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Cadillac ATS-V Coupe caught undisguised ahead of LA reveal

Vsport versions of the CTS and XTS sedans are all well and good, but what Cadillac enthusiasts have really been looking forward to is the arrival of the next full-on V model. And here we have it.
Spied in the nude during an apparent photo shoot ahead of its anticipated debut at the fast-approaching Los Angeles Auto Show, the upcoming new Cadillac ATS-V Coupe is set to pick up where the old CTS-V left off, only in a more compact form. Unlike previous spy shots of heavily disguised prototypes, this final version is showing a chrome-framed mesh grille, along with a deep lower air dam with what looks to be a carbon-fiber front splitter. That bulging hood with heat extractor vents is tipped to be packing a twin-turbo V6 engine, breathing out of quad exhaust tips.
The aggressive aero kit also encompasses side skirts, a reshaped rear bumper and a lip spoiler on the truck, while the upgraded rolling stock wears serious low-profile rubber and the brakes appear to be carbon-ceramic units. Peer through the window and you can even see the sport bucket seats with slots for racing harnesses. All of which suggests a serious American challenger to the BMW M4 and its ilk, and we're looking forward to seeing the vehicle in the metal in LA next month.

Even if GM does close all 5 of those plants, it'll still have too many

DETROIT — General Motors' monumental announcement on Monday that it will close three car assembly plants and two powertrain plants in North America and slash its workforce will only partially close the gap between capacity and demand for the automaker's sedans, according to a Reuters analysis of industry production and capacity data. Sales of traditional passenger cars in North America have been declining for the past six years and are still withering. After GM ends production next year at factories in Michigan, Ohio and Ontario, it will still have four U.S. passenger-car plants — all operating at less than 50 percent of rated capacity, according to figures supplied by LMC Automotive. In comparison, Detroit-based rivals Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will have one car plant each in North America after 2019. The Detroit Three are facing rapidly dwindling demand for traditional passenger cars from U.S. consumers, many of whom have shifted to crossovers and trucks. Passenger cars accounted for 48 percent of retail light-vehicle sales in the United States in 2014, according to market researchers at J.D. Power and Associates. This year, sedans will account for less than a third of light vehicle sales. That shift in turn has left most North American car plants operating far below their rated capacities, while many SUV and truck plants are running on overtime. The collapse in passenger-car demand is a challenge for nearly all automakers in the United States, including Japan's Toyota and Honda, which have the top-selling models in the compact and midsize car segments. Toyota executives said last month they are evaluating the company's U.S. model lineup. But Toyota also plans to build compact Corolla sedans at a new $1.6 billion factory it is building in Alabama with partner Mazda. The obstacles facing GM in its plans to close more auto factories became apparent on Tuesday as U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to block payment of government electric vehicle subsidies to GM. While it is not certain that Trump unilaterally has the power to do that, he made it clear he intends to use his office to pressure the company to keep open a small car plant in Ohio that GM says will stop building vehicles in March.

Cadillac Lyriq shown in pre-production form for the first time

A single photo of the upcoming Cadillac Lyriq testing in camouflage was posted on LinkedIn by Mahmoud Samara, Cadillac’s vice president of sales, service and marketing. ItÂ’s significant, because we havenÂ’t seen a single photo of the actual pre-production Lyriq yet. All Cadillac has shown us so far is a concept-like version of the crossover that is destined for production. This photo of the crossover done up in camouflage gives us the first impression of how Cadillac is transforming the Lyriq from concept car to production car. ItÂ’s moving at speed with some motion blur in the image, but we've lined both it and the original production-intent prototype up atop each other below for you to compare. In a way, this photo is a lesson in how deceiving camouflage on a car can be. The undisguised Lyriq has exponentially more presence and pizzazz than the one in black and white speckled wrappings. Given just the camo car, weÂ’d be able to discern that Cadillac is working on a large, coupe-like electric crossover, but the details would remain a mystery. The dramatic window line is totally obscured by the camo car, and so is its wild rear taillight that wraps up into the giant rear pillar. That huge rear blade/pillar is one area that could see change from the Lyriq photos weÂ’ve seen so far, too, as it looks like a massive blind spot for the driver. Other notable differences include regular-sized wheels and tires, a potentially higher roofline (for more practical headroom and cargo space) and actual side mirrors instead of the camera mirrors. Does it all look slightly less futuristic? Sure, but remember that the camouflage is there to disguise and trick the eye. One element that does look completely carried over is the massive screen inside. You can see the monolith stretching across the dash from far away. ItÂ’s likely that we get a full array of spy shots from one of our usual sources soon with far more angles to look at. SamaraÂ’s announcement in his post made it clear that pre-production testing is underway at GMÂ’s testing facilities. Cadillac has previously said that the Lyriq would officially go on sale in late 2022, so expect more disguised prototypes until then. Cadillac Lyriq View 8 Photos Related video: The Lyriq is CadillacÂ’s new all-electric crossover