachometer. In fact, the MPG cluster is a half circle - which just didn't seem right to me. I guess I still miss the chronograph layout from the original IS300, which is still my favorite of all time.

Final Impressions
I'm not 100% sold yet, but this car is definintely on my list to replace my TL. I'm concerned about the backseat space (I have two small kids but adults would be an issue), lack of cooled seats, and depreciation; however, I was very impressed with the drivetrain, suspension, and CUE. In fact, I really liked the CUE more than I thought I would with the exception of navigation.

As far as concerns about lack of fog lights, etc. Cadillac has multiple models it is selling for multiple segments. The low end 2.5 model is destined for the loan car/rental car market IMO. And really exists only so Cadillac can claim such a small starting price point. But as you move up to the Premium/Performance specs (which is what they will produce for buyers) all those goodies are included. I still think that Lexus/Acura/Infiniti are best when it comes to practical luxury and including all the options. The Cadillac customization slots between the Japanese and German builds. Anyone who has ever priced out a base BMW/Mercedes and then add options knows what I'm talking about.