The previous record for the largest audience viewing a single commercial was General Motors’ ‘Miss Evelyn,’ a spot for the Chevrolet Camaro in Super Bowl XLV last year. This year, GM once again took the title with Cadillacs 30-second preview of the upcoming 2013 ATS sport sedan during Super Bowl XLVI.

The commercial, titled ‘Green Hell,’ was the most-viewed single advertising spot in U.S. television history, according to a study released Tuesday.

Check out more news on the Cadillac ATS.

”We have a big message this year – Cadillac is expanding with new models challenging the world’s best luxury cars. This stunning viewership data proves that Cadillac’s big message reached the largest audience,” said General Motors Global Chief Marketing Officer Joel Ewanick. “When it comes to Super Bowl ads, everyone has opinions on their favorites. But it’s a fact that this Cadillac spot had the biggest audience during the game.”

“Kantar Media’s Super Bowl audience study found that the Cadillac spot reached an audience rating of 43.5, highest among all advertising spots shown during the NBC-TV telecast,” GM said in statement.

You can check out both GM commercials after the jump.

Refresher: The 2013 Cadillac ATS sedan will go on sale later this year and will come with a choice of three engine units. The based model will carry a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder turbo engine making 270-hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. A 2.5 liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder will also be available, making 200-hp and 188 lb-ft of torque. The top-of-the-line Cadillac ATS will be powered by a 3.6 liter V6 making 318-hp and 267 lb-ft of torque. Prices will be announced closer to launch.

- By: Omar Rana

One of the most important things that engineers are paying attention to while completing development on the new 2013 Cadillac ATS is not only its driving dynamics – but the sound it makes.

Click here for our original post on the Cadillac ATS.

The man behind the whole thing is Kyle Stanforth, noise and vibration engineer on the Cadillac performance team. Stanforth said the ATS is engineered to enhance the performance-tuned sound for each of the three available engines. It also keeps unwanted to noise from entering the cabin.

“Cadillac customers expect a level of refinement beyond what most cars have. Yes, it’s quiet, but it’s more than that,” Stanforth said. “They also love to hear that sound of refined power when they ask for it. So when you open it up, you not only feel the power, you hear it too.”

Stanforth and his team shaped the intake system to allow the engine to breathe easier while keeping annoying sound from coming inside the cabin. However, when you’re outside the ATS should sound pleasing to the ear.

“The ATS sounds distinctly like a Cadillac should. We’ve created a signature sound that expresses Cadillac power, refinement and luxury – and we make it sing,” Stanforth said.

We can’t wait to hear it.

Refresher: The 2013 Cadillac ATS sedan will go on sale later this year and will come with a choice of three engine units. The based model will carry a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder turbo engine making 270-hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. A 2.5 liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder will also be available, making 200-hp and 188 lb-ft of torque. The top-of-the-line Cadillac ATS will be powered by a 3.6 liter V6 making 318-hp and 267 lb-ft of torque. Prices will be announced closer to launch.

- By: Omar Rana

GM announced today that it is starting construction next week on its new $200 million facility that will create around 180 jobs. The new plant is a part of GM’s Arlington manufacturing complex and will be responsible for producing the next generation of full-size Chevrolet Tahoes, Suburbans, GMC Yukons and Cadillac Escalades.

“Our investment in GM’s Arlington plant is one more example of GM strengthening the economy and creating jobs throughout the many U.S. communities where GM does business,” said GM Manufacturing Manager Larry Zahner.

The plant currently receives stamps from several GM plants with some pars coming from more than 1,000 miles away.

GM’s new investment in the facility is on top of a $331 million investment to purchase tooling and equipment and expand the Arlington Assembly Plant that was announced along with 110 additional jobs in May 2011.

- By: Omar Rana

At the International LCT Show in Las Vegas, Cadillac will debu its newest livery vehicle that will go head to head to with the Lincoln MKT (which now replaces the Town Car) and serve as a replacement for the Cadillac DTS/DeVille sedans.

The new model will be based on the new XTS sedan and will offer what Cadillac says will be a “younger luxury image suffused with advanced technology and intuitive connectivity.”

“This new vehicle will help dispel some of the myths out there about Cadillac,” said Ray Bush, Cadillac Professional Vehicles Program Manager. “The Cadillac of old was from the standpoint of large, floaty vehicles. Cadillac has moved away from that with its new products launched over the last 10 years. The XTS will further that with outstanding ride characteristics that compare favorably with Cadillac vehicles of the past.”

The Cadillac XTS W20 Livery Sedan will come standard with illuminated door handles, push-button start, Brembo brakes, rear vision camera and obstacle detection, and OnStar. Options range from navigation system, a Luxury Package with a memory driver’s seat, heated/cooled front seats and a premium audio system with surround sound and a Rear Comfort package with heated seats, side-window and backlight sun shades and Tri-zone HVAC controls.

For some reason I’m very excited about this one

- By: Omar Rana

We just told you this morning about the 2012 Cadillac ATS being featured in a commercial during Super Bowl XLVI – well, Caddy has just dropped that commercial for our viewing pleasure.

Let us know what you think about the commercial in the poll below.

Click here for our original post on the Cadillac ATS.

Check out the commercial after the jump.

Refresher: The 2013 Cadillac ATS sedan will go on sale later this year and will come with a choice of three engine units. The based model will carry a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder turbo engine making 270-hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. A 2.5 liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder will also be available, making 200-hp and 188 lb-ft of torque. The top-of-the-line Cadillac ATS will be powered by a 3.6 liter V6 making 318-hp and 267 lb-ft of torque. Prices will be announced closer to launch.

- By: Omar Rana

The upcoming 2013 Cadillac ATS is a very important model to the brand and now General Motors plans on letting a few hundred million know how important it is during the Super Bowl next moth.

The commercial will be Cadillac’s first since 2007 and will showcase the new ATS sedan a full six months before it hits dealerships. Caddy spokesman David Caldwell said the spot will focus on the development of the car – most of which took place at the Nurburgring.

Caldwell said that GM decided to run the Cadillac ATS spots during the Super Bowl because it wants to attract a bunch of new young buyers to the sedan and show how that it is seriously committed to taking on the German sedans.

Click here for our original post on the Cadillac ATS.

Refresher: The 2013 Cadillac ATS sedan will go on sale later this year and will come with a choice of three engine units. The based model will carry a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder turbo engine making 270-hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. A 2.5 liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder will also be available, making 200-hp and 188 lb-ft of torque. The top-of-the-line Cadillac ATS will be powered by a 3.6 liter V6 making 318-hp and 267 lb-ft of torque. Prices will be announced closer to launch.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: AutoNews

Following months and months of development and testing at the Nurburgring, the new 2013 Cadillac ATS made its debut at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show earlier this month. Caddy has now released a video showing the final development and debut of the ATS.

Click here for our original post on the Cadillac ATS.

Check it out after the jump.

Refresher: The 2013 Cadillac ATS sedan will go on sale later this year and will come with a choice of three engine units. The based model will carry a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder turbo engine making 270-hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. A 2.5 liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder will also be available, making 200-hp and 188 lb-ft of torque. The top-of-the-line Cadillac ATS will be powered by a 3.6 liter V6 making 318-hp and 267 lb-ft of torque. Prices will be announced closer to launch.

- By: Omar Rana

According to Cadillac insiders that spoke with Inside Line at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show earlier this month, Cadillac is considering a small two-seat roadster that will compete with the likes of the BMW Z4 and Mercedes-Benz SLK.

Click here for our original post on the Cadillac ATS.

Sources say that the model will used the same rear-wheel-drive platform as the new 2013 Cadillac ATS and will feature many of the same powertrain configurations.

No details on when the Caddy roadster will be released.

Refresher: The 2013 Cadillac ATS sedan will go on sale later this year and will come with a choice of three engine units. The based model will carry a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder turbo engine making 270-hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. A 2.5 liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder will also be available, making 200-hp and 188 lb-ft of torque. The top-of-the-line Cadillac ATS will be powered by a 3.6 liter V6 making 318-hp and 267 lb-ft of torque. Prices will be announced closer to launch.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Inside Line

The General apparently enjoyed a very strong 2011 moving more than 9 million vehicles on a global scale, a gain of 7.6 percent when compared with 2010. Of course, Chevrolet was GM’s pride and joy with the brand moving 4.76 million units around the world in 2011.

The jump in sales helped the Detroit automaker gain four-tenths of a point of market share to 11.9 percent of the global vehicle industry.

The U.S. obviously led the way for Chevy with total vehicle sales coming in at 1,775,812, up more than 13 percent from 2010. China posted record sales of 595,068, up 9.5 percent from the previous year.

“Chevrolet’s impressive growth in both established and developing markets is the result of a strong new product lineup that meets the diverse needs of consumers around the world,” said GM Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson. “In addition to Chevrolet’s record-setting sales, the entire lineup of GM vehicles is meeting customer needs for fuel-efficient cars and work vehicles as well as unmatched luxury.”

The Chevrolet Cruze highlighted most of the brand’s sales figures with more than 670,000 being sold in 2011, making it the best-selling Chevy model around the world with more than 1.13 million sold since its launch 4 years ago.

- By: Omar Rana

General Motors marketing chief Joel Ewanick said that the brand is planning to offer CTS-V sports car in right-hand-drive in the United Kingdom as a part of a renewed commitment to take global markets more seriously.

Ewanick said that when the 556-hp supercharged V8 CTS-V was built it was a “car designed for Europe, but one we haven’t treated seriously in Europe. We’re geared up for right-hand drive now,” he said. “We’re working on it.”

The new Cadillac ATS, which will be available in right-hand-drive, will be the brand’s first car to show renewed commitment to its success outside of the United States.

Click here for our original post on the Cadillac ATS.

“There wasn’t a commitment to the product before and we didn’t design cars to the market demands,” he told AutoCar. “The Germans do this very well. There is now a full resource commitment and a vision to get this right. Bankruptcy refocused GM.”

Ewanick said that all new Cadillac models will be produced with global market in mind.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: AutoCar

General Motors has been known to be one of the many leaders in automobile innovation and technology. Such examples include the brand’s hybrid technology, a wide range of advanced engine technologies and vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt.

But such things wouldn’t have happened without GM’s Vice Chairman and Chief Technology Officer, Tom Stephens. And to cap a 43-year long career, Mr. Stephens announced that he will be stepping down from his position on April 1^st, later this year—this is most likely not an April Fool’s joke.

“Tom Stephens is an engineering icon within our company and within our industry,” said GM Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson.  “We have all benefited greatly from his passion, wisdom, and commitment to product excellence.  His talent and contributions to GM are deeply appreciated and his expertise will be missed.”

Stephens held positions at Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, and several others before his last and final position as Chief Technology Officer, leading departments such as GM’s newly created GM Powertrain Division. And during those times, Stephens helped develop the first ever Cadillac Northstar engine, develop nearly all of GM’s advanced engine technologies today such as Displacement-On-Demand or “Active Fuel Management,” and GM’s plug-in hybrid powertrain, like in the Volt.

- By: Chris Chin

Cadillac seems to be doing all of the right things as of recent, especially with their latest effort to take down the BMW 3-Series. Word is now that America’s top brass is planning ahead for a competitor against the likes of the BMW X3 and the Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class.

“We’re looking at options there,” Kurt McNeil, Cadillac’s vice president of sales, said Tuesday in an interview at the Detroit auto show. “I think it would go a little bit more head-to-head with like the X3.”

This word comes after signs that General Motors is trying to boost sales for Cadillac to better compete with the smaller models from BMW. The Cadillac ATS is part of these efforts.

“The fact that Cadillac is becoming more of a global brand will certainly play a role in that decision,” McNeil said. “We have to be as good or better than our main competitors.”

And they are very much capable of doing so. But ultimately, the decision has not yet been made to give a baby Escalade a green light.

- By: Chris Chin

Source: AutoNews

In keeping up with their strong upward trends, Cadillac has fully unveiled their latest answer to the well-established, tested and proven BMW 3-Series, the 2013 ATS. At first look and feel, the ATS in our eyes is a promising model that will compete quite strong against its German rivals including the 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4.

There will eventually be a Cadillac ATS Coupe and Convertible version offered down the line.

All Photos Copyright © Omar Rana - egmCarTech.

- By: Omar Rana

“Designed with quick, nimble and fun-to-drive dynamics, ATS expands Cadillac’s portfolio into a crucial global segment,” said Don Butler, vice president of marketing for Cadillac. “For a new group of luxury consumers, this is a car that will fit their lifestyle and challenge the segment’s status quo.”

And we’re not going to beat around the bush. Cadillac has thoroughly showed the world that they can make quality automobiles that are very worthy opponents and alternatives to the already established foreign makes and models. This new compact luxury ATS is no different.

Check out more news on the Cadillac ATS.

Thus far on paper, the baby CTS promises to make the compact luxury segment much more interesting. Donning what Cadillac calls one of the lowest curb weighs in the segment—less than 3,400lbs—combined with rear-wheel drive and a near 50/50 weight balance, the ATS looks like that it ain’t no slouch, especially when compared to the last compact Cadillac had attempted decades ago, the Cimarron. And as majority of us driving enthusiasts know, the less weight, the better the car in nearly all respects.

“Low weight gives the ATS a more nimble and controllable feel, while also optimizing the performance and efficiency of the powertrains,” said David Masch, ATS chief engineer. “But we were careful to manage the weight while maintaining Cadillac’s signature levels of refinement.”

Also bolstering the ATS’s potential is Cadillac’s first ever five-way multi-link independent rear suspension, with multi-link double-pivot MacPherson struts up front—all technology that has had the Germans riding on a wave of success since the 1980s.

Powering the new ATS is a selection of three engines: two four-cylinders, with one to be turbocharged, and Cadillac’s tested and proven 3.6L V6 for the North American market only. 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions will be available along with standard rear-wheel drive and optional all-wheel (Check out the spec sheet after the jump for a complete breakdown).

“More than just another new entry, the ATS aims to change the status quo of the European-dominated segment,” said Butler. “That is why our approach in all elements of its development is so extensive and focused.”

More details will be announced later on at the full presentation debut of the 2013 Cadillac ATS. Either way, this latest effort from America’s top brass has us postulating up the wazoo as to how many variants Cadillac could potentially come up with, especially since Caddy clearly has the ATS’s sights set on the BMW 3-Series. An ATS coupe/convertible? Or what about a wagon? An ATS-V in multiple forms like the CTS-V coupe, sedan and wagon? Hell, forget that. It’s already hard enough waiting to drive one.

2013 CADILLAC ATS PRELIMINARY SPECIFICATIONS

Overview

Engines

Transmission

Chassis/Suspension

Brakes

Wheels/Tires

Dimensions

Exterior

Interior

Capacities

- By: Chris Chin

As China’s upcoming entrepreneurs experience growing success, GM is looking to snatch up a bigger piece of the luxury automotive market to meet the expanding clientele.

“Luxury-car sales will continue to grow faster than the overall passenger-car market, driven by increasing wealth,” Kevin Wale, GM China’s president said in a Bloomberg Television interview.

Although GM is currently the top overseas automaker in the country, the luxury segment is led by Audi, with BMW and Mercedes-Benz taking the respective number two and three spots. GM is now looking to hi a 40 percent production capacity increase by 2014 to grow the Cadillac label.

Through November, Cadillac sold 23,106 units this year, which is a 51 percent increase. GM’s deliveries are up by 8.2 percent in China, as well, and the automaker is looking to hit 5 million units in China for 2015. Only .5 percent of these sales are imported, so GM will also be evading most of China’s new taxes.

Auto sales in China are expected to increase by 7 to 10 percent for 2012, and LMC Automotive research shows the country could make the second biggest luxury vehicle market for 2011, just behind the U.S.

By: Alexandra Koken

Source: AutoNews

In similar fashion to Audi’s S-Line package, Cadillac have announced that they will offer a $2,065+ “Touring” sport and luxury package to non V-series examples of their CTS sedan, coupe and wagon.

The Touring Package, which starts at $2,065, will get you high-intensity discharge headlamps (HIDs), sports suspension, performance wheels and a spoiler. The interior gets an upgrade as well. Additionally, Touring optioned 3.6 models will sport leather wrapped Recaro bucket seats, V-Series aerodynamic center high mounted stop lamp (except Sport Wagon); suede seat inserts, steering wheel and shifter; midnight Sapele wood trim and metal pedals.

Both the 3.0 liter (270 bhp) and 3.6 liter (318 bhp) direct injection sixes remain unchanged, but should you order the Touring package with the 3.6, the grille will be blacked out, the wheels will be 18-19 inches and shod with your choice of high performance summer or all-season rubber.

For 2012 and separate from the Touring Package, all CTS models will come with Bluetooth connectivity as standard with a few new colors: Opulent Blue Metallic (brilliant color, but do they really have to use the word “opulent”?), Black Diamond Tri-coat (attractive, a nearly over the top and sparkly black) and Mocha Steel Metallic (a euphemism for brown). Optional starting this year will be rain sensing wipers and a blind spot monitoring system for those who can’t be bothered with turning their heads.

- By: Sawyer Sutton

A recall is being issued for close to 20,000 Cadillac SRX models by General Motors for potential problems with the crossover’s transmission.

A total of 8,789 units are being recalled in the U.S., while Shanghai GM is recalling 9,862 units, and the remainder are scattered amongst 20 additional countries.

Click here for more news on the Cadillac SRX.

All of the vehicles affected by the recall were made in Mexico at GM’s Ramos Arizpe plant, for model years 2010 and 2011.

Problems with the transmission that have been noted so far are unwanted movement when shifting between drive and park and improper routing of the shift cable. So far no reports of injury or accident have been reported because of this issue.

Check out our review on the 2012 Cadillac SRX.

GM also announced that another model built in the Ramos Arizpe plant, the Chevrolet Captiva, has a recall issued for 3,150 units sold to U.S. rental car agencies for problems with the power steering overheating.

By: Alexandra Koken

Source: MSNBC

While Cadillac will discuss the research methods behind the creation of CUE, OnStar will unveil its research in the 4G LTE cloud connected vehicle space, reveal future expansions in the mobile application arena, and make announcements about  OnStar FMV, its aftermarket rearview mirror that contains all of OnStar’s key functions for older vehicles.

A nice little nightmare for NHTSA’s Ray LaHood will be OnStar teaming up with Verizon Wireless 4G LTRE for in-vehicle streaming content sharing for vehicle occupants.

The technology will be demonstrated in a Chevrolet Volt research vehicle and will include include:

• Cloud-based streaming of entertainment and information content throughout the vehicle
• Rear seat infotainment management
• Video chat

- By: Omar Rana