Speaking in bold proclamations, GM North America President Mark Reuss said the new Cadillac ATS compact luxury sports sedan “will win” against German rivals. What makes that statement so much more significant is that no one but the Germans, with cars like the BMW 3 Series, have been able to achieve success in the segment.

The Cadillac ATS compact luxury sports sedan may have leaked onto the net earlier today, but the representatives of the GM luxury brand did manage to keep one big secret… a secret.

Cadillac has been steadily improving its products for a decade, shedding its old man stigma in favor of a new brand identity, favoring luxury with a performance twist. After all this time, on the eve of the Detroit Auto Show, the GM luxury division is finally ready to put its money where its mouth is, launching the ATS as a direct rival to the segment leading BMW 3 Series.

Maybe it’s the price tag. Maybe it’s the chrome. Regardless of the reason, there’s a big risk that your Escalade won’t be making home.

GM has revealed a new Touring Package for the Cadillac CTS, designed to give the standard CTS a bit of its bigger brother CTS-V’s styling. The touring package will include HID headlights, sport-tuned suspension, spoiler for the taillight, 18- or 19-inch wheels, and interior accessories.

Last week, the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety announced that 2012 earned a record number of “top safety picks,” but the automotive industry is looking to set the record number even higher.

Cadillac‘s 2012 SRX crossover and CTS sports sedan and wagon models received a crash safety rating of 5-star overall. According to the National Highway Traffic Adminstration, only 21 vehicles earned the overall high score for 2012.

The SRX and CTS sedan and wagon were tested under NHTSA’s revised New Car Assessment Program first put to effect for the 2011 model year. This revision requires vehicles to pass frontal, side and rollover tests. The 5-star overall rating takes into account the combined results of all the tests.

GM executive director of Vehicle Safety Gay Kent expresses, “Receiving five stars under the new rating system is an impressive feat– on that clearly demonstrates the strength of the SRX and CTS advanced structure, overall crashworthiness and effectiveness of the models’ state-of-the-art safety technologies.”

Hit the jump to watch the video:

In particular, SRX models built in Mexico between 2010 and 2011. Roughly 20,000 vehicles are said to be affected, with the majority of these vehicles being in China and America. A smaller number of defected vehicles can be found in 20 other countries.

Like many luxury automakers these days, Cadillac is looking to capitalize on the perceived growing affluence of consumers in China.

The show, which runs from January 10 – 13, is a hot bed for all the latest gadgets and gizmos and GM wants to take advantage of that by showcasing their latest version of the OnStar system and Cadillac’s new CUE multi-media infotainment system.

For 2014 Chevrolet will be unveiling the all new Impala, which is long overdue for a redesign. The new Impala will be built at the Oshawa, ON assembly plant along side Cadillac’s new flagship XTS model. The two will share the same platform and, it seems, even some styling cues.

On this fateful day, the ambulance that took his body to Air Force One, is now being auctioned off at the 41st Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction, in Scottsdale, AZ.

Cadillac released its third teaser video for the 2013 ATS, their compact sport coupe. In the video, Cadillac engineers explain why they have focused their efforts so closely on gathering data at the Nurburing track, saying they can gather more data in one lap at “The Ring” than in twelve at any U.S. track.

Hertz has expanded its Prestige and Adrenaline Collections, now offering the Cadillac CTS, Chevy Camaro SS Convertible and Corvette Convertible for rental in 2012.

Making its way on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick for 2012 is the all-new Buick Verano. This raises General Motors IIHS Top Safety Pick award count to 14 in 2012 – not too shabby.

GM has announced the official debut of the anticipated Cadillac ATS at the upcoming 2012 Detroit Auto Show. According to GM, the Cadillac ATS will be available in three different engine trims. A new 3.6-liter V6, a 2.5-liter four cylinder, and a new-generation 2.0-liter turbocharged Ecotec four.

While a relaxed, naturally aspirated V6 and a fuel efficient inline-four comes as no surprise, the new 2.0 turbo caught our attention. The high-performance, direct-injection 2.0 turbo is tuned to produce 270-hp. Translating to 135-hp/liter, GM boasts that its power dense engine has greater horsepower per liter than the BMW M3, Porsche 911 GTS, or Lamborghini Aventador (although these are all lack forced induction).  Most importantly, the turbo 4-cylinder ATS packs 30-hp more than the turbo 4-cylinder found in the 2012 BMW 328i.

GM powertrain officials noted that the 2.0T Ecotec found in the ATS is 95 percent brand new compared to the 2.0T found in the Buick Regal GS. The new 2.0T features direct-injection, four-valves/cylinder with continuously variable valve timing, twin-scroll turbocharger with air-to-air intercooler, forged steel crankshaft with modular balance shaft system, and a two-stage variable displacement oil pump with jet-spray piston cooling.

In short, Cadillac vice president of Global Marketing Don Butler says, “This engine is the perfect match for the new ATS, which will be a refined performance luxury sedan. The 2.0T has an exceptionally smooth and responsive power curve that will make the ATS, nimble, quick and fun to drive.”

Chief engineer of the 2.0T, Mike Anderson, adds, “The 2.0T is one of the most advanced and efficient engines of its kind and contributes to the ATS’s exceptional balance of performance and great fuel efficiency.”

Check out the video introducing the new 2.0T after the jump:

Amid news of an introduction for both the Cadillac ATS and Chevrolet Sonic RS at this year’s 2012 North American International Auto Show comes news of a third vehicle – a Buick crossover – that will also make its debut.

Car and Driver’s annual 10Best Cars awards are back and while other publications focus on the best new cars of the year, what makes Car And Driver’s 10Best unique is its consideration of all vehicles that are currently on sale.

Cadillac‘s upcoming BMW 3-Series competitor is set to take center stage at this year’s Detroit Auto Show according to Mary Barra, Senior VP of global product development for General Motors.

Susan Docherty, GM’s former US sales and marketing boss, will become head of GM’s Chevrolet Europe division starting on January 1st, 2012. Docherty will be succeeding Wayne Brannon, who will be retiring after 38 years with GM. Docherty, 49, will be overseeing the growth of GM’s Chevrolet and Cadillac brands in western and central Europe.

An article in Automotive News suggests that the Cadillac ELR, which will share major driveline components with the Chevrolet Volt, will actually be rear-wheel drive.

A Cadillac diesel? It could happen. Or should we say, happen again.

Don’t live in LA, or you just can’t be bothered to face the crowds and finish off your day with sore feet? Then you’re in luck. AutoGuide has done all the footwork (and the talkie talkie, and the video editing), to bring you the highlights from the 2011 LA Auto Show. From the Subaru BRZ STI Concept, to the 650-hp Shelby GT500 watch our video series to get the rundown on the most exciting vehicles at this year’s show.

Watch all of AutoGuide’s 2011 LA Auto Show videos below:

Cadillac is finally rolling out a replacement for its prehistoric STS and DTS models with the all-new 2013 XTS debuting today at the LA Auto Show. Aimed more at the 5 Series and E-Class set, it’s as big as their larger stablemates, the 7 Series and S-Class.

As expected and right on time, Cadillac rolled out their new XTS Sedan today at the LA Auto Show, fully unveiling their new flagship luxury sedan. Confirmed is a 3.0L V6 with 300-hp under the hood powering the XTS Sedan boasting Cadillac’s Art & Science design language.

Cadillac‘s long awaited XTS flagship has been officially revealed with a whole suite of technology features that should help it establish a niche among buyers interested in more than just rear-drive handling dynamics.

General Motors is recalling a certain production run of Cadillac CTS models built between October 21 and October 26, 2011. According to reports, “the power vacuum brake boost pushrod retention nut may not be torqued to the proper specification.”

Cadillac is drumming up a lot of excitement for its upcoming ATS model, which will be GM’s answer to BMW’s ever popular 3-Series. To get everyone excited about the new ATS, Cadillac has been releasing a series of videos teasing the vehicle as it gets put through its paces of testing and tuning.

The newest video highlighting the ATS’ journey shows Cadillac developing and refining the sedan on the Autobahn and the Nurburgring. By gathering an elite team of drivers and engineers, Cadillac threw everything it possibly could at the ATS in order to develop the perfect sports sedan.

Check out the video below:

There may still be two months to go, but General Motors is all but certain to reclaim the title of World’s Largest Automaker for 2011. GM last held claim to producing the most vehicles back in 2007, and for the 76 years before that, before being ousted by Toyota in 2008. Toyota has since retained that position for two more years, with Volkswagen emerging onto the scene to be a major player.

Cadillac has just revealed the production version of its upcoming XTS flagship luxury sedan, which will debut at the 2011 Los Angles Auto Show on November 16, 2011.

When we first heard about D3 Cadillac’s Le Monstre packing 1,001-hp in CTS-V Coupe form, we had pretty high expectations. Now we know that even the renderings were a little on the conservative side. The completed project made its debut in the Toyo Tires booth at this year’s SEMA Show in Las Vegas and it has exceeded our expectations. Simply put, this is one bad widebody Cadillac CTS-V Coupe.

Toyo Tires recently announced three of their four 2011 SEMA booth vehicles, choosing to keep the fourth one a secret… until now. Toyo Tires has teamed up with D3 Cadillac to show off a special edition 2012 CTS-V Coupe dubbed “Le Monstre” packing in excess of 1,001-hp and 1,001 lb-fts of torque.

Harold Martin’s V1000 Cadillac CTS-V is one menacing, luxurious coupe. Martin classifies it as an Extreme Elegance vehicle, stating that they focused on new styling and aerodynamics, a tuned exhaust note, acceleration that commands respect from the quickest sports cars in the world, and still offer a refined highway romantic cruiser. We chose to ignore the majority of that gibberish though, opting to only read “1000-hp”.

Best of all, we’ll be able to admire the beauty in person at the upcoming SEMA Show where Martin’s V1000 Coupe will be shown off. The Martin V1000 package outfits the Cadillac CTS-V with a supercharged 7.0L V8 with 1000-hp and 900 lb-ft of torque. Other modifications seen on their display car will be a custom intercooler setup, a full but subtle body kit, a stainless steel high-flow exhaust and 22-inch wheels.

Harold Martin right now is claiming their CTS-V Coupe does 10.9 in the quarter mile and goes 0-60 mph in just 3.5 seconds. They’re currently taking orders for their entire line of custom Cadillac vehicles.

Check out the video of Harold Martin’s 1000-hp CTS-V Coupe after the break.

Cadillac has just launched a new YouTube series documenting the creation and testing of its upcoming ATS luxury sports sedan.

In the first chapter entitled “Welcome to the Green Hell,” the ATS is run through its paces at the infamous German race track. Caddy intends that this car will be a true rival to the BMW 3 Series and is taking great pains to see that it does – and to see that it’s perceived that way as well.

Watch the video after the jump and get updates by subscribing to Cadillac’s YouTube channel here and by “liking” their Facebook page here:

Cadillac has confirmed it will debut its new flagship luxury sedan, the XTS, at the LA Auto Show on November 16th. While details of the powertrain have been kept secret, we do know it will be the first production model to make use of the brand’s new CUE telematics system.

For the second year in a row, General Motors has sold 2 million vehicles in China, with 10 weeks left in the calender year 2011.

Cadillac is hoping to use an unconventional marketing strategy to lure buyers to its upcoming XTS sedan, with plans to market it to limo services as a livery vehicle or “black car”.

Unveiled at the CTIA Wireless Association’s Enterprise and Applications conference in Sand Diego, Cadillac‘s new CUE system promises to be the most advanced in-car telematics interface. Rivaling system’s like MyFordTouch, it’s also designed to be easy to use and understand, even for novices.

Cadillac has released a video of its 2012 ATS testing at the Nurburgring, along with some photos of the heavily disguised sports sedan being put through its paces.

If you’ve got a GM vehicle and OnStar, you’ll be able to rent out your idle car and make some extra cash through the RelayRides marketplace.

General Motors much loved LNF engine, the same 2.0L Ecotec that powered the Pontiac Solstice GXP, Saturn Sky Redline and Chevrolet Cobalt SS is continuing on in the Buick Regal Turbo and Buick Regal GS, but a new generation of turbocharged 4-cylinder motor is set to replace the LNF next year, packing even more power.

If you’re eagerly awaiting a more family friendly Volt, or a more luxurious and sporty one, you’ll have to be patient. According to Nick Reilly, the head of GM Europe, the automaker isn’t planning to release any Volt spin-offs until 2015.

Cadillac is preparing to launch its BMW 3 Series rival, and while the new ATS will take on the Germans in the sedan and coupe segments, plans to also offer a coupe have been axed.

Cadillac has just launched a marketing push title “New Standards”, highlighting some of the brand’s best features and little known secrets. Along with a new site dedicated to highlighting these traits, the GM luxury brand has just released the first of what appears to be a series of clever videos pitting Cadillac models against their rivals.

In the first spot, there’s a 0-60 drag race between a Mercedes C300 and a Cadillac Escalade. With 403-hp and plenty of torque, the mammoth SUV holds its own. Plus, it’s a great way for Cadillac to highlight the luxury ‘ute’s excellent towing capability too.

Watch the ad after the jump and learn more at cadillac.com/newstandards:

As part of Cadillac‘s continued rebranding efforts the Cadillac Racing team has been releasing “ride along” videos from each of its races this season in the SCCA World Challenge series. The latest comes to use from the glass-smooth and world-famous Laguna Seca, where pilots Johnny O’Connell and Andy Pilgrim take us through all 11 turns of the circuit, displaying some incredible driving.

As the CTS spearheads Cadillac‘s revival, old faithfuls and the newly converted alike happily anticipate for the next big thing. The ATS, arriving 2012, is designed around an all new Cadillac specific RWD-AWD platform that is intended to be Cadillac’s latest answer to the long standing BMW 3-series benchmark.

In the following video, President of GM North America Mark Reuss is accompanied with various engineers associated in the ATS project to discuss the car, what it stands for, and also to share some future visions within the Cadillac company.

Two remarks stand out during the ATS promo video. Mark Reuss took this opportunity to explain, “We’re really trying to hone the DNA of what Cadillac is all about, which is performance and luxury.” Global Vehicle Chief Engineer Dave Leone follows through, assuring that Cadillac, “will be very fun to drive, very spirited, very nimble.”

Spy photos of the ATS have circulated for some time. In the video, you will get an opportunity to get a better peek before the new product goes on sale next year.

The results for the most successful cars of 2011 so far are in. Automotive data and marketing solutions company Polk has calculated the results from the first six months of 2011 new vehicle registrations and have come up with the top picks for non-premium and premium models.

Cadillac has been given the go-ahead to create a new flagship sedan that will slot above the upcoming XTS, as General Motors aims to have Cadillac compete with the top-tier European luxury car brands.

Cadillac has just released a new commercial, shedding some light on what it feels might be a popular misconception about its new CTS-V Coupe. The car features what are known as “magnetorheological shock absorbers”, which essentially work by having metal particles in the fluid, allowing the onboard computer to control the stiffness of the shocks by adjusting a magnetic field at each end. As a result, they’re the fastest reacting shocks on the market.

For the fourth year in a row, the Cadillac Escalade tops the list as the vehicle most likely to be stolen in America. The info comes from the latest Highway Loss Data Institute statistics, which looks at the number of theft claims per 1,000 vehicles. Data tallied for this latest survey comes from 2008 and 2009 and its important to note that a claim does not necessarily mean a theft has taken place, merely that the vehicle has been broken into.

General Motors has confirmed production of the Cadillac ELR coupe. The American automaker has yet to announce pricing for the coupe, but an unidentified course close to the project revealed the Cadillac ELR’s price will be lower than the $57,400 Tesla Model S. It is expected that the ELR will be priced somewhere around $49,900 with options adding up to $8,000 to that base price. Other sources have predicted that the plug-in ELR will cost somewhere in the mid-$50,000 range.

Originally started by Lorie Seadale as a way to raise awareness for the Orleans County Fair in Barton, Vermont, the Cadillac parade has now brought back a world record to America. The previous record set consisted of 102 Cadillacs on parade back in September of 2002 out in the Netherlands. This time around, the folks in Vermont gathered 298 Cadillacs from across United States and Canada to bring the world record back home.

Cadillac promised the unveiling of an all new concept car in Monterey during the Pebble Beach festivities and the American luxury brand certainly delivered.

Cadillac says its stunning new Ciel concept is inspired by the California Coast, but we have to say it’s got an art deco style; with the sort of penache that Bruce Wayne would take to the Hamptons. This four-seater, and four door concept (check the suicide doors) is named after the French word for sky and represents a possible future for the brand’s design language.

A few days ago, Cadillac announced that the Volt-based Converj concept would enter production. Well, it’s gotten a name change to suit its newfound status: look for the Cadillac ELR to hit dealers in a few months.

The Cadillac Converj was thought to have been lost in the ether between dazzling concept and pained execution. But GM’s executives have green-lit the Volt-based luxury car, and promise that it will be better than the idea of a “Volt-based luxury car” may sound.

The Converj was thought to have been killed off back in 2009, a few months after it was first shown at the Detroit Auto Show. Back then, Cadillac product planners couldn’t justify the expense of building even more Volts and not making a profit.

General Motors will look to slash its R&D costs in the future, by increasingly sharing platforms and engines across models. Company CEO Dan Akerson and product boss Mary Barra spoke to the big changes coming for GM during online seminars billed as the 2011 Global Business Conference.

Johnny O’Connell landed his first World Challenge victory at the Mid-Ohio race track, giving Cadillac its first win since the final race of the 2007 season at Laguna Seca Raceway in California.

Looking to improve upon some of the success the team found during rounds five and six of the SCCA World Challenge series, Cadillac Racing is competing with its duo of CTS-V Coupe race cars at Mid-Ohio this weekend.

General Motors will invest $117 million in the Oshawa Assembly Plant in preparation to build the all-new Cadillac XTS. This move will also solidify 400 jobs on the company’s felixble assembly line. The XTS has been designed to compete against other large luxury cars, and production should begin in the first half of 2012.

Cadillac has revealed the first photo of its new entry-level ATS model, which was designed to take on the BMW 3 Series. With the CTS having grown in size to more of a 5 Series rival, the ATS is expected to become the volume seller for Cadillac and help grow the brand considerably.