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Hotter Cadillac ATS-V+ could use LS7 power

Rumor has it Cadillac is working on an even hotter version of the ATS-V, possibly called ATS-V+. And the latest intel from Motor Trend suggests this new model might have a great, big V8 under the hood. The V8 in question is the high-revving, naturally aspirated 7.0-liter LS7 from the Camaro Z/28. The hand-built engine makes 505 horsepower and 481 pound-feet of torque in the Z/28 – a nice increase over the 464 hp and 445 lb-ft in the standard ATS-V, which uses a twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter V6. Motor Trend says the ATS-V+ will come to market with an eight-speed automatic transmission, as well as the seven-speed manual 'box from the Corvette. A dual-clutch transmission will come to market later. Of course, we'll believe it when we see it. But an LS7-powered ATS-V sure sounds like a great package to us. Here's hoping.

2019 Cadillac XT4 First Drive Review | Fashionably late

SEATTLE, Wash. — The 2019 Cadillac XT4 compact crossover debuted in New York, Cadillac's recently-adopted home, several months ago. Since then, a lot's changed. Cadillac honcho Johan de Nysschen got the boot, the economy's continued to improve, and we've changed coasts to experience the XT4. The setting is Seattle and its environs, a place that embodies the moment – a town flush with tech money and outdoor lifestyle experiences. Oh, and traffic. Lots of that. What hasn't changed is that this is a vehicle that Cadillac desperately needs. Between and below the Escalade and XT5 are vast gulfs of white space that could swallow entire crossover-focused brands. The dealers, we imagine, howled. And de Nysschen was replaced, it turns out, by a career GM exec with a penchant for building bridges with dealers. Must be a coincidence. The XT4 should please everybody involved in that power struggle. It's cute, for one, which will make for happier dealer-customer interactions. It brings appreciable but unintimidating technological advances to a brand looking to flex some segment leadership muscles. And it doesn't strictly feel like a rebadged version of a lower-tier product, a bad habit that Cadillac keeps failing to kick. We'll discuss its competition within its segment, and how they compare to the XT4, in another piece to follow. If you're wondering where the XT4 comes from, the easiest way to think about it is as a cut-down version of the basic underpinnings of the XT5, wrapped in nicely-proportioned sheetmetal. To be blunt, there's more unadorned plastic on the lower fascia and rockers than we'd like at this price point, but the rest is handsome. Large, elegant lamps sit at both ends, set off with trendy creasing and little accent vents – Sport models have clear taillight elements, while others have red-tinted lenses. The XT5, itself a newer vehicle, looks outclassed and dated instantly when put up next to its sleeker, more modern little sibling. The interior, however, is more alike than different. The major shapes are similar, as are the placement of the switchgear. The 8.0-inch infotainment screen is, as in the XT5, embedded in a slabby wedge of dash. It's still a touchscreen, but a little dial now provides an alternate way to navigate. A Qi charging panel and easily accessible, but not too prominent, USB, charging, and aux inputs reside just above. The seats in our tester, a Premium Luxury trim, are covered in a soft, warm caramel-colored leather.

Best and Worst GM Cars

Oh yes, because we just love receiving angry letters from devoted Pontiac Grand Am enthusiasts, we have decided to go there. Based on a heated group Slack conversation, the topic came up about the best and worst GM cars. First of all time, and then those currently on sale, and then just mostly a rambling discussion of Oldsmobiles our parents and grandparents owned (or engineered). Eventually, three of us made the video above. Like it? Maybe we can make more. Many awesome GM cars are definitely going unmentioned here, so please let us know your bests and worsts in the comments below. Mostly, it's important to note that this post largely exists as a vehicle for delivering the above video that dives far deeper into GM's greatest hits and biggest flops, specifically those from the 1980s and 1990s. What you'll find below is a collection of our editors identifying a best current and best-of-all-time choice, plus a worst current and worst-of-all-time choice. Comprehensive it is not, but again, comments. -Senior Editor James Riswick Best Current GM Vehicle Chevrolet Corvette We were flying by the seats of our pants a bit in this first outing and my notes were similarly extemporaneous. When it came time to tie it all together on camera, I failed spectacularly. Thank the maker for text, because this gives me the opportunity to perhaps slightly better explain my convoluted reasoning. I chose the C8 Corvette because it's simply overwhelmingly good, and it's merely the baseline from which this generation of Corvette will be expanded.  While the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing (more on that in a minute) is an amazing snapshot of GM's current performance standing and its little sibling so enraptured me that I went out and bought one, their existence is fleeting. Corvette will live on; forced-induction Cadillac sport sedans, not so much. So while all three are amazing machines when viewed in a vacuum, the Corvette stands above them as both a reflection of GM's current performance credentials and a signpost of what is to come. So, given the choice between the C8 and the 5V-Blackwing right now, I'd choose the C8. In 10 years, when the Blackwing is no longer in production and Corvette is in its 9th generation? Well, that might be a different story. Now, just pretend I said something even remotely that coherent when we get to the part of the video where I try to make an argument for the 5-V Blackwing as best GM car I've ever driven. Or just laugh at me while I ramble incoherently.