The concept stretches just over six inches longer than the CT6, the company’s current flagship, leading us to believe this may be Cadillac’s answer to the Teutonic luxury competition currently dominating the niche — the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, and Mercedes S-Class.

Although maintaining a predominately angular design language, the silhouette has been softened to create a more finessed form. Sweeping, yet still angular chromed vents aft of the front wheels correlate with massive front scoops below the grille, and all the elements work together with accents at the back of the massive windows to visually stretch the vehicle. While the front lights unmistakably draw from the current generation Camaro, they balance aggression with elegance in a minimalist and understated way.

The name Escala might draw from the existing luxury SUV Escalade model, yet it’s also meant to be suggestive of the nature of the car and its position as Cadillac’s luxury flagship. The concept is powered by a 4.2-liter twin-turbo engine, designed for cylinder deactivation to reduce the consumption of the V-8.

Stunning screens make use of relatively new OLED technology, making for a familiar, yet modernized, interior which should be comfortable to the existing Cadillac customer, yet engaging and contemporary enough to attract new buyers. Buyers like you and me.

The post Truly Lust-Worthy: The Escala is the Cadillac You’ll Want Next Year appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

Now in its second year of production, the Audi A3 offers the best compromise between performance, size and price. It’s a step-down from the Audi A4, but not by much. In terms of cabin space, the Audi A4 is already cramped enough that we feel like the A3 Sedan isn’t taking anything away from that. In fact, that’s the only downfall of the Audi A3. Passenger space as well as cargo space seem to be extremely limited. This isn’t to say that you can’t drive people or haul stuff around. It’s just that you can’t drive two or three people in the back for prolonged periods of time. And nor can you fit large things in the boot. If you can handle these shortcomings however, we guarantee you won’t have anything else to complain about.

The main rival of the A3 Sedan is the Mercedes CLA-Class sedan. Many people say the CLA is better looking but seeing as how that’s a subjective thing, we’ll leave it up to you, the reader. In terms of performance however, there’s nothing in it. If anything, the A3 may be better in certain areas and match the CLA in others.

Both the 2.0 TDI and the 1.8 TFSI are good, but it’s the 2.0 TFSI that really impresses. It delivers 220 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque right out of the box, with potential for a lot more if you decide to upgrade it with intakes, exhausts and so on. It’s a great unit, especially because the A3 with the 2.0T gets an all-wheel drive system as standard. The 0 to 60 mph sprint is dealt with in just 5.8 seconds, an incredible time for a small sedan. The 2.0T returns 27 mpg on the combined run, making it not just fast, but economical as well.

The driving dynamics of the A3 are impressive too. It’s nippy and agile and although it can feel a bit sluggish at low speeds due to its light steering, it weights up at higher speeds. It will understeer at the limit like all Audis, but that limit is really high for anyone to reach it safely in normal driving conditions on a public road. The DCT shifts super fast, and it’s a joy to use with the paddles. What’s more, the same light steering effort at low speeds makes it easy to park in tight spaces.

The Audi A3 may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s alright in our book. If you’re thinking of getting one, do it. You won’t be disappointed at all.

The post The Audi A3 Sedan Is The Car For Every Occasion appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

First and foremost, let’s deal with the teutonic elephant in the room. The BMW 3 Series has ruled the small luxury sedan market almost from its creation. This is the champion, the king, the yard stick. Every new lux sedan is compared to it, and almost always found wanting. I’m telling you right now, the new Cadillac ATS meets it’s German rival head-on and matches it blow for blow. While I won’t declare a victor between them, for my money the Caddy has heaps more style and personality both inside and out.

And inside and out this car is a delight. Styling is always subjective, but if you don’t like how this car looks you’re wrong. That’s fact. From the cool light of the LEDs to the sharp creases of the body, the ATS oozes modernity. Inside you’re greeted with an interior that is equal parts luxury and anti-German – gray on gray on black is banished for blonde leather and walnut wood. There’s color here, and character; haven’t seen that in this segment for a while…

From style to substance, let’s move to how the metal drives. She’s a heavy machine at 3411 (although its the lightest in it’s class of porkers), but she moves when you want her to. Thank 272hp from the 2.0T that came in my test car. The turbo does have some mild lag though, just when I thought modern cars were doing away with that evil sensation. I can readily attest to this rear wheel drive(!) Caddy’s  ability, and even willingness, to carve a mountain road. Let’s just say I sufficiently bothered a 90’s Porsche 911 up the sinewy Angeles Crest Highway to make him pull over and let me buy. And he was trying. Imagine traveling back in time to the 90s, and telling a Porsche owner that in 25 years a Cadillac would be giving him a run for his money. Utterly unthinkable at the time of Fleetwoods and DeVilles.

Finally, there’s the luxury this car just exudes. Interior, exterior, anterior, posterior – doesn’t matter. The whole vehicle screams “I’ve got disposable income!” like only it’s rival’s have before. Chalk it up to the fact that I receive so many new cars to review, but I’d rather give credit where credit is due. At one point during my week with the ATS, I walked straight up to a 3 series and tried to open the door because I thought it was the Caddy. I just had to stop and smile for a moment at that one. So they’ve done it. They’ve created a machine that toe-to-toe competes for the BMW 3 Series’ crown. Congratulations General Motors, you’ve made a believer out of me. Now get me an ATS-V to test!

The post Rightful Heir to The Throne: Cadillac ATS appeared first on FactoryTwoFour.

It’s been four hours, and I’ve got another eight to go. I’m headed north somewhere in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains in Virginia, driving along the east coast from Atlanta, Georgia to Princeton, New Jersey in BMW’s latest mid-sized sedan. The cruise control is set at 100mph, and has been for the past half hour and the car is averaging just under 30mpg. Like nearly everything BMW has produced in the past five years, this car is an exercise in over-engineered precision. Even with the speeds firmly fixed among triplets on the speedometer, the car is almost completely silent and remarkably compliant. Imperfections in the road surface disappear under the chassis like interstate landmarks in the vehicles rear view mirror.

As the miles wear on, the heavily weighted steering continues to inspire confidence as I negotiate the gentle mountainous curves at triple digit speeds. In spite of the hilly terrain, the ample torque from the twin turbo charged straight six and the intelligently controlled six speed transmission keep the car calm and relaxed even when the landscape would force a downshift in lesser vehicles. Without the slightest hint of perspiration in my palms, the thick rimmed steering wheel is comfortable, and its spoke mounted controls make finding entertainment on my long journey fast and easy.

It occurs to me, as I near northern Virginia that I am in the heart of NASCAR country, and although my autobahn inspired German chariot lacks the thunderous V8 soundtrack, the 320ft-lbs from the sequentially operated turbos ensure passing in traffic is a mere breath on the accelerator away. It’s upon entering the state of New Jersey that the 5 Series really begins to come into its own. Even over the apparently cobblestone constructed roadway disaster and perpetual construction nightmare that is the New Jersey turnpike, the car remains comfortable and composed. Perhaps more importantly, despite the entire state of New Jersey not possessing a single intersection where a u-turn is legal, the BMW’s nav system makes short work of finding my destination, even when I’m sure the scope of my navigational incompetence could crash a supercomputer.

It’s not until I’m pulling the BMW curbside amongst a sea of yellow cabs, that I realized what a truly remarkable automobile this is. While coddled in a ocean of luxury, supple leather, and traveling at sustained speeds nearing or in excess of a hundred miles per hour, I had lost track of the time that had passed. In short the 535i, like so many of its predecessors, is timeless. This is an expression that also applies to both the design language and to the driving experience itself. As my passengers disembarked, to attend the wedding that was the cause for my journey, I felt nothing but sympathy for those individuals forced to arrive in the stained bench seats of Crown Victorias and Town Cars. They may have found the venue, but for my passengers and I, we had arrived.

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