Contrary to previous reports, Cadillac’s high-performance ATS-V based on its award-winning ATS sedan will forgo a V-8 in favor of the brand’s new twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter V-6. The move will help differentiate the ATS-V from the CTS-V, whose second generation is expected to stick with a supercharged V-8.

We’ve also seen a supercharged V-6 fitted to the Audi S4, and BMW’s next-generation M3 is expected to feature a twin-turbo straight-six engine, so Cadillac’s ATS-V equipped with a twin-turbo V-6 will fit right in with the competition.

The latest information was reported by Car and Driver, which also claims the ATS-V will offer the option of a manual transmission. 

Cadillac’s new twin-turbo V-6, which is already available in the CTS and XTS sedans, is a brilliant unit. It is one of the most powerful V-6 engines on the market, delivering upwards of 420 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque; it’s producing the same power and even more torque than Audi’s twin-turbo V-8 fitted to the latest S6 and S7.

It’s not clear whether output will be dialed up further for the ATS-V, though it certainly is a possibility. That’s because the engine is running strengthened internals and an all-new fuel injection system.

Rated at 420 horsepower, the engine can spirit the CTS to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and onto a top speed of 170 mph. Packaged in the smaller and more nimble ATS chassis, paired with a manual transmission, with V-grade suspension, aero, and interior upgrades, the engine is likely to make the ATS-V our next attainable lust object.

A launch date for the ATS-V remains uncertain; Cadillac has a lot of new product in the pipeline including a redesigned Escalade due later this year as well as an ATS Coupe due next year.

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