The BMW 4-Series should be afraid, very afraid… Cadillac has just unveiled one of the first new direct rivals for it, the ATS Coupe that made its debut on the Detroit motor show floor.

Set to go on sale later in the summer, it was conceived “to be lighter, more agile and more engaging than its competitors, it extends Cadillac’s product-driven growth and the brand’s tradition of dynamic luxury coupes.” It also promises to be more agile than its four-door stable mates too.

Buyers in the US will have a choice of rear- or all-wheel drive and two engines at launch, the 2.0-liter turbo and 3.6-liter V6 from the four-door. However, the four-pot’s torque figure has been upped by 14 percent , and it now delivers 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque in conjunction with the same 272 hp; the V6 makes more power, at 321 hp, but less torque, being rated at 373 Nm (275 lb-ft).

Both motors come with a six-speed automatic gearbox as standard, but the turbo can be had with a manual too.

The ATS Coupe rides on the same wheelbase as the sedan, so room inside should be on par, with the inherent encroachment into rear headroom of the sloping roofline. There are bespoke touches, though, like the unique roof, rear fenders and trunk lid, plus the different front fascia and wider wheelarches that are necessary to accommodate the two-door’s wider track.

Judging from the photos below, the car has a particularly nice stance and continues the predictable yet pleasing Cadillac brand image rejuvenation – it looks like an expensive, premium car. That effect is strengthened by the tech it gets too, more specifically the optional LED headlights with Adaptive Forward Lighting.

It’s also worth noting that the ATS Coupe is the first production Cadillac to sport the brand’s redesigned logo without the classic wreath.

By Andrei Nedelea

PHOTO GALLERY