2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Ends on a High Note
Caddy's last V-8-powered V car is so good, fans will demand a follow-up before the performance subbrand goes electric.
Car and Driver
August 10, 2021
By: KC Colwell
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It's a bittersweet symphony. Hearing the supercharged small-block's raunchy and bellowing soundtrack reverberate against pit wall is as thrilling as it is sad. Every pass reminds us that the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing will be the 18-year-old subbrand's last go at a gas-powered performance sedan. At least Cadillac saved the best for last—the new CT4-V Blackwing is just as wonderful—as the CT5-V Blackwing will be remembered as one of best sports sedans ever made, period.
Before you accuse us of getting carried away, consider that the Blackwing's segment, one that used to be filled with high-revving V-8s and V-10s and plenty of manual transmissions, has changed into something entirely different. When the first-gen CTS-V arrived for the 2004 model year, the competitive set featured rear-drive BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes, naturally aspirated engines were the norm, and Jaguar still built super sedans. Lexus hadn't given an F yet, and that's pretty much still true. Audis predicted the turbo and all-wheel-drive future, and it's a recipe the segment now follows, except for Cadillac. Instead of following the crowd, Cadillac doubled down on rear drive, the manual gearbox, and sports-car dynamics.
Investment and constant improvement has brought us to the point that the automatic transmission is now the performance option, and the CT5-V Blackwing is no different. Cadillac's 10-speed automatic carries a $2275 option price, but the real cost (apart from atrophy of your left leg and your car-loving soul) is $1875 because the auto carries a gas-guzzler tax of $1700 to the manual's $2100 tariff. Faster around a track and in a straight line, sprints to 60 mph will take less than 4.0 seconds with a few tenths advantage going to the automatic. From just above idle to its 6500-rpm redline, the engine delivers big, supercharged smacks of instant power in a way that will make you forget about electric motors.
Read more at link above…
Caddy's last V-8-powered V car is so good, fans will demand a follow-up before the performance subbrand goes electric.
Car and Driver
August 10, 2021
By: KC Colwell
It's a bittersweet symphony. Hearing the supercharged small-block's raunchy and bellowing soundtrack reverberate against pit wall is as thrilling as it is sad. Every pass reminds us that the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing will be the 18-year-old subbrand's last go at a gas-powered performance sedan. At least Cadillac saved the best for last—the new CT4-V Blackwing is just as wonderful—as the CT5-V Blackwing will be remembered as one of best sports sedans ever made, period.
Before you accuse us of getting carried away, consider that the Blackwing's segment, one that used to be filled with high-revving V-8s and V-10s and plenty of manual transmissions, has changed into something entirely different. When the first-gen CTS-V arrived for the 2004 model year, the competitive set featured rear-drive BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes, naturally aspirated engines were the norm, and Jaguar still built super sedans. Lexus hadn't given an F yet, and that's pretty much still true. Audis predicted the turbo and all-wheel-drive future, and it's a recipe the segment now follows, except for Cadillac. Instead of following the crowd, Cadillac doubled down on rear drive, the manual gearbox, and sports-car dynamics.
Investment and constant improvement has brought us to the point that the automatic transmission is now the performance option, and the CT5-V Blackwing is no different. Cadillac's 10-speed automatic carries a $2275 option price, but the real cost (apart from atrophy of your left leg and your car-loving soul) is $1875 because the auto carries a gas-guzzler tax of $1700 to the manual's $2100 tariff. Faster around a track and in a straight line, sprints to 60 mph will take less than 4.0 seconds with a few tenths advantage going to the automatic. From just above idle to its 6500-rpm redline, the engine delivers big, supercharged smacks of instant power in a way that will make you forget about electric motors.
Read more at link above…
