The cracks on the wall surrounding the Detroit Auto Show are getting wider as following the premature release of the 2013 Dodge Dart and 2013 Ford Fusion (Mondeo), we now have the first pictures of the 2013 Cadillac ATS.

The ATS sedan is perhaps one of the most important projects in the last decade for Cadillac as it offers the wreath and crest brand its first true rival against the almighty BMW 3-Series as well as the successful Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class models.

On the outside, the ATS looks exactly like what we expected: an offspring of the new XTS and the CTS in a mid-size sedan package. It’s also surprisingly close to the rendering sent to Carscoop by one of our readers, Josh Byrnes.

As for the interior, we can’t but help note the similarities in the design of the center console and steering wheel with the…Chevrolet Cruze. However, the Cadillac does get its own set of gauges if that’s of any consolation.

GM has said that it has honed the ATS’s chassis on the Nürburgring and that it will offer the l rear-wheel drive model with a choice of three gasoline engines including a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four cylinder unit, a 2.0-liter Turbo with 270 ponies and a 3.6-liter V6 (probably with 318HP).

Photo Source: GM/Cadillac via Jalopnik

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