ATS Sedan

Make
Cadillac
Segment
Sedan

We've just received this spy video of the upcoming Cadillac ATS caught testing on the famed Nurburgring in Germany. Set to compete head-to-head with the BMW 3-Series, it will be powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder with a likely twin-turbo V6 option. Although we're not expecting a V8 to be on the table, Cadillac sources claim it's not necessary, as both the already planned engines will do the job just fine. And judging by this video, the test mule sounds solid as it races down the track.

Just to put this thinking into perspective, even BMW is downsizing the engines in their upcoming generation 3-Series, with the next M3 likely being powered by a twin-turbo V6. The ATS (we don't know if this is the final name yet) is extremely important for GM/Cadillac in their major effort to reach a European audience.

Past efforts haven't proved so successful and it's vital for Cadillac to gain traction overseas in order for them to be truly seen as a global competitor to the likes of BMW, Mercedes, and Audi. No official debut has been announced, but we're guessing we'll be seeing the production small Caddy at the Detroit Auto Show this January. Video: CarPix.