Production Begins for 2013 Cadillac ATS

The first 2013 Cadillac ATS compact luxury sport sedan intended for public sale was built today at the Lansing Grand River assembly plant in Michigan, culminating a massive design and development project.

Arriving in U.S. dealerships in August, ATS is Cadillac’s all-new entry into the most significant global luxury segment, featuring a new rear wheel drive-based architecture targeting nimble, quick and fun driving performance.

Cadillac’s Lansing Grand River plant, also the production site for the CTS Sedan, Wagon and Coupe and V-Series performance models of each, underwent a $190 million upgrade for ATS production. A second shift was added, creating or retaining 600 jobs.

In total, the award-winning plant that opened in 2001 now has 1,643 salaried and hourly employees. 

“The new Cadillac ATS represents an investment in Lansing and our workforce,” said Tony Francavilla, Lansing regional plant manager. “A successful launch needs a great process and a great product, but at the heart of it all are the people, and the care they put into each and every vehicle.”

The ATS expands Cadillac into the highest volume category in the luxury automotive industry. Following the initial start of production in Lansing, distribution to U.S. dealerships will begin in August. Exports to international markets will begin later this year.

“This is a car with a big mission, and it’s been comprehensively prepared for that mission,” said Don Butler, vice president of Cadillac Marketing. “The new-from-the-ground-up ATS creates a new entryway into the Cadillac brand for luxury car drivers, and a compelling new challenger to the status quo among the top luxury sport sedans.”

The all-new ATS was custom-built using a new lightweight vehicle architecture featuring advanced materials and techniques to ensure precise driving dynamics.  ATS includes a host of exclusive advanced-tech features, including Magnetic Ride Control, the Safety Alert Seat, and CUE, a new in-car user experience for connectivity and control using industry-first capacitive touch and natural voice recognition systems.

The ATS hits the airwaves during the television broadcast of the Opening Ceremonies of the Summer Olympics on Friday.

Cadillac has been a leading luxury auto brand since 1902. In recent years, Cadillac has engineered a historic renaissance led by artful engineering and advanced technology. More information on Cadillac can be found at media.cadillac.com.

Courtesy of Cadillac Media