Cadillac ATS Makes Appearance on GM.com

After all these years, the BMW 3-Series is still known as the benchmark in the segment. With nearly a hundred thousand units sold in in the United States each year, it is BMW's bread-and-butter model (along with the more profitable 5-Series).

No one can touch it right? Or so the thinking goes. That thinking doesn't stop the competition, who each model-cyle aim their sights at dethroning the 3-Series.

Cadillac tried and has met success with the CTS. However, the car was positioned in an awkward spot: larger than the 3-Series but at a similar pricetag. That led to a disadvantage in dynamics.

The gap has only gotten larger with the second-generation CTS. Clearly, the CTS is a car that should be competing against the 5-Series. This is something Cadillac recognizes, and it is readying a car to slot in below the CTS. The car is dubbed ATS, and it is based on General Motors' Alpha rear-wheel drive platform.

We're pretty excited about this car, but we haven't seen much of it yet. Oh some spyshots and the like, but no clear view. Then, a reader on GM enthusiast website GMInsideNews spotted a car with rear-wheel drive proportions on GM.com, of all places. When transposed over a spyshot of the ATS, it clearly is the car we've all been anxiously waiting to see.

You can't tell a whole lot from the picture, except for the overall bodylines and proportions, but it is something. One thing is clear; with rear-wheel drive and sporting intentions, we are more excited about seeing the ATS than we have any other GM sedan product in a long time. Come quickly, ATS.