It’s no secret that Arabians are big fans of drifting their cars. Whether or not they do it because they love it or just because they are intensely bored is another story. But regardless, there’s no doubt that the sport of drifting has inflicted most of the middle east as of late.

One person to hop on board the drifting infatuation, unsurprisingly, is British rapper M.I.A. In her new music video for ‘Bad Girls’, M.I.A explores the side of her that the title suggests as a couple of older BMW 3-series’, an Alfa Romeo 156 and a Mercedes-Benz E-Class show off their drifting skills (known as hagwalah). The rapper even gets into the thick of things herself as she can be seen rapping on the windshield of a 3-series while it’s only on two wheels.

Whatever your thoughts about drifting hagwalah, this video is worth checking out for the cars alone. Let’s just hope that there were no accidents when filming like there usually is.

[Youtube]

By Kevin Harrison

For my very first job I had the distinction of being recognized as an artist. Hold your astonished acclaim for me because I was the type of artist that had their title sown onto their shirt. That’s right, according to Subway, I was indeed a ‘Sandwich Artist’.

It was by no means a job I’d recommend to anyone, but it worked well for a gawky teenager still in high school – I didn’t come home with french fry grease all over me for instance, just the undesirable smell of onions and pickles. But I did meet a lot of interesting characters, not least of which was a regular who came by every day for lunch.

This woman intrigued me because at no point during my sandwich artist days was I ever able to figure her out, mainly because of what she always ordered.

She always requested a footlong veggie and, believe it or not, all she got on it was cheese, extra mayo and about half our container of olives. That’s it. My fellow sandwich artists would always be disgusted by her order, but I was just more dumbfounded. Why would anyone get just one toping when you can get unlimited topings at no extra cost?

This happens from time to time in the car world too and BMW has lately dabbled in the same sort of puzzling territory. When the X6 first debuted my immediate thought was why would someone want a less practical more expensive X5?

And now they’ve gone and done it again with their Mini brand with the Cooper coupe. Why would anyone want a less practical more expensive Mini? I drove one to find out.

The thing with modernizing retro designs is that you can only do so much before upsetting the fan base. As such, it’s clear BMW didn’t want to alienate said base as they’ve essentially kept the Cooper’s front end, different coloured roof and similar tail lights for the coupe, all while completely distinguishing it completely with a much lower roof line, a noticeably lowered stance and distinguished 17 inch wheels.

This is a much sportier looking car which is what a coupe is supposed to convey, but it can look awkward from certain angles with that arake backside. It’s almost as if BMW didn’t really know what to do with the back of the car so they just stopped trying. Regardless, there is no design like it today and as a result it certainly generates lots of stares, which I’m sure was helped by my tester’s bright red paint. For the most part they were stares of admiration and they largely came from middle aged women – a market I’m sure BMW did not intend to penetrate when they conjured up the Cooper coupe. I’m still not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing.

Inside everything is very much familiar to Mini fans as everything is largely unchanged from the regular cooper. A few sporty black accents can be found along with typical high quality materials and a quirky centre stack layout.

If you are claustrophobic run far away from the Cooper coupe. The regular Cooper was by no means stadium-like inside but the large windows helped to open up the cabin, whereas the coupe’s low roof and shapely design means not much outside light gets in and, as a result, outward visibility can be difficult when checking blind spots or looking through the tiny rear windshield (which by the way is so sloped that it could really use a rear wiper). While a rear back-up camera could be helpful, the coupe is still easy to park due to its hasty size.

That low sloping roof means sacrificing the two rear seats found in the regular Cooper so the coupe is less practical as well, however its saving grace is that the cargo area is actually bigger than the Mini Cooper hatchback. There is also a ski-pass through for larger items.

My tester gave itself away as the Cooper S model as evidenced by the two exhausts in the centre and the functional hood scoop which feeds air to the 1.6 litre four cylinder turbocharged engine. It produced 181 horsepower and 177 pound feet of torque. That amount of power in such a small package translates into some unintentional spirited driving. It’s hard not to take advantage of instant power available at low rpms, and the six-speed manual really helps you to take advantage. Shifts are fairly smooth, however the clutch can take some getting used to. There’s serious pull once you shift into second with virtually no torque steer to be found. At around 80 km/h an spoiler pops up automatically. While it impedes vision through the already small rear windshield, it is likely much appreciated to keep the coupe stable and from flying off the freeway. It’s possible to keep this spoiler stationary, but I imagine the coupe looks quite ridiculous with the spoiler up.

My tester also came with an optional sport package which includes 17 inch wheels, grippy tires and a firmer suspension. Let’s just say that if you can tolerate a stiff ride, make sure you check off this option.  If you don’t you’ll be missing out on having a ridiculously goofy grin on your face every time you take a corner. To say this thing is planted is an understatement to be sure. Those wheels being pushed out to the corners essentially means you can flog the Mini about with complete peace of mind. There is slight understeer when cornering at higher speeds, but it’s easily correctable. This is probably the most fun you’ll ever have in a car of this size short of a go-kart.

And that’s when it hit me. Mini built this coupe because it’s so crazy that you just have to love it. It’s a bit like, oh, I don’t know, ordering a sub with a just a mountain of olives on it from Subway. In fact, one day I actually asked her about her unusual choice. Her reply?

“Why not? Olives are the most flavorful thing you offer and it’s a bit of a rush to just eat a bunch at once. Besides, no one ever thinks to do it”

While you might be thinking to yourself ‘no one ever thinks to do it because it’s disgusting’, and truthfully you’re probably right, she does indeed have a point. If the most flavourful model in a manufacturer’s brand is dull, then you’re really doing it a disservice. The Cooper S coupe is easily one of the most radical thing that no other brand has thought to do. It is the most flavouful and it certainly gives you a rush. Who cares that it’s not as practical, perhaps not as good looking, or as cheap as a regular Cooper S. If you think that way, stick to your typical lettuce and mayo and buy the regular Cooper S. This car is not for your personality.

If, however, you are crazy like my regular olive-obsessed Subway customer, BMW is eagerly awaiting you at your local dealership with keys in hand to the Cooper S coupe. This is a niche market and BMW has filled it nicely. The only thing better? The John Cooper Works edition of the Cooper coupe. I can only assume that it is like ordering a sub with just jalepenos. The full monty.

Base Price: $31,150

Pros:

• One of the best handling front-wheel drive cars out there
• Peppy turbo
• High quality martials
• Eye-catching styling
• Unique exhaust note
• Good cargo capacity for its size

Cons:

• No rear seats
• Poor outward visibility
• Awkward looking from certain angles
• Bumpy ride, even over smooth surfaces

Overall: 9/10

Before you go shouting blasphemy from the hills that an SUV will have a Lamborghini logo on it, there’s a few things to consider:

• Lamborghini had an SUV called the LM002 in the mid-80s. It wasn’t terribly popular or pretty but if you’re bothered to look it up, feel free to do so.
• Porsche has proved that a supercar company can not only build incredible performing SUV’s but can sell a hell of a lot of them. There is clearly demand for these things for some reason.

Anyway, the photo you see above is a photo leaked of Lambo’s newest product in an Italian magazine. It’s unclear if this is just a rendering or indeed the SUV concept to debut at the Beijing auto show this year, but regardless Lamborghini it’s clear Lamborghini is heading the polarizing route.

Power is rumoured to be the same as the V10 found in the Gallardo which makes 575 horsepower. A hybrid version is rumoured as well which could generate as much as 700 horses. Yikes.

Click past the jump to see a rear shot. What do you think of Lamborghini’s new SUV?

[AutoGuide.com]

*UPDATE: Fiat has jsut released a pic of what the 500L is going to look like. Click past the jump to check it out.

If the Fiat 500 is just a tad too much on the small side for you, stay tuned because there is actually a five door coming.

Dubbed as the 500L, the five door version will get a taller roof line than the three door and will ride on the same chasis of the Fiat Punto. The 500L is expected to be slightly wider as well.

Likely to power the 500L is a 1.4 litre Multi-air four cylinder to make about 105 horsepower. A diesel option is expected as well, but whether or not that makes it to Canada is anyone’s guess. And if you’re a gambler I’d suggest betting against a diesel version gracing our shores.

The 500L will officially debut at this year’s Geneva Auto Show and will go on sale in Europe in July. North American sales will probably begin in the fall.

The 500L joins an already various 500 line up with the three door, cabriolet, and Abarth. An all electric version is planned down the road as well.

[Autoblog Canada]

Volvo may be pumping up performance in the S60 with the R-Design but that doesn’t mean that they’ve lost sight of their roots: safety. Case in point, the 2012 S60 has just earned perfect ratings in all categories including frontal, side and pole crash tests run by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association. The S60 aced the pole crash test in particular as no other vehicle’s occupants (read test dummies) has ever faired as well in that test.

The S60 is just the second vehicle to ever ace all of the NHTSA tests. It joins only the Chevrolet Camaro for perfect marks.

So, we have a stylish, fun to drive Swedish sports sedan that will likely keep you together in one piece if you wrap accidentally wrap it around a tree. What’s not to like? The S60 is starting to look more and more like this year’s most underrated car. Now all Volvo needs to go is offer it with a proper six-speed manual and then they’ll have a clear winner for sure.

Click the video above to see the side crash test of the S60.

[Examiner.com]

By Kevin Harrison

With a potential transit strike looming in Halifax, the idea of car ownership may now on some level seem like less of a burden. Since many in the city seem to think our transit service is non-existent in the first place, perhaps a strike will seem like any other day anyway. But for some people like my friend Erin, having absolutely no transit means absolutely no work or social life. She just can’t afford to lose it.

Likewise, she can’t afford a new car either. While she may be able to get a decent second hand car which would have someone else eat most of the depreciation, there’s still that unsettling feeling that something could go wrong with her ‘new-to-her ride’ at any moment. The question then remains, will she have the money to fix it?

With close to zero knowledge of cars in the first place makes car ownership for Erin more anxious than Charlie Sheen at a drug testing lab. Luckily for her, her friendship with yours truly has many advantages not least of which is someone to help her pick out a good reliable used car.

But why ‘settle’ for a used car when a new one is actually within Erin’s grasp? Nissan has just redesigned the Versa sedan and they’re boasting the lowest MSRP of any new car in Canada in the process.  It certainly makes for an interesting new versus used argument.

Has Nissan come up with just a cheap car or a good valued car? I tested one to find out.

The redesigned Versa sedan is much improved looks-wise from the previous generation no matter how you stack it, despite its ability to look awkward at certain angles. Those tiny 15 inch wheels make the Versa seem even further uncouth. And those are the biggest wheels you can get, and you can only get the alloys in the top of the line SL trim. Still, there is grace to be found in the Versa’s design as the front end is decidedly handsome. Likewise the rear quarter view exudes a classy curvacious look. You may need to try hard to find the Versa’s non-awkward sides, but they’re there. The SL trim helps out with chrome accents and the aforementioned alloy wheels.

Step inside the Versa and you’ll notice right away a bit of sparsity in the interior design. Try not to feel around too much either as the Versa’s hard, cheap plastics become apparent when you do. They especially become evident during cold days when the plastics on the centre stack seem to rub together to create one hell of an annoying creaking noise. Only cranking the adequate sounding radio helps to drown out the sound. The cold also seems to affect the Versa’s power windows, which are standard on the SL trim, as they were frozen shut more often than not. This is more the fault of mother nature than the Versa, but it’s clear the Versa is not a fan of the cold.

Nissan likes to market the new Versa as having essentially mid-size interior room for a sub-compact price and boy are they right with that one. To say the Versa is spacious for its size is quite an understatement and I have no doubt that Nissan’s claims of ‘the most head room in its class’ is true. Shaquille O’Neal would likely feel comfortable in the Versa. I might suggest to all the Halifax cabbies using Town Cars and Crown Vics that the Versa sedan would make an excellent, efficient replacement.

Speaking of efficiency, the Versa sedan is rated at 6.7 L/100 kms and 5.2 L/ kms on the highway. It achieves those impressive numbers thanks to the CVT transmission with is standard on the SL trim. While CVT transmissions are generally unfavourable with performance purists, there really is no denying the transmission’s ability to help sip fuel and frankly Nissan has one of the best, if not the best CVT in the business.

That transmission is mated to a 1.6 litre four cylinder which produces 109 horsepower and 107 pound feet of torque. With those numbers it’s therefore unsurprising that the Versa posts a rather slow 9.2 second 0-100 time. The optional six-speed manual in lower trims would likely help with some more get-up-and-go but no matter how you slice it, the Versa is not a fast car. The CVT is rather noisy and intrusive to the cabin as well when pushed. CVT’s tend to work a bit better when mated to larger engines, so the CVT connected to this small 1.6 litre just gives the impression of unrefinement and vulgarity at times. This translates into what seems like the Versa begging you to stop when trying to pass on the highway. However, once at cruising speed the Versa is stable and a tad more graceful.

You aren’t going to get any sort of thrills by flogging the Versa in the bends. Those tiny wheels matched with its tall stance means that any sort of aggressive driving is out of the picture. The Versa does actually have a bit of weight in the steering feel and while point and shoot steering isn’t BMW-like, the Versa very much surprises with its agility when you suddenly crank the wheel. The top heavy feel and screeching of the tires eventually consign you to give the Versa mercy, however.

But here’s the thing. While I may be able to ding the Versa on power, handling, looks, and overall performance, the Versa just plain isn’t made for a guy like me. Its purpose for being is for people like Erin who really want to trade in their bus pass for a fuel efficient, practical, no-nonsense car that will get them from A to B without a fuss. This is really where the Versa shines.

I can’t think of any other new car that can do the ‘regular’ travel routine for such a low price so well. Sure you can name off the Fiesta and Fit, arguably the top contenders in the segment, but then again there’s where the price advantage of the Versa comes into play.

When the Versa is looked at from a typical automotive journalist point of view, it comes up short. But for Joe Public the Versa really does make a strong case for itself for good value. Nissan has essentially closed the gap for people thinking they should buy used instead of new for their budget conscious car purchase. It’s arguably a perfect city car. Great on gas, decent ride for around town, easy to park thanks to its small size and room for all your friends with some to spare. What’s not to like?

As such, I don’t think I’ll hesitate in strongly suggesting to Erin that the Nissan Versa is well worth a look on her car shopping list and yours.

Base Price: $11,798

Pros:

• Truely impressive head room and leg room
• Good fuel efficiency
• Comfortable ride
• Handsome from certain angles
• Great value with low MSRP

Cons:

• Noisy CVT
• A bit underpowered for the highway
• Hard plastics in abundance
• Can look quite goofy from other angles

Overall: 7/10

It’s no secret that the good folks at Endras BMW are decidedly obsessed with BMW and performance but it turns out they are also good old fashioned car nuts in general as a member of the Endras team spotted this prototype in Toronto.

The shape of the headlights, the similar interior to the sedan and its overall size point to it being the likely replacement for the current (and very tired looking) Elantra Touring. As evidenced by the interior shots, the new Elantra Touring will get a manual transmission option and it even looks to be a six-speed.

I wouldn’t expect the engine options to stray too far from the sedan counterpart which has a 1.8 litre inline four that makes 148 horses.

This spy shot comes on the heels of the other flavour of Elantra, the coupe, being spied totally undisguised just a few days ago.

More details are sure to follow soon on the new hatch from Hyundai.

[Endras BMW]

Just because you may have an interest in the environment or just plain ol’ saving some cash doesn’t mean that you have a disinterest in performance. Just ask the Prius driver jailed for racing.

Anyway, there are lots of performance oriented brands that have now offered up their version of a no-compromise hybrid. Infiniti is the latest with their brand new M35 hybrid. In fact, Infiniti is so confident that their new hybrid is a no nonsense performance sedan that they decided to put their money where their mouth is and stack it up against in a drag race against one of the most expensive hybrid offerings on the market: The Porsche Panamera S Hybrid.

First things first, the specs. The Porsche comes with 380 horsepower and a 0-100 km/h time of just 5.7 seconds all while returning 7.8 L/100 kms in fuel efficiency on the highway.

The M35 gets a 360 horsepower V6 which makes the dash in… your guess is as good as mine. Infiniti has not released official numbers yet. Perhaps this is why this video exists in the first place. In terms of efficiency, the M35 fairs better at 7.3 L/100 kms on the highway.

So without further ado, check out the drag race above. Since this is a video made by Infiniti I probably won’t ruin it for you by saying the M35 hybrid beat out the Porsche on this one, but in the same regard, since it is indeed made by Infiniti, take it with a grain of salt as there is probably lots of unaccounted variables that gives the M35 an edge (not least of which is not showing the drag race from the start line).

Still, the M35 hybrid does make a decent case for itself for those who want luxury and performance but who aren’t willing (or who aren’t able) to pay the Porsche’s $95,000 price tag.

[Youtube]

Even though the Elantra just won car of the year at this year’s North American Auto Show, Hyundai is hoping to keep the line fresh by introducing a coupe version of their C-segment sedan. It has been spied recently on the back of a flat bed.

We knew this was coming and in terms of design there’s really no surprises here other than that dent in the rear quarter panel. Careful now!

So, coupes are generally known for being of a more sporty nature than their sedan counterparts and the Elantra coupe is…. different from this assumption. So far as I can tell, there will be nothing to set it apart from the sedan in terms of performance. Hell there’s nothing that sets it apart in design either except for less doors. It will get the same 1.8 litre inline four that makes 148 horses. Um, not exactly inspiring performance numbers.

Well, surely they will have reworked the suspension. Nope, not at all. Basically this is a just a less practical Elantra. Why would anyone want that?

You’d think Hyundai would have learned from GM’s Cobalt and Pursuit coupe variants that just chopping off two doors doesn’t make it a performance car. And at least GM had the decency to offer real performance upgrades to those cars in different trim levels. It’s not as if Hyundai isn’t capable of performance either as demonstrated in the current Genesis coupe and upcoming 2013 Genesis coupe.

Overall this Elantra coupe smells of poseur performance. And it will likely sell well because of it. Shame.

[Inside Line]

No, the interior you’re looking at above is not a new BMW interior, it’s actually that of the next generation Mini Cooper.

The Mini’s current interior pays homage to the original Mini with a retro-styled large speedometer in the middle, along with some modern enhancements such as toggle switches and coloured interiors that match the exterior. The interior has always been quite polarizing and BMW is clearly listening to the nay-sayers.

Assuming this test mule spotted cold weather testing in the article circle isn’t some elaborute ruse to foil sneaky photogs, it seems the next generation is going to do away with the love it or hate it retro look in favour of a decidedly BMW-esque interior. BMW fans will recognize the familiar looking centre stack as well as the orange conservative styled gauges.

BMW has recently said that the next generation Mini will take on a more modern look, but it was unclear if this meant a more modern exterior or interior. This pic seems to at least confirm the latter.

[Photo credit: KGP Photography via Autoblog Canada]

Just when it seemed like wagon aficionados were going to have to make an occupy-every-auto-manufacturer movement, BMW swoops in with some exciting news.

If Endras BMW is to be believed (who by the way seems to have taken over representing BMW in Canada from the ever dormant BMW Canada), the 5-series is going to be available on our shore in diesel form! The 550d in Europe gets a tri-turbo 3.0 litre six which makes 375 horsepower and a whopping 546 pound feet of torque all while returning on average 6.3 L/100 kms and producing 167 g/km of carbon dioxide.

But wait, it gets better.

The 550d will also come with BMW’s X-Drive all-wheel drive system optional as well as BMW’s M package being available to spruce things up look-wise.

But probably the best news of all? This can all be had in wagon for as well. BMW had decided to not sell the 5-series wagon on our shores with the 5-series GT stepping in to fill the gap. However, as good as the 5-series GT is, it’s not exactly a sales star.

The 550d with the M-pack and in wagon form was actually Jeremy Clarkson’s pick for car of the year this year and it’s not hard to see why.

All this seems too good to be true and when that happens, it usually is. However, Endras BMW claims an 550d Xdrive M wagon can be available to us Canucks as early as March.

Now, all BMW needs to do is add a manual transmission to that wagon and boy, do we ever have one drool-worthy family hauler.

[Endras BMW]

 Looks like Ford’s Explorer is going to be getting some steep competition in the form of the new Nissan Pathfinder….concept. Yes, despite its production ready looks, Nissan is still dubbing this one a concept.

Despite this, Nissan is giving a few details. Probably the biggest change in the new Pathfinder is its unibody platform which, as Nissan points out, reduces weight significantly. This, in addition to a new V6 mated to a CVT, means that the Pathfinder will be more efficient than the outgoing model. 25% more efficient in fact.  While there are no official fuel economy numbers just yet, a 25% reduction in fuel usage for a 7-passenger CUV is fairly impressive.

“Nissan is in a great position today.  Sales are up, market share is increasing and our dealers have a great selection of 2012 Nissan cars, trucks and SUVs in inventory,” said Michael Colleran, Regional Vice President of Field Sales and Sales Operations, Nissan Canada Inc.  “This new Pathfinder Concept is just the beginning of a far-reaching wave of new products on the horizon for Nissan.  By the end of 2012, more than 70 per cent of our sales volume will be all-new or redesigned.”

Indeed, big things are happening at Nissan and it’s a bit risky to change over the platform of a tried tested and trusty model such as the Pathfinder, but Nissan hopes this will generate into more agreeable reactions to city driving all while keeping the Pathfinder’s offroad prowess.

Once the Pathfinder is revealed in non-concept mode, there will likely be more specs to report and Car Driven will have all the details. What do you think of the Pathfinder Concept?

[Nissan Canada]

Canadians still prefer the Honda Civic despite new offerings from Hyundai, Ford, Chevrolet and Mazda.

For the 14th year in a row, the Civic has been named Canada’s best selling car with 55,090 iterations of the Civic being sold. The runner up is the Hyundai Elantra, with the Mazda3 coming in next, followed by Chevrolet’s Cruze.

“First and foremost, we thank the thousands of Canadians who bought Honda Civic models this past year to make the Civic the number one car in Canada for the fourteenth consecutive year,” said Honda Canada in a statement.

And thank them they should since this model year Civic has been widely criticized for lackluster performance, sub-par quality and boring styling – things that never would have been said about Civics of the past. This, apparently, has not deterred Canadians and Honda should thank their lucky starts for that, as Consumer Reports for the first time ever did not recommend the 2012 Civic. It is rumoured that Honda is going back to the drawing board to address these issues. The changes could come as early as the 2013 model year.

[Honda Canada]

Oh hey there, pretty young thang.

Ford has released official images of the new Fusion and stylewise, it’s a winner for sure. Part of the reason might be due to the fact that this is actually the new Mondeo for Europe too and the Europeans, well, they just plain have better taste than us with certain things not least of which is car designs. Ford’s new global car campaign is paying off for us North American’s as a result.

The new Fusion gets a low-slung sleek look that easily rivals that of the Hyundai Sonota. Europeans might see this design as more of an evolution of the Mondeo, but regardless, it’s safe to say that this new design is quite agreeable.

Now for the big news. Ford is ditching its V6 in favour of a 4 cylinder line up. Many criticized Hyundai for doing the same with the Sonata, but there seems to be no indication of backlash in their sales. It’s safe to say the all four lineup won’t hurt Fusion sales either. The base trim level will get a 2.5 litre four that generates 170 horsepower and 170 pound feet of torque. This unit gets paired to a six-speed automatic only. Next option available is actually a 1.6 litre Ecoboost engine that makes 179 horsepower and 172 pound foot torque. This is interesting because it will likely be more efficient and just as powerful as the 2.5. Makes you wonder what the point of the 2.5 litre is altogether, but I digress. The top of the line engine will come in the form of a 2.0 litre turbo which makes 237 horsepower and 250 pound foot of juice. Both the latter engines will get the automatic transmission but the 1.6 can be had with a six-speed manual which should help make the most of power from that unit.

What about the hybrid?

Well it’s sticking around but it will get a 2.0 litre four cylinder Atkinson unit which replaces the 2.5 in the outgoing Fusion Hybrid. The result is 180 horses and 130 pound foot torque estimated. The result? An estimated 5 L/100 kms in the city and 5 L/100 kms on the highway.

But wait, there’s actually another hybrid version of the new Fusion called the Energi. It uses the same engine set up from the regular hybrid, but it’s actually a plug in which helps the Fusion run on pure electric power alone.

No matter what your preference is, chances are there’s a variant of the new Fusion which is at least somewhat appealing to you. Click past the jump for a few more pics.

[Ford]

Behold, Cadillac’s answer to zee Germans.

The ATS is essentially a baby CTS that is meant to give the typical compact German performance sedans a run for their money. Specifically, Cadillac wants to eat away at BMW 3-series sales. Cadillac actually bought and stripped a 3-series to the gills in the hopes of finding out what makes the popular Bavarian sedan the benchmark. Even though BMW is just introduced the new 3-series which is supposed to be better than the one that Cadillac modeled the ATS after, but let’s just forget about that for the moment.

The ATS, like the previous generation 3-series, offers 50/50 weight balance, is the same height and offers a five link independent rear suspension. However the ATS is about 160 pounds heavier than the 3-series.

The baby Caddy will get three engine choices: a 2.5 litre four making 200 horsepower and 188 pound feet of torque, a 2.0 litre turbo four making 270 horsepower and 260 pound feet of torque and a 3.6 litre V6 which makes 318 horses and 267 pound feet of torque. Given the choice of the three, I’d say the mid level turbo is the most interesting. Regardless all engines are fitted with a proper six speed manual or an optional six speed automatic.

There’s nothing terribly shocking in terms of it’s design, it looks pretty much the way everyone expected it to look since the design of most Caddy sedans are pretty much identical. With that said, it’s a fairly agreeable design, with an eye catching interior. It’s clear from the pictures alone that GM has done it’s homework in this regard as well.

So far no performance or fuel efficiency numbers have been released. Check out a few more pics after the jump. Do you think the ATS will lure away 3-series owners?

[General Motors]