Sunday, June 23, 2019

2019 Cadillac ATS-V Test Drive

Cadillac(with Car DVD Player) wants you to stop thinking of it as an SUV company, despite how much you love your Escalade. That goes for you SRX owners, too, including the 56,000 who have joined the ranks this year. Of course, luxury alone isn’t good enough for the power brokers of today. You have to deliver ridiculous amounts of performance with it. That’s why there is now a large Cadillac sedan, the CTS-V, that can go over 200 mph. I’m not even sure my dad does the speed limit when he’s cruising around in his vinyl-roof, white-on-white 2006 DTS that he’s still very happy with. But all the cool kids are in on the game, and the cheer captain of that clique has long been the compact BMW M3, now known as the M4, unless you get the sedan, which is still the M3. Regardless, Cadillac has them all covered.


Cadillac says the ATS-V is good for a top speed of 189 mph, and though the track I attacked in an ATS-V coupe didn’t have a stretch long enough to confirm that, I found no reason to doubt it. But fast in a straight line is easy stuff. The turns are where a sports car needs to work its magic. What about install Android Car Gps? The standard ATS already feels solid as a cold stone, but the ATS-V’s engineers added bracing above and below the engine to help the chassis even better resist getting twisted. Adjustable, active shock absorbers trim out the ride and make it more than bearable in Tour mode, but it’s always a little on the stiff side - and that’s the first thing your passengers will mention to you. Actually, they’ll probably remark on the looks of the ATS-V. Order it with the carbon fiber track package (that’s not a suggestion, it’s a must) and the very edgy body extensions combine with the slight wedge profile of the car to give it a kind of 1980s over-the-top supercar style. This was confirmed by the stroller-bound toddler whose head twisted like an owl when he was unable to remove his eyes from the ATS-V as his mom pushed him past the car and down the block. If installing an Android Car Stereo in your car, that would be great!


In addition, standard heated seats allow you to heat your core quickly and directly, making it possible to minimize cabin heat as much as individual comfort allows. In conventional braking systems, the kinetic energy that propels the car forward is transformed to heat as the friction of the brake pad contacts the brake disc to bring the car to a stop. The e-Golf uses a regenerative braking system that captures this energy—that would otherwise dissipate into the atmosphere—and uses it to charge the battery. It’s simple enough to use: just press the brake pedal as you normally would, and the car does all the rest. For those wanting to eke out maximum efficiency—and fun—drivers can cycle through four stages of energy recuperation with the simple flick of the shifter. Each stage increases the rate of deceleration, putting more back into the battery. This simulates “engine braking” in a conventional car.


So your driving style can effectively “add fuel” to your e-Golf. Want to see how it works? Check out this great YouTube video by Danny Maynor, Product Specialist at McKenna Volkswagen in Huntington Beach California. He shows us how using the stages to decelerate in lieu of braking sends a charge to the battery. The best way to maximize winter range in the e-Golf is to pre-heat the cabin while you’re still connected to the grid. This lets you use a full charge to get you where you need to go without also having to bring the cabin up to a comfortable temperature. 20°C, and then maintain it. Simply set your desired cabin temperature and your regular planned departure time, and the e-Manager will heat the cabin while the car is charging. When you’re ready to leave, your e-Golf is fully-charged and toasty warm. The e-Golf is equipped with Climatronic dual-zone electronic climate control including driver-only eco mode. That means that not only can you control the temperature on both sides of the cabin but, when the passenger unbuckles the seat belt, their temperature zone is automatically disabled. Just like that. Not only do you enjoy a cabin temperature that’s just right, but energy isn’t being wasted on the now empty passenger side. Looking to take your e-Golf on a road trip? Find out where you can charge the battery along the way with our interactive map. If you’re ready to make the move to an electric car, you can reserve your e-Golf now. 1,000 deposit and we’ll secure your spot in line so you can among the first to own one.


The all-electric version of the Volkswagen Golf has a smart mainstream style that doesn’t scream out for attention like many other EVs. The Golf is an ultra-popular platform that combines comfort, practicality, refinement and tasteful Teutonic lines—inside and out. This is the EV for drivers who like classic German automotive styling. The 2017 model adopted a new design, with the rear bumper adding a sleek chrome accent—an element that mimics what you would see in a car with exhaust tips. That style carries forward into 2018. “Some people call it a fauxhaust or faux exhaust,” said Megan Garbis, product manager of the entire Volkswagen Golf product line. That’s a subtle design feature. You’re more likely to notice the model’s C-shaped daytime running lights, which are a signature trait for the E-Golf. The dashboard is refined and reserved rather than high-tech. And the gauges are conventional. The color selection includes white-silver, gray, blue and a new green.