2018 Cadillac ATS-V Sedan

The Cadillac ATS-V was designed to be a rival to the long-standing champions in the luxury sports car segment, chief among them being the BMW M3. Benchmarked in development against what Cadillac engineers considered the best handling car of its type, the E46 M3, the ATS-V certainly set high standards to meet, and with a twin-turbo V6 developing 464 horsepower and enabling a 3.8-second 0-60 mph sprint, the numbers the ATS-V puts down seem competitive. Despite offering outstanding performance and handling, it lacks the kind of refinement that comes from decades of polishing a model that has already made a name for itself in the market. But when you take into account how much this Caddy gets right, straight out of the gate, it's a sign that perhaps Cadillac might be capable of making the proverbial gods bleed after all. Your next hot performance sedan needn't be European after all.

The ATS-V has a relatively low starting price for a luxury sports sedan. An MSRP of $61,595 will get you behind the wheels of the base ATS-V with no packages or additional features. This price excludes tax, registration and licensing, as well as the $995 destination charge. Equipping multiple packages can increase the cost to more than $70,000.

While the powertrain and engine on the ATS-V seem unrefined, the handling is anything but. The front suspension delivers quick responses while the rear manages to maintain everyday comfort even though it is designed to ensure track performance. The incorporation of Cadillac's magnetic ride control further enhances the suspension by allowing it to adjust to changing conditions automatically.

This amazing suspension works alongside pinpoint-accurate ZF steering to deliver a driving experience that is hard to beat. Taking turns at pace allows the well-balanced chassis to reveal its talents, leaning on the suspension without being easily unsettled. The steering is equally as impressive, offering enough feedback and resistance to instill confidence and boasting enough communication to ensure proper driver engagement. While the vehicle lets you know when you are approaching its limits, thanks to its electronic traction control, it doesn't fight you as hard as the C63 when you push against these limits. This makes executing daring maneuvers extremely satisfying, making even the average Joe feel like a superhero.

And should you push the V or yourself too hard, you can rely on the sport-tuned Brembo brakes to bring the fun to a swift but safe end. With impressive stopping power, 60-0 mph occurs in just under 100 feet, with superb brake modulation and pedal response.

While the ATS-V handles like a dream sports sedan, the joy this brings is somewhat hampered by conversely poor levels of comfort. While the suspension is great for handling, the ride feels far too stiff. Minor abrasions are absorbed relatively well, but drive over anything larger, and you can expect to feel it rather harshly. Comfort Mode helps to mitigate this somewhat, but don't expect the ride ever to feel as luxurious as it would in an M3. Similarly, the V fails to dampen noise with any real success, with road and uninspiring engine noise being constant unwelcome companions.

The ATS-V is, without a doubt, a great car. Its chief problem is that its competitors are also great cars, arguably greater ones. The potent engine allows it to keep up with top rivals in terms of acceleration and even top speed, but it's the in-between where it struggles, with power seeming to taper off after the initial burst of speed. It cannot be faulted for its handling, however, where it offers a driving experience that is hard to beat. But, once again, it manages to disappoint in terms of comfort, being loud in all the wrong ways.

The interior is severely lacking, where a comfortable seating position and excellent Recaro sports seats are the highlights in a cabin wrought with below-average build quality and odd ergonomics, as well as an infotainment system that doesn't live up to the standards set by German rivals.

If you are willing to overlook this sedan's shortcomings, you will find it an agile and athletic competitor with amazing track performance and adequate daily drivability, but it will never be a true luxury sports car until it matures and overcomes its growing pains to compete on even ground with the BMW M3 and Mercedes-AMG C63.

There is only a single model available for the Cadillac ATS-V, so there is no real choice here. However, if you plan to spend a lot of time on the track, then you should opt for the Track Performance Package, or at least the performance data and video recorder add-on. And if you plan to use the sedan for mostly town driving, then the Driver Awareness Package is a good investment, while the Safety and Security Package is nice if you want to splurge. A must-tick option is for the Recaro sports seats, which are more supportive and more comfortable than the regular items.

The BMW M3 features a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine that produces 425 hp and 406 lb-ft. While the numbers may be a bit below the ATS-V's, the M3's powertrain is more refined, as are both transmission options. BMW has opted for more subtle design choices when it comes to the exterior of the M3, knowing that they don't need to advertise how great it is, its performance speaks for itself. This simple elegance is just as present inside the cabin, too where controls are laid out in a stylish but practical manner, and the material and build quality feels better. The M3 may be beaten on driving dynamics - a big loss for the brand that pioneered the segment - but it's a better all-rounder than the ATS-V. It justifies the extra cost over the Cadillac by being a comprehensive sports sedan ticking all the boxes for performance and everyday refinement. Simply put, it's the better sports sedan, but the Cadillac isn't far off.

The Mercedes-AMG C63 is a beautiful car, standing out just as much as the ATS-V, although it does so in a more elegant manner. Where the V is aggressive and angular, the C63 is smooth and refined. This promise of luxury carries over to the interior with quality materials and design the ATS-V can't live up to. Powered by a 4.0-liter turbocharged V8 pushing out 469 hp and 479 lb-ft, the AMG not only delivers on performance but on the soundtrack as well, while the ATS-V sounds more like a hyped-up leaf blower. With no manual gearbox available in the C63, buyers may lament the supposed lack of involvement, but the auto deals with the power better, and the C63's demeanor is better suited to an automatic. The Mercedes is more luxurious but doesn't suffer much on the performance front, although the ATS-V is sharper and nimbler and more involving on the whole. For those seeking a purer driving experience, the ATS-V is superb, but those who want an all-round experience, and a more inspiring one at that, would be better off in the AMG.