2013 Cadillac ATS employs smart design for fuel economy

Not just fuel efficiency, but also fuel economy, a focus of the new Cadillac ATS

Cadillac thought ahead when designing the new 2013 ATS sports sedan to maximize fuel economy. The difference between fuel economy and fuel efficiency is simple; Fuel economy is saving money on gas, fuel efficiency is saving fuel. That might seem like it is the same thing, but it isn’t. Cadillac knows this. Most luxury car and SUV manufacturers don’t understand that the easiest way to save their customers 10% on gas is not new or difficult.

Premium Cadillac Ride, Regular Gas
When Cadillac designed the new 2013 ATS the company had a decision to make. It could play the specification game, whereby a manufacturer tries to use all of the tricks it can to make its car look better than a competitor on paper, or it could make the best car it could. Cadillac chose the latter. When a Cadillac owner pulls up to the pump and there is a “German Sports sedan” owner on the other side, the Cadillac owner will be paying 10% less for the gas that day. That is because a Cadillac ATS does not need premium unleaded fuel. The “German Sports sedan” does. There is no secret that Cadillac wants to earn the business of many BMW 3 series and Audi A4/S4 customers. Giving the customers a 10% discount on gas is a great way to start the relationship. Doing this, Cadillac gave up a few horsepower on the specification sheet, but the customers get a better ownership experience. Don Butler, vice president of Cadillac Marketing put it this way in a press release; “ATS is a no-compromise car. The traditional sacrifices no longer apply.”

Cadillac Technology Saves Weight
Of course the 2013 Cadillac ATS also has some cutting edge fuel and weight saving technology. Throughout the car the metallic parts were carefully thought out. Where steel made the most sense Cadillac employed ultra- high strength steel. This cost a little more, but it allows the designer to make the part smaller and lighter and still have the same strength as regular steel. The hood is aluminum. That is where the light material is best employed since it is above the center of gravity. Even the engine mounts were designed to be lightweight being made of magnesium.

Cadillac knows that low weight saves fuel. Fortunately for ATS customers it also knows that a few horsepower on the Spec. sheet mean a lot less than saving gas over the life of a car.