Cadillac ATS, XTS Will Feature American-Made Brembo Brakes

[rshadd]

 

The relationship between General Motors and Italian brake supplier Brembo can be described as extensive. Today alone, you can find Brembo high-performance calipers on cars like the Corvette ZR1 and Z06, Buick Regal GS, Cadillac CTS-V, Chevy Camaro SS and soon-to-be ZL1. Adding to the roster will be both the all-new Cadillac XTS and ATS models, but with a twist, as they will receive the first batch of American-made Brembo brakes. They will come from a plant in Homer, Michigan.

 

When they hit the market, the ATS and XTS will be fitted with four-piston, two-piece aluminum calipers that were purpose-built not only for the stopping power Brembo has become known for, but for weight savings and drag reduction as well. They will have a black anodized hue on the base XTS and ATS, while the XTS Platinum will feature solid black calipers. Both the Brembo and Cadillac logos will grace the equipment as well.

 

Source: Cadillac ATS, XTS Will Feature American-Made Brembo Brakes | GM Authority

[eric@thompsonracing.us]

Good update Rich!

[MichiganSRT8]

i heard about this, and it was confirmed when i went to the auto show. Exciting news, i love my brembos on my jeep, glad to see their are being made in Michigan too homer isnt that big of a town, not too far from me either.

[Team Adam's]

Actually had the pleasure of having dinner with an exec. from Brembo at SEMA... he mentioned this was coming, didn't realize it was so soon. Very cool.

[3PedalMINI]

thats cool, Sadly they are going to go on a car thats dead out of the factory. There is zero way cadillac can play catchup to BMW/Audi. If they weren't going to market the ATS directly against the 3 series then there might be a snowballs chance in hell the ATS will succeed.

 

Its a huge mistake IMO for GM to put this against the 3 series. GM can and will never be able to compete with the form fit and finish that BMW can provide. Especially now that the new f30 3er is out there is simply no way IMO.

[Team Adam's]

I have to disagree... Caddy quality has come up a lot, especially in this most recent generation of cars, and BMW/Merc have slipped slightly IMO. Not saying they're gonna topple the big German manufactures, but they can be competitive in the segment. The CTS-V has proved they can build a car that not only competes, but BEATS comparable offerings from ze germans.

 

The 3 series is a juggernaut in its segment, but no one gives merc or audi a hard time when they go after it and fall short. Why should we be any harder on Caddy given the level they've been at over the past few years?

Edited January 17, 2012 by Dylan@Adams

[Marylander]

thats cool, Sadly they are going to go on a car thats dead out of the factory. There is zero way cadillac can play catchup to BMW/Audi. If they weren't going to market the ATS directly against the 3 series then there might be a snowballs chance in hell the ATS will succeed.

 

Its a huge mistake IMO for GM to put this against the 3 series. GM can and will never be able to compete with the form fit and finish that BMW can provide. Especially now that the new f30 3er is out there is simply no way IMO.

 

I disagree, too -- you can barely buy a decent Audi a4 or 3 series BMW for less than 35K these says, so a well engineered Caddy ATS at $30-$35K is a nice price point. An a loaded, $45-50K ATS-V would be a steal next to a $70+ M3.

[3PedalMINI]

I have to disagree... Caddy quality has come up a lot, especially in this most recent generation of cars, and BMW/Merc have slipped slightly IMO. Not saying they're gonna topple the big German manufactures, but they can be competitive in the segment. The CTS-V has proved they can build a car that not only competes, but BEATS comparable offerings from ze germans.

 

The 3 series is a juggernaut in its segment, but no one gives merc or audi a hard time when they go after it and fall short. Why should we be any harder on Caddy given the level they've been at over the past few years?

 

Nope, i sat in a 2011 cts and rented a 2011 Buick regal cxl for a week and i could not believe how sh!ty they were. Buttons were incredibly cheap in both cars, doors felt like paper and the dash cluster was miserable along with the steering wheel controls were the opposite of intuitive (even for me) Even the pleather was unbearable.

 

Personally i think caddie has come full circle and i like what they are doing, the cts-v is incredible, i just could never bring my self to purchasing a cadie because they are so "cheap". (leaving the way i feel about GM out of it)

 

You sit in a cadie and then imediately jump into an audi/bimmer and the quality trumps anything GM could dream up, like i said in another post i am a HUGE button knob guy and if they feel cheap the entire car is garbage. Only followed by the doors. If they are hollow sounding then its another dead give away. I consider cadie and buick a pig with lipstick until GM can figure out how to source quality items and most of all the handling you will never get a German car guy to convert

[Team Adam's]

Seems the industry and independent unbiased testing standards would disagree with you. From the JD Power & Associates 2011 rankings of initial quality.

 

Body & Interior Quality - Mechanical: Taken from the Initial Quality Study (IQS), which looks at owner-reported problems in the first 90 days of new-vehicle ownership, this score is based on problems with wind noise, water leaks, poor interior fit/finish, paint imperfection, and squeaks/rattles.

 

Scale = (poor)1-5(excellent)

AUDI - 3

BMW - 3

MB - 5

CAD - 4

 

Overall Quality: Taken from the Initial Quality Study (IQS), which looks at owner-reported problems in the first 90 days of new-vehicle ownership, this score is based on problems that have caused a complete breakdown or malfunction, or where controls or features may work as designed, but are difficult to use or understand.

 

Scale = (poor)1-5(excellent)

AUDI - 3

BMW - 3

MB - 4

CAD - 3

 

Overall Quality - Mechanical: Taken from the Initial Quality Study (IQS), which looks at owner-reported problems in the first 90 days of new-vehicle ownership, this score is based on problems that have caused a complete breakdown or malfunction of any component, feature, or item (i.e., components that stop working or trim pieces that break or come loose).

 

Scale = (poor)1-5(excellent)

AUDI - 3

BMW - 3

MB - 4

CAD - 4

 

Powertrain Quality - Mechanical: Taken from the Initial Quality Study (IQS), which looks at owner-reported problems in the first 90 days of new-vehicle ownership, this score is based on problems with the engine or transmission as well as problems that affect the driving experience (i.e., vehicle/brakes pull, abnormal noises or vibrations) only.

 

Scale = (poor)1-5(excellent)

AUDI - 3

BMW - 4

MB - 4

CAD - 3

 

Features & Accessories Quality - Mechanical: Taken from the Initial Quality Study (IQS), which looks at owner-reported problems in the first 90 days of new-vehicle ownership, this score is based on problems with the seats, windshield wipers, navigation system, rear-seat entertainment system, heater, air conditioner, stereo system, sunroof and trip computer.

 

Scale = (poor)1-5(excellent)

AUDI - 3

BMW - 3

MB - 3

CAD - 4

 

Overall Quality - Design: Taken from the Initial Quality Study (IQS), which looks at owner-reported problems in the first 90 days of new-vehicle ownership, this score is based on problems where controls or features may work as designed, but are difficult to use or understand (i.e., overly complicated controls/features that are difficult to operate due to poor location).

 

Scale = (poor)1-5(excellent)

AUDI - 3

BMW - 3

MB - 3

CAD - 3

 

Powertrain Quality - Design: Taken from the Initial Quality Study (IQS), which looks at owner-reported problems in the first 90 days of new-vehicle ownership, this score is based on problems with the engine or transmission as well as problems that affect the driving experience (i.e., ride smoothness, responsiveness of the steering system and brakes, and handling/stability).

 

Scale = (poor)1-5(excellent)

AUDI - 3

BMW - 3

MB - 4

CAD - 3

 

Body & Interior Quality - Design: Taken from the Initial Quality Study (IQS), which looks at owner-reported problems in the first 90 days of new-vehicle ownership, this score is based on problems with the front-/rear-end styling, the appearance of the interior and exterior, and the sound of the doors when closing.

 

Scale = (poor)1-5(excellent)

AUDI - 3

BMW - 3

MB - 4

CAD - 3

 

Features & Accessories Quality - Design: Taken from the Initial Quality Study (IQS), which looks at owner-reported problems in the first 90 days of new-vehicle ownership, this score is based on problems with the seats, stereo/navigation system, heater, air conditioner, and sunroof.

 

Scale = (poor)1-5(excellent)

AUDI - 3

BMW - 2

MB - 2

CAD - 3

 

TOTALS/RANK:

(1) Mercedes Benz - 33

(2) Cadillac - 30

(3t)Audi - 27

(3t)BMW - 27

 

Edited January 17, 2012 by Dylan@Adams

[fortplainman]

this is awesome to hear!

[THE Mook]

Hehehe. It's like comparing Lincolns to Cadillacs...

[Fierce5]

thats cool, Sadly they are going to go on a car thats dead out of the factory. There is zero way cadillac can play catchup to BMW/Audi. If they weren't going to market the ATS directly against the 3 series then there might be a snowballs chance in hell the ATS will succeed.

 

Its a huge mistake IMO for GM to put this against the 3 series. GM can and will never be able to compete with the form fit and finish that BMW can provide. Especially now that the new f30 3er is out there is simply no way IMO.

 

Nope, i sat in a 2011 cts and rented a 2011 Buick regal cxl for a week and i could not believe how sh!ty they were. Buttons were incredibly cheap in both cars, doors felt like paper and the dash cluster was miserable along with the steering wheel controls were the opposite of intuitive (even for me) Even the pleather was unbearable.

 

Personally i think caddie has come full circle and i like what they are doing, the cts-v is incredible, i just could never bring my self to purchasing a cadie because they are so "cheap". (leaving the way i feel about GM out of it)

 

You sit in a cadie and then imediately jump into an audi/bimmer and the quality trumps anything GM could dream up, like i said in another post i am a HUGE button knob guy and if they feel cheap the entire car is garbage. Only followed by the doors. If they are hollow sounding then its another dead give away. I consider cadie and buick a pig with lipstick until GM can figure out how to source quality items and most of all the handling you will never get a German car guy to convert

 

I couldnt disagree more......GM quality and cars are very close to becoming unbeatable, material, engineering and fit and finish are awesome to say the least. No disrespect but I have been before in a Mini Cooper (friend), 2008 Audi A6 (uncle) and 2009 E-Class (friend) and a 2010 CTS loaded, I honestly believe that the Caddy beat the interior and driving quality of all of the above, especially when considering the price and especially when considering that the Audi A6 stalled on my uncle with only 6k miles on it, electrical and the NAVI went down the drain, car didn't start (push button) and had to be towed! I think that you should give domestic a chance, you really need to take your time in a car, look and feel everything and don't go to it with a perspective that, "Oh, that's domestic so it's going to be sh**ty" because 10 years ago they were. The big three have come a loooooooooooooooooong way and as Americans we should support that by at least giving them a chance. If we are not going to buy our own products, then who will?

[ssbusdrvr]

Same here Are you just disgruntled again American Car Companies??

until GM can figure out how to source quality items and most of all the handling you will never get a German car guy to convert

Being a former owner and club racer of an E30M3 MZ3 Z3 530 540 335i 335xi do you want me to keep going...

 

Still the owner of a Mini. $4,000+ and counting on maintainence issues since off of warranty.It was the kids first car or it would have been gone. Now have to replace an junk power steering electric pump at $600 plus core fee. Maybe in the past quality was bad but GM Ford and Chrylser have come along way. I will gladly have a discussion/ debate over issues I have had with BMW in the first few months of ownership vs 3 GM cars I currently own now.

Edited January 18, 2012 by ssbusdrvr

[Gizmo]

I couldnt disagree more......GM quality and cars are very close to becoming unbeatable

 

I quit reading after that.

[Team Adam's]

I think we've got extremes on either side of the argument here, and the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

 

The idea that American car makers build junk is a dead school of thought... people hold onto that stigma because thats what they've been groomed to believe for almost their whole lives.

 

Was there a time when GM, Ford, & Chrysler turned out garbage? Absolutely... and it wasn't all that long ago, but to think that still holds true, and that simply because a car sports a european badge its craftsmanship is superior, or if its from japan it'll last forever is just not looking at the facts.

 

For years Toyota was considered the pinnacle of build quality. Their cars lasted and lasted... and for the mostpart it was true. The belief that Toyota was superior is so prominent that most corporations study and impliment Toyota inspired process improvement strategies and quality control measures. Hell, I worked for a paper company that had me take months of training that centered around Toyotas business principles.

 

Well, that stigma sticks with them, although the quality isn't where it once was... do you guys remember the round of ads about a year ago apologizing for the slip in quality? How about the recalls and safety issues? A companies brand image doesn't always represent its current REAL WORLD quality and value.

 

Unfortunately, because of this tendency to base current quality on past perceptions American manufactures suffer from a preconceived notion of poor quality. Ford is building some AMAZING vehicles right now and the quality is on par with the very best out there. The new Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of the nicest put together SUV's in recent memory. The Vette continues to be the best bang for the buck in any segment, but people continue to beat the "poor american quality" drum despite not having any first hand knowledge... its all "my cousins friends neighbor had a chevy camaro explode and burn down his house" type hearsay or opinions based on experiences from 10 years ago. Some people become so engrained in this thought process that they ignore the current facts or an experience with a current vehicle even if it varies from what their opinion of the brand is.

 

American car quality can come up, just as foreign car quality can go down... there is no constants - things change. To be so blinded by biased that you refuse to look at facts just makes you a fanboy of a brand and not a true car enthusiast.

 

Ferrari for example... I get my hands on a fair amount of them. You'd think THE iconic italian sports car family would have unparalleled quality - I'm continually disappointed in the quality of the paint, or the fitment of certain interior panels. The materials themselves are all amazing... but the way their put together sometimes makes me think the owner got ripped for 6 figures.

 

Then theres cars like Kia and Hyundai... just based on the history and the name you think "crap econo box" but I've been in some newer ones recently where the quality and fit inside are amazingly good. It almost smacks you in the face to think that you've been so wrong about them.

 

I guess the point of my long rambling post is that don't base your opinions of a brand on what they were, base them on what they are. The car world changes constantly and just b/c something was good or bad years ago doesn't mean its good or bad now.

Edited January 18, 2012 by Dylan@Adams

[ssbusdrvr]

Back to OT Love the Brembo brakes and great to see adding some jobs here in the states.

[DieselDude]

That is good to have Brembo Brakes made here in the USA giving American workers the opportunity to work.

 

 

Funny how this post started out and is now.

[Fierce5]

I quit reading after that.

 

Take a look at the xts platinum interior and you will know what I mean. I didn't say today I said close to, meaning they're getting there. And let me tell you that ill take a caddy interior over a beamer or an Audi.

[Gizmo]

Take a look at the xts platinum interior and you will know what I mean. I didn't say today I said close to, meaning they're getting there. And let me tell you that ill take a caddy interior over a beamer or an Audi.

 

As it turns out, I own a German built 2011 Buick Regal Turbo. The interior is a nice place to spend time. Much nicer than my Roush, as would be expected. As Dylan noted, though, the new Grand Cherokee and Ford cars and trucks hold their own against anything in the same price segment, and compete against vehicles costing much more.

[MAYBEN]

I'm a GM fan..

[mcss383]

Whenever they make the ATS-V, they will have my FULL attention. I have been waiting for a V caddie that has great power/handling and still offers acceptable gas mileage to come back (15+/24+).

[fortplainman]

ATS-V the first release of the twin turbo 3.6 v6? be amazing IMO. the space in the engine bay from what ive heard would be REALLY tight to fit a V8 of any size.

[Z71_Denali]

i admit, i'm a GM fanboy, and could not wait to see what the new ATS and XTS would look like.

 

their interiors look amazing, but i'm not into the exterior design that much. the XTS looks like the next gen DTS which is for old blue haired grandmas. and the headlights on the ATS kinda throw off the look of the front end. maybe i'll change my mind when i see it in person though. the new ELR looks pretty sweet, too!

 

CTS-V is still my favorite caddy though! followed by the SRX. i hope the 7 seater crossover thats in the works is nice, as that will probably be the car my wife will want to have next with babies on the way in the near future. it'd be awesome to get something to compete with the Cayenne Turbo

 

...no one mentioned Mercedes-Benz in the not so distant past on their dependability. my friend's daughter's best friend's uncle had one that was a money pit since they bought it brand new on a serious note, my best friend just bought a 07 E-class from Carmax, 2 days of ownership, the belt breaks and they found an oil pan leak after it got to the shop. he bought an extended warranty through Mercedes so hopefully he doesn't have to use it too much. i think now, since the 2010 models, MB are among some of the finest vehicles on the road... i'd kill for a SLS AMG or S65 AMG.

 

only time will tell how long each of these new cars from all car makers will last.

[mcss383]

ATS-V the first release of the twin turbo 3.6 v6? be amazing IMO. the space in the engine bay from what ive heard would be REALLY tight to fit a V8 of any size.

 

If the car can fit a DOHC V6 with 2 hairdryer's, it can fit an OHV V8. OHC engines take up a lot of room and the LS based engine is one of the most compact engines available.

Heck, the LS fits with ease into the Porsche 914, the ATS engine bay shouldn't be a problem.

 

Given the competition I wouldn't mind seeing the ATS-V being a TT 3.6L though. But, I would not complain one bit if it came with a LS3.

[Golf for Life]

Nope, i sat in a 2011 cts and rented a 2011 Buick regal cxl for a week and i could not believe how sh!ty they were. Buttons were incredibly cheap in both cars, doors felt like paper and the dash cluster was miserable along with the steering wheel controls were the opposite of intuitive (even for me) Even the pleather was unbearable.

 

Personally i think caddie has come full circle and i like what they are doing, the cts-v is incredible, i just could never bring my self to purchasing a cadie because they are so "cheap". (leaving the way i feel about GM out of it)

 

You sit in a cadie and then imediately jump into an audi/bimmer and the quality trumps anything GM could dream up, like i said in another post i am a HUGE button knob guy and if they feel cheap the entire car is garbage. Only followed by the doors. If they are hollow sounding then its another dead give away. I consider cadie and buick a pig with lipstick until GM can figure out how to source quality items and most of all the handling you will never get a German car guy to convert

 

Some just don't get it. I was a gm man for many years and thought everything else was cra&. Then I drove a friends European car, I was sold after the first mile. European cars just feel right. By the way the Buick from Germany is actually a low priced Opel and nothing special.