2016 Cadillac ATS-V: Up Close

The ATS-V coupe marks when the Cadillac ATS lineup found its look. To me, the regular ATS sedan is decent looking but not as interesting as the current- or previous-generation CTS sedan. As for Cadillac coupes, I’ve been hard to please. The regular one is too bland, though I’ve also criticized the CTS coupe as going too far – slab-sided, and with a rear end that’s also a bit slabby and whose boat-tail shape is trying too hard.

Related: More 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show Coverage

The V-Series treatment certainly makes the new 2016 ATS-V sedan look more interesting, but it’s on the ATS-V coupe where the flared fenders, more aggressive nose and tail, and the various cooling and aerodynamic changes bring the canvas of blandness to life.

Because I’m not completely vulgar, though, I’d recommend a darker paint color because the contrast between the show car’s semigloss white paint and all the dark venty bits makes the car look a little more juvenile than the average BMW M4 shopper is likely to embrace. And let’s not pretend there’s a shopper Cadillac cares as much about.

The interior works, too. If you’ve liked the faux-suede-wrapped steering wheel and shifter in other V-Series Caddies (as I do), you’ll like them here. After a brief sit, I also liked the optional Recaro-brand sport seats, but I suspect opinions will vary from one driver to the next, as they often do when it comes to sport seats.

Though the ATS-Vs employ additional bracing, Cadillac says there’s no difference in cabin or trunk volume, and the folding backseat is retained.

One thing I wish were more pleasing to the eye is the engine. It’s mostly covered up, and maybe there’s not much to see, but having driven a version of this engine in the CTS Vsport, I’ve come to romanticize it as a thing of beauty.

Cars.com photos by Evan Sears

2016 Cadillac ATS-V: First Look