Transportation

Car Review: 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe

Published

10 years ago

March 2, 2015

The 2015 Cadillac ATS coupe will go on sale in the summer of 2014. The first compact luxury coupe offered by Cadillac and based on the award-winning ATS sedan’s architecture, the ATS Coupe offers drivers the choice of rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder or a 3.6L six-cylinder engine.

By Frank S. Washington
NNPA Columnist

DETROIT (NNPA) – Cadillac has got something. Its two-seat version of the ATS sedan was slick, fun to drive and it had plenty of style. We test drove the 2015 ATS Coupe 3.6L RWD Premium. That translated into a 2+2 coupe with a 3.2-liter V6 that made 321 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm.

Mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, this powertrain was quick, responsive to driver input and propelled our test car just about effortlessly. The Cadillac ATS Coupe was pretty light at 3,400 pounds.

We had the rear-wheel-drive version of the ATS Coupe; it also comes with all-wheel-drive. That meant our test car got 18 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway and 22 mpg combined. It was a nice package but on a long highway drive, our ATS’ 450-mile range may have been its only shortcoming, if that could be categorized as a shortcoming.

The car had a 50-50 weight distribution, a lightweight five-link rear suspension and a MacPherson-strut front suspension with direct acting stabilizer bar. Powering through a curved expressway entrance, the ATS Coupe tracked well, stayed perpendicular to the pavement and it could have gone even faster than the 45 mph we were going rather than the 25 mph maximum speed that was posted. It was a great ride.

The 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe handled with rifle shot accuracy. It had a belt driven electric variable steering gear, Brembo brakes and 18-inch machine finished aluminum alloy wheels.

Our ATS Coupe had an adjustable suspension with sport, touring and snow/ice settings. It also had Magnetic Ride Control that was a real time damping system that read the roads and changed damping in a millisecond for better body control.

It shared the same 109.3-inch wheelbase as the ATS sedan but the ATS Coupe’s sheet metal was slightly different. It had its own doors, rear fenders and trunk lid. The front fascia and front fenders were altered to accommodate the Coupe’s wider track.

The Coupe is the first Cadillac to sport the brand’s revised crest badge. The Coupe also shared what is becoming a Cadillac signature, LEDs that form light sabre-like vertical fins that frame the headlights, the grille and the lower front fascia. Our test vehicle also featured illuminating door handles.

As is the case with any vehicle, luxury is conveyed in the interior and the ATS Coupe did not disappoint. The interior from the sedan carried over into the Coupe. In fact, this interior is used in every Cadillac. It featured hand cut and decoratively stitched upholstery material and leather.

Our test vehicle had real wood trim; carbon fiber and aluminum trim are also available. But run your hand on the open pore wood trim of our test vehicle and the grain in the wood could be felt. It was a small characteristic but a giant step towards Cadillac returning to its pinnacle as one of the best luxury marques in the world.

Our coupe was a 2+2 and that translated into full back seats that were pinch for the passenger/s that had to sit in them. The seat backs would fold creating more cargo space.

Of course, the car featured the CUE system. This infotainment system is still a love it or hate it affair. But there’s very little controversy over how it looks: clean, angular and melded with Cadillac’s overall design language. That no doubt is why the CUE, it stands for Cadillac User Experience, appears at home in every Cadillac.

The Coupe featured the most up-to-date version of CUE. It had text to voice and Sire Eyes Free for iPhone operating systems six and seven. Cadillac said it could be connected to the ATS by voice controls. There are no buttons on the CUE system.

It had an eight-inch touch screen as well as a capacitive faceplate. Complaints have been lodged that it is too slow, it is hard to operate and even more difficult to master. But the more we encounter this system, the more comfortable we become in its operation. That was the case with the 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe.

Our test vehicle also featured OnStar and it held the latest technology from General Motors. Cadillac’s CUE on the ATS had a 4G LTE. In other words, the 2015 Cadillac ATS was a rolling Wi-Fi hotspot capable of connecting seven devices.

This ATS Coupe had remote start, a passive entry system (read push button lock and unlock), alloy sport pedals, rear vision camera, configurable heads up display, heated steering wheel and front seats, wireless charging and push button start/stop.

It was a sharp car. The 2015 ATS Coupe was yet another product/rung in Cadillac’s climb back to prominence in the luxury vehicle segment. Our test vehicle had a base price of $50,325. Add $2,290 worth of options and Cadillac’s $995 freight charge and the total sticker came to $53,610.

Frank S. Washington is editor of AboutThatCar.com.

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Bay Area

Former Mayor Willie L. Brown Endorses Dana Lang for BART Board District 7

Former San Francisco Mayor Willie L. Brown has announced his endorsement support for Dana Lang for BART Board District 7 Seat, which includes voters from both sides of the Bay, and in San Francisco includes Bay View Hunters Point and Treasure Island. Brown acknowledged that Lang has been a behind-the-scenes force in transportation funding for many years and can help BART manage its financial challenges.

Published

2 months ago

October 22, 2024

Oakland Post

Photo courtesy of Dana Lang.

By Oakland Post Staff

Brown acknowledged that Lang has been a behind-the-scenes force in transportation funding for many years and can help BART manage its financial challenges.

“When I met with Dana Lang I asked many questions, then I asked others about her contributions. Getting to know her I realized that she truly understood transportation. At a time when BART is facing a “fiscal cliff” and an upcoming deficit of nearly $360 million per year, Dana is more than ready for this job, she is ready to meet the moment!”

Over the past 24 years Lang has been a funding and grants specialist with several municipal transportation agencies, including the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, San Francisco Muni, San Francisco Police Department and San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

Lang says, “I’ve faced a number of fiscal crises in my career — such as securing $52 million in new transit security funding for SFMTA (Muni) during the 2008 Great Recession, when others thought it was not possible. I have always managed to identify new funding and ways to make transit more secure. Facing a crisis is the best time to act, through advocacy and policy setting. We’ve got to keep BART running and make it safer and more vibrant in order to meet the needs of our riders, our work force, and our community.”

Lang grew up in the low-income minority community of East Palo Alto, CA, and knew that locating grants and resources could positively impact an entire city and its surrounding region — helping to create and retain agency jobs, getting transit riders to their workplaces, and encouraging small business development near transit hubs.

With that in mind, she pursued a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wellesley College, then an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. She started her municipal career as a policy advisor to Mayor Elihu Harris and helped secure grants for the City of Oakland before moving to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to serve as a transportation grants specialist.

During her 24-year career she has helped secure hundreds of millions of dollars for Bay Area transit agencies and municipalities. In addition to BART’s financial health, Lang’s priorities for BART also include safety, cleanliness, station vitality — and bringing riders back to BART. She has served on the BART Police Civilian Review Board since 2022.

Lang is also endorsed by BART Board Director Robert Raburn, former BART Board Director Carole Ward Allen, the Rev. Amos Brown, pastor of San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church, Alameda County supervisors Keith Carson and Nate Miley, former Oakland Mayor Elihu Harris, District 4 Oakland City Councilmember Janani Ramachandran, Oakland Chinatown leader Carl Chan, and many others.

Lang is seeking the BART Board District 7 Seat, which includes San Francisco’s Bay View Hunters Point and Treasure Island, a large portion of Oakland, the cities of Alameda, Emeryville, Piedmont, and a small portion of Berkeley.

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Bay Area

Alameda County Supervisors Keith Carson and Nate Miley Endorse Dana Lang for BART Board District 7

Alameda County Supervisors Nate Miley and Keith Carson have announced their support for Dana Lang for the BART Board District 7 Seat. These supervisors say that Lang has been a behind-the-scenes force in transportation funding for many years and can help BART manage its financial challenges.

Published

3 months ago

October 1, 2024

Oakland Post

Courtesy of Dana Lang.

By Oakland Post Staff

Alameda County Supervisors Nate Miley and Keith Carson have announced their support for Dana Lang for the BART Board District 7 Seat.

These supervisors say that Lang has been a behind-the-scenes force in transportation funding for many years and can help BART manage its financial challenges.

Supervisor Nate Miley acknowledges that, “At a time when BART is facing a “fiscal cliff” and an upcoming deficit of nearly $360 million per year, Dana is the person for the job. As a transportation leader, Dana Lang is exactly ready to meet this moment.”

Over the past 24 years, Lang has been a funding and grants specialist with several municipal transportation agencies, including the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, San Francisco Muni, San Francisco Police Department and San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

Dana Lang says, “I’ve faced a number of fiscal crises in my career — such as securing $52 million in new transit security funding for SFMTA (Muni) during the 2008 Great Recession, when others thought it was not possible. I have always managed to identify new funding and ways to make transit more secure. Facing a crisis is the best time to act, through advocacy and policy setting. We’ve got to keep BART running and make it safer and more vibrant in order to meet the needs of our riders, our work force, and our community.”

Lang grew up in the low-income minority community of East Palo Alto and knew that locating grants and resources could positively impact an entire city and its surrounding region — helping to create and retain agency jobs, getting riders to their workplaces, and encouraging small business development near transit hubs. With that in mind, she pursued a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wellesley College, then an MBA from Cal Berkeley Haas School of Business.

She started her municipal career as a policy advisor to Mayor Elihu Harris and helped secure grants for the City of Oakland before moving to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. During her 24-year career she has helped secure hundreds of millions of dollars for Bay Area transit agencies and municipalities. In addition to BART’s financial health, Lang’s priorities for BART also include safety, cleanliness, station vitality and bringing riders back to BART.

She has served on the BART Police Civilian Review Board since 2022.

Lang is also endorsed by BART Board Director Robert Raburn, former BART Board Director Carole Ward Allen, Oakland City Attorney Barbara Parker, former Oakland Mayor Elihu Harris, former San Francisco Mayor Willie L. Brown, Oakland Councilperson Janani Ramachandran, Alameda Councilperson Tracy Jensen, Oakland Chinatown leader Carl Chan, and many others.

Lang is seeking the BART Board District 7 Seat, which covers most of the East Bay, including Oakland, Alameda, Emeryville, Piedmont, and a small portion of Berkeley. The district also includes Bay View Hunters Point and Treasure Island in San Francisco.

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

Congresswoman Lee Celebrates Federal Green Transportation Investments for California

Published

3 months ago

September 12, 2024

Oakland Post

Congresswoman Barbara Lee

OAKLAND, CA — Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) today celebrated the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) announcement of two grants for California to expand clean transportation infrastructure. The DOT announced that Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) will receive over $14 million to install Level 2 EV charging ports at all BART-managed parking facilities for use by customers and community members. The DOT also announced that the California Department of Transportation will receive $102 million for the West Coast Truck Charging and Fueling Corridor Project to deploy charging and hydrogen fueling stations for zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles along 2,500 miles of key freight corridors in California, Oregon, and Washington.

The transportation sector is the largest source of U.S. carbon emissions. According to the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a 50 percent reduction in carbon must be achieved by 2050—and as much as a 91 percent decrease by 2100—to stay within the globally accepted goal of limiting the planet’s warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

“Today, I am excited to announce that BART has been selected to receive this critical federal funding to help expand mobility and end fossil fuel dependence,” said Congresswoman Lee. “It is especially important the first phase of the project will prioritize deployment at stations in or near disadvantaged communities. BART is an essential part of our public transit system, and these funds will improve transit for its riders in throughout the Bay Area.”

By installing chargers at BART stations that are close to multifamily housing, workplaces, medical facilities, schools, and retail, the project will support robust EV adoption across a wide range of socioeconomic groups and road users.

Furthermore, because of discriminatory policies, highways were built near and through Black and brown communities, making these communities much more vulnerable to chronic illnesses associated with disproportionate exposure to air pollution. A reduction in gas-powered cars will be especially beneficial to communities of color and low-income communities who have been disproportionately harmed by infrastructural and environmental injustices.

The West Coast Truck Charging and Fueling Corridor Project will enable the emissions-free movement of goods connecting major ports, freight centers, and agricultural regions between the U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada.

On this funding, Congresswoman Lee said: “This funding will go a long way toward not only combatting the climate crisis, but it will create good-paying jobs as well. I thank the Department of Transportation and the Biden-Harris administration for their continued commitment to a cleaner and healthier environment.”

Last year, alongside the California delegation, Congresswoman Lee sent a letter to DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg urging support for the grant application of the West Coast Truck Charging and Fueling Corridor Project through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure program.