[H13rarchy]

Although I am pretty excited to see this car, and even more excited for a test drive one, I have to admit I am a bit dissapointed by the lack of cylinders. I'm having a hard time understanding why Cadillac chose the LF4 over the Corvette's LT1 when the power outputs are very similar. I will admit that I have never tracked a car myself but it is my understanding that most people prefer a naturally aspirated motor over a forced induction. With this car's main focus being how track capable it is, I'm very surprised that it does not come with the LT1 v8 and the benefits of less weight and cooling necessities as well as the possibility of better fuel mileage with the cylinder deactivation. I'm not trying to discredit the ats-v. I'm sure it will be a very capable car, and I remember reading somewhere that this is the fastest car Cadillac has ever sent around the 'Ring. I personally dreamed of this car having an LT1 and performance cam so it'll have that mean loping idle, and sitting in my driveway of course.

Anyone else agree or disagree with me? Any thoughts why Cadillac chose LF4 over the LT1 for a track car?

 

[ROBERT MOZOL]

I'm all for the smaller, lighter power plants myself. Less weight, and those twin-turbos are torque monsters!

 

[H13rarchy]

Oh I'm sure the LF4 will be a little torque monster and I'm sure it will respond well to mods, specifically a tune, better than the LT1. But with additional turbos (although they're titanium), heat exchangers, piping, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if the LF4 actually weighs more than the LT1.

 

[ROBERT MOZOL]

Didn't that Tony say it was lighter than the V-8 since they used the lightweight parts just for that reason?

 

[H13rarchy]

I've searched around for interviews with Tony Roma and haven't been able to find that. If true though, great job on their part.

 

[H13rarchy]

Didn't that Tony say it was lighter than the V-8 since they used the lightweight parts just for that reason?

I found an interview of Autoline After Hours (episode #273 Cadilliac Performance: Where V is for Velocity) where Tony Roma was interviewed for roughly thirty minutes. Tony mentioned that he doesn't know the exact weight of the LF4 but believes it would be about 20 pounds less than the LT1.

AAH 273 Cadillac Performance Where V is for Velocity Autoline After Hours

For reference I found that the LT1 weighs 465 pounds and the LF3 weighs 485 pounds.

 

[Phantomjockey]

Although I am pretty excited to see this car, and even more excited for a test drive one, I have to admit I am a bit dissapointed by the lack of cylinders. I'm having a hard time understanding why Cadillac chose the LF4 over the Corvette's LT1 when the power outputs are very similar. I will admit that I have never tracked a car myself but it is my understanding that most people prefer a naturally aspirated motor over a forced induction. With this car's main focus being how track capable it is, I'm very surprised that it does come with the LT1 v8 and the benefits of less weight and cooling necessities as well as the possibility of better fuel mileage with the cylinder deactivation. I'm not trying to discredit the ats-v. I'm sure it will be a very capable car, and I remember reading somewhere that this is the fastest car Cadillac has ever sent around the 'Ring. I personally dreamed of this car having an LT1 and performance cam so it'll have that mean loping idle, and sitting in my driveway of course.

Anyone else agree or disagree with me? Any thoughts why Cadillac chose LF4 over the LT1 for a track car?

H13archy, I believe you left out a word in the third sentence of your post. Believe you should have inserted a "not" between does and come in the third sentence. Then it makes sense to me. Currently just picked up a new Stingray. Traded my 13 ATS at the time. Call me fickle, but I was dissatisfied with the ease of entry into the ATS Sedan. The Corvette isn't any easier to enter and exit, but it performs much better than the ATS. I would have waited for the ATS-V Coupe (much easier to enter and exit)if it would have had the LT1, but since Cadillac made the decision to use the LF4, I decided not to wait for an engine I was not going to be happy with. I don't really understand why Cadillac made this decision, but to me it was a deal killer.

 

[H13rarchy]

Thank you Phantomjockey! I've updated my original post. I have a bad habit of leaving out words when typing, usually a crucial word to the point I'm trying to get across.

I completely agree with not waiting for an engine you wouldn't be happy with. That's why I'm on the fence between the ATS-V and the stingray myself considering they both look great and are very similarly priced and should perform very similarly. If they offered the ATS-V with an LT1 it would be a no brainer for me as the Caddy is the car I would prefer to purchase. Looks a bit better to me and would be a bit more practical.

 

[Phantomjockey]

H13archy, I agree with you. I would have waited for the ATS-V Coupe with a V-8 myself, but it doesn't appear to be. My 2013 ATS Sedan was a great car, just a little short in the performance end of the spectrum. I have driven the 2015 ATS Coupe, and it makes more sense from a practical standpoint, and ease of entry and exit, but is still short in the performance area. The Stingray, on the other hand is a monster. My son in comparing it to a Porsche likens it to driving a missile as opposed to driving a bullet. Both are fast, but the Vette is more stable, and the technology is amazing(magnetic ride control, ELS, and cylinder deactivation). Still, all in all, it is not practical for a one car family. Good luck in your decision making process. Don't think you will go wrong with either ride, but carefully check out the door space of the sedan as opposed to the coupe if you decide on the Cadillac. The CTS 4 door is much easier to enter and exit than the ATS Sedan, and you can get the supercharged V-8 in the CTS if you wish to go that way and pay a gas guzzler tax. The normally aspirated V-8's gas mileage figures precludes that in the Stingray.

 

[H13rarchy]

Thank you for the knowledge you have shared on the vehicles as I have yet to drive any of them. I do believe either vehicle will be worlds better than my current vehicle. And I will definitely look into the coupe versus sedan more. I was thinking of going the sedan route since the design flows a bit better, in my opinion,than the coupe. I do not have family so there is no necessity for the sedan, just assumed it would be a bit more practical. It will honestly be a year until I pull the trigger so I still have plenty of time to decide. I'm getting married this year so unfortunately any spare funds are going towards the wedding at the moment.