Cadillac confirmed plans to add another model to its luxury car lineup for 2012.? Codenamed the ATS, General Motors North America President Mark Reuss released this sketch at a Center for Automotive Research?s Management Briefing Seminar being held in Traverse City, Mich. Last week.

Previous media reports speculated that the ATS is smaller than the current CTS sedan and will compete in the same category as cars like the BMW 3-Series, Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Infiniti G37 and Lexus IS with a base price in the low $30,000s.? Rumors about the ATS have been circulating for nearly four years, but disappeared during the economic ?downturn the last couple of years. ?

According to Reuss, the small Cadillac will begin production next summer at Lansing Grand River, the same Michigan assembly plant that builds the award-winning midsize Cadillac CTS sedan, coupe and wagon. The plant received a $190 million investment and 600 jobs for the new model.

?The car we codenamed ATS is being developed to be a driver’s car on an all-new Cadillac-specific RWD-AWD architecture,? Reuss said. ?We have extensively and exhaustively studied the competitive segment, and we have benchmarked the best. And when this car comes out, that will be readily apparent.?

Earlier reports had speculated that the ATS would be built on the new Alpha platform designed to be the basis for a wide variety of upcoming GM products which could include the next generation CTS and Camaro along with some future Holden cars in Australia and Buicks in China.