How about ATS-V+ with LS7 power?

[BlackJetE90OC]

Cadillac ATS-V+ to Feature LS7 V-8 Power




Last year, we promised you that an even hotter version of the Cadillac ATS-V was on the way. Now, we've finally dug up some more dirt on Cadillac's elusive ATS-V+. As we said before, the ATS was designed from the outset to fit a V-8 under the hood. But the question since then has been, which one? General Motors has come up with an answer: the 7.0-liter LS7 V-8 used in the Camaro Z/28 and C6 Z06.

GM wants its high-revving naturally aspirated eight-cylinder to live on, so it's keeping it in production for the Cadillac ATS-V+. Though we previously hoped for a version of the C7 Z06's supercharged 6.2-liter LT4 V-8, we'd be perfectly happy with an LS7-powered ATS. That engine, which is hand-built at GM's Bowling Green Assembly Plant, produces 505 hp and 481 lb-ft of torque in the fifth-generation Camaro Z/28. Even if the LS7 receives no updates before serving in the ATS-V+, it would still be more powerful than the standard ATS-V 464hp, 445tq twin-turbo 3.6L V6. It would also be lighter.In addition to an eight-speed automatic transmission, the ATS-V+ will have the option of a seven-speed manual transmission sourced from the Corvette. A quick-shifting dual-clutch gearbox should arrive later.

Link:http://wot.motortrend.com/1505_cadil...ls7_power.html

[Sticky]

A recent report by MotorTrend got everyone excited as they stated Cadillac planned to put the naturally aspirated 7.0 liter LS7 V8 under the hood of the ATS-V. Now, this did not make too much sense to this network as the LS7 is pretty much being phased out and if any V8 had a chance to make it under the hood it would likely be the new direct injected LT1.

Why the ATS-V redundancy though? The car already features the twin turbo and direct injected 3.6 liter 464 horsepower and 444 lb-ft of torque LF4 V6. What does the LS7 give it other than less heat soak and possibly less weight on the nose for repeated laps?

GM already moved from port injection motors to direct injected units. There really is no logical sense for keeping the LS7 alive for a very small niche that grows even smaller with the Cadillac brand.

Cadillac's own statement from their communications manager David Caldwell is as follows:

“The ATS-V we have today is supremely capable—so much so that it’s unlikely to receive a larger, or different engine in the foreseeable future. As for V-8 engines we have another car coming that will take care of this. The obvious question is, 'why not' have V-8 power in both? The answer is that there’s no need for the two V product lines to be twins. Brothers, yes. Twins, no. This new era of V-Series gives us the chance to dial-in two types of performance character—both track capable, both premium. One is smaller, a little more approachable (relatively speaking) with the most powerful V-6, the Cadillac Twin Turbo. And its big brother coming later this summer with a supercharged V-8 with authoritative power."

There you have it. No V8 for the ATS-V and certainly not an LS7. How MotorTrend got this so blatantly wrong is anyone's guess. Maybe they were just fishing for hits and not caring about credibility or accuracy. There is no quoted source. It's as if they made it all up.

If there is an ATS-V+ model with higher performance you can bet it will feature the LF4 V6 with higher output as the motor is most definitely capable of it. If they strip out some weight and make a hardcore variant it makes more sense for them to use what they have.

[Stevenh]

I had my fingers cross that we were going to see a high-reving, direct injected, 600HP 7.0l out of GM.. I don' think its ruled out, I just don't think this is the car we'd see it in.

[BlackJetE90OC]

I see the ATS-V+ getting whatever they put in the next gen Z/28. Mark Ruess said today they have plans to build the next Z28 with intentions to mimic the old 302 Z28 from the 60's. That car was Trams Am series homologation special. Mark has something in store for Continental Tire Series and the new Mustang GT350R.

[Sticky]

I see the ATS-V+ getting whatever they put in the next gen Z/28. Mark Ruess said today they have plans to build the next Z28 with intentions to mimic the old 302 Z28 from the 60's. That car was Trams Am series homologation special. Mark has something in store for Continental Tire Series and the new Mustang GT350R.

I think the ATS-V+ should it even happen would be a tweaked version of the ATS-V.