Category Archives: Site Info / News

Cadillac ATS LTG 2L Turbo vs BMW 328i N20 2L Turbo?

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Cadillac has added this comparative info to the ATS site:

The BMW 328i uses the N20 engine (2L, 4 cylinder turbo) and appears to be clearly under-rated from the factory, making around 226-240 hp at the wheels in dyno tests. That makes it a 280+ hp engine as delivered; compare to the 270hp from the ATS LTG.  Some test drivers prefer the 328i to the 335i because the 328i has better balance and similar power.

Meanwhile, the upcoming ATS engine is a brand new 2L turbo version of the new 2.5L normally aspirated 4. But if the new ATS engine (LTG) is as tunable as its LHU and LNF cousins, it will quickly be tuned to 300+ hp as they are.  Of course the BMW engine can be tuned as well.

Same weight, similar engine power, BMW has an 8 speed transmission, while the Cadillac ATS arrives with the 6-speed because the 8-speed isn’t ready yet.

What about the Premium ATS and the BMW 335i?

On paper, the 318 hp Cadillac ATS engine also appears to have more power than the 3L Turbo 335i’s engine which is rated at 300 hp.   On paper.

Be sure that the BMW 335i’s engine output is also suspect, and likely makes 320+ hp.  The 335i uses the N55 3L V6, with a dual-scroll turbo instead of the dual turbos from the N54 3L V6.  In comparative tests, the 335i’s N55 V6 made 276 hp at the wheels on the dyno, or 320+ hp at the crank.

Stay tuned!

Cadillac Most Desired Auto Brand in U.S.

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2012 consumer survey measures emotional connections to brands

DETROIT – Cadillac is the most-desired automotive brand in the United States by men, according to results of a market research test by a company that studies emotional connections.

CTS is the centerpiece of Cadillac's lineup. The CTS Sedan is focused on excellent driving dynamics and technology, competing strongly against many of the world's finest midsized luxury cars.

The 2012 “Most Desired Brands in the U.S.” survey was conducted by the global strategic neuro-insight firm Buyology Inc and uSamp, which measured personal and emotional connections to 220 well-known brands across 10 industries.

Cadillac saw retail sales growth of 6.8 percent in 2011, led by the CTS family of cars, which were up 19 percent over 2010, and the mid-size luxury SRX crossover, which increased sales by more than 9.6 percent last year.

Cadillac is poised to further extend sales in 2012 with the introduction of the XTS full-size luxury sedan and the ATS compact luxury sedan, which will be released in the spring and summer of 2012 respectively.

Cadillac STS-V custom exhaust project

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Update:

I actually went with the Corsa axle-back on my STS-V.    The Install article is here, and the dyno article is here.

 

I have mentioned exhaust modifications for my 2008 Cadillac STS-V in earlier articles, but I think I am ready for this as my next modification.

The stock STS-V exhaust is a true dual 2.5″ exhaust.  It has a resonator (17) and the dual mufflers.

Now recall if you cut open the CTS-V muffler housing, they don’t look terrible for flow inside:

Inside the Cadillac CTS-V mufflers

although each 90 degree turn is a 50% loss of flow as I recall.  As we studied in a previous comparative article we think the STS-V flow is around 308 CFM.

Following along after Jaime I plan to replace the resonator with a Magnaflow True-X muffler, and the mufflers with high-flow Magnaflow performance mufflers.

I am working with True Street Motorsports in McKinney again, and here is our base plan:

1 Baseline dyno
2 Replace STS-V exhaust resonator, stock mufflers
Magnaflow part list:
(2) 14326 Magnaflow Polished Mufflers 2.5/2.5
(2) 35136 Magnaflow SS Tips or similar
(2) 13070 60* Mandrel Bent Pipes (stainless) or similar
(1) 14468 Magnaflow Tru-X Muffler (used instead of stock resonator)
3 ‘After’ Dyno
Magnaflow does make a cat-back system for the 320 hp Cadillac XLR, for which they got a 12 whp improvement.  If that improvement scales for the STS-V we would see 18 hp improvement from the planned changes.
The Magnaflow XLR system also appears to replace the resonator with an X pipe, the connecting piping, and the mufflers with performance models.   The XLR has some odd in and out of the front of the muffler flow pathing, but the principle is the same.  Likewise, the Borla system puts an X-pipe ahead of a resonator, then the dual mufflers.

Magnaflow says the Cadillac XLR 320 hp picks up 12 whp with Magnaflow catback

There are multiple variables to keep up with — my last mod was the intake, and it was 100F+ in the shop and much higher in my intercooler.  Now it is 40F in Texas, so I expect we will see a higher baseline now than the 375 whp we saw in August.  That’s part of why we dyno then mod then dyno.  Even with this approach we can’t control everything — the after dyno will be with the engine more heat-soaked than the before dyno — but you control what you can.

Goal:

My goal for the STS-V is to hit 410 wheel HP, which with the automatic would make it a solid 500 crank HP Cadillac.

Other STS-V exhaust or muffler choices:

Borla
Borla made a custom cat-back system for the STS-V which is still available.  I love the Borla sound, but there have been some reports of drone with the system, and the need for some modified parts to be added.  Around $1500 + installation.
Corsa
Corsa makes a axle-back (dual muffler) system for the STS, but not for the STS-V.  The STS version can be used with the STS-V, and that is what D3 does I believe.  Around $900 + installation.
Gibson
Gibson also offers an axle-back (dual muffler) system.  It is available in stainless (preferred) or aluminized.  It looks like a nice set of mufflers, and has gotten good sound reviews.  Around $425 + installation.

Suggestions or Comments?  Please let me know what you think!