Cadillac is looking at high-performance derivatives beyond its current portfolio, brand executives said at the recent media launch of the ATS-V in Texas.
-Cadillac currently offers a sedan and a coupe version of the 464-hp ATS-V; in the fall, the 640-hp CTS-V will be added. But that's not enough.
-Asked whether Cadillac was considering a sharper, even more aggressive variation of the ATS-V in the mold of the Mercedes-AMG Black Series models, chief engineer David Leone had this to say: "We might have something down the road that is a little bit more aggressive." Another source said that such a model could come to market by 2017.
-Leone also spoke about all-wheel drive and dual-clutch automatic transmissions. Both technologies were considered for the ATS-V, but ultimately dismissed. A dual-clutch 'box "would have been significantly heavier and more expensive, with no faster response time." He said that Cadillac did not just look at making such a transmission internally, but that they also looked at buying them. "They carry a certain mystique," says Leone, "but it wasn't worth it."
-On all-wheel drive, Leone said that Cadillac found it would have added 190 to 200 pounds—all at the front wheels. "It adds understeer and takes away from the precision feel," he says. No thanks.
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Down the road, Cadillac will add further V models. Says the brand's global marketing director Jim Vurpillat: "There will be eight new entries in five new segments over the next few years, and we can see a V-series in one or two of those." That's on top of the Vsport models, which may be extend to include several additional Cadillacs, including the CT6 and perhaps even the Escalade.
-from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/nSHy27
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