General Motors' all-new Cadillac compact sedan won Esquire magazine's 2012 Car of the Year award.
The Cadillac ATS, which is assembled at GM's Lansing Grand River plant, started shipping to dealers about two weeks ago.
GM is betting on the ATS to inject a fresh dose of youthfulness into its global luxury brand. The company invested heavily in a documentary-style advertising campaign during the Summer Olympics to give the launch a boost.
"The new ATS is Cadillac's spirited challenger, built to take on the world," Don Butler, vice president of Cadillac marketing, said in a statement. "Having its design and performance validated in this fashion is a meaningful step in our journey."
The ATS is one of 10 all-new or significantly redesigned vehicles Cadillac is introducing over the next few years.