The brand-new Cadillac ATS was awarded Tuesday with the Motor Press Guild 2013 Car of the Year award. The vehicle was chosen over five other finalists for its "quality, safety, technology and performance."

To be eligible for the Car of the Year award, a vehicle must be an all-new or "substantially changed" compared to the year the car was released. The vehicle must also be made available at dealerships by no later than Jan. 1, 2013.

"In many ways, the ATS is a breakthrough vehicle for Cadillac," said Laura Burstein, president of the Los Angeles-based Motor Press Guild in a company press release. "Our members remarked that the ATS is capable on both the street and the track, offers a well-made and attractive interior, is replete with the latest technology, and - perhaps most importantly -- is fun to drive."

The new Cadillac is advertised by the company as the lightest car in its category with a unique and newly designed exterior, created to "improve driving performance." The car comes equipped with rear or all-wheel drive, four doors, and three different engine options to please customers. The three different engines include a 2.0 L, 270-horsepower turbo four, a 2.5L, 202-horsepower option, or a 3.6L, 321-hp V6 according to GM.

The vehicle was released to the public in October and has been selling at a respectable rate since. Sales numbers for the vehicle have not been released to the public yet. GM designed the new ATS with a completely new design in an attempt to draw in new customers who may not have liked the older looking models.

 "The ATS is the result of an extensive, all new, ground-up mission to deliver a segment-winning vehicle," says Don Butler, vice president of Cadillac Marketing in the press release. "It is especially rewarding when our efforts are recognized and awarded by a large and influential panel of automotive experts."

The company announced the award in a press release issued to the public today. A press conference will be held on Nov. 29 during the Los Angeles Auto Show to officially present GM with the Car of the Year award.

Cadillac is recognized yearly as the top luxury auto brand and has recently been commended for drastically improving their technology features and engineering found in each vehicle.

The Motor Press Guild is the largest automotive media association in North America with over 800 members. The Guild is based out of Los Angeles and is a non-profit organization "dedicated to promoting professionalism in automotive journalism" according to the Guild's website.

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