The 668-Horsepower Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Is The Corvette For Non-Corvette Buyers
Walking by this baby blue Cadillac in a parking lot, you’d be forgiven for not knowing what’s going on underneath the sheet metal. On startup, there’s a hint. Its 6.2-liter V-8 is hardly muted. Toggle a few switches, and you can tame the roar a bit, quieting the exhaust in Tour mode.
In that setting, despite the addition of an $18,000 precision package that greatly stiffens the suspension, you can indeed drive this Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing as a commuter, loafing to the grocery, fetching the kiddos, and enjoying the stellar, 16-speed AKG sound system. If you want a sports car, but two-seaters don’t fit your lifestyle, spending $100,000 on this Cadillac is, dare I say it, a sane alternative. Oh, and yes, you’d be getting some Corvette-ness in the process — though that bears further explanation.
A Brute-Force V-8
The supercharged 6.2-liter LT4 V-8 making 668 horsepower under the hood of this Cadillac has seen duty in a Corvette — but in the prior-generation C7, not the new C8. No matter. Mash the throttle and your kidneys will be pushed deep into the Caddy’s sport buckets, as the CT5-V Blackwing is capable of hitting 100 MPH in less than eight seconds.
The experience is thrilling, and although my tester had a 10-speed manumatic, it shifts quickly either in automated mode or via a pair of paddles. You can quicken that gearbox and stiffen the chassis at the touch of a button. You’re starting with the miracle of Magnetic Ride Control, where dampers adapt to bumps in milliseconds. That’s a blessing, because even though the default ride is firm, it’s not painful. Switch to Sport Mode for even less body motion, and the system also holds up-shifts longer and downshifts more quickly. If that’s not ferocious enough, Track Mode bolts the Cadillac to the tarmac, shifts become ultra-quick, and throttle response is instant.
The BMW Effect
If you’re willing to spring for the CT5-V Blackwing, you’re surely comparing it to the 717-horsepower, $123,300 BMW M5. If you can afford the Cadillac, perhaps you’re not dissuaded by that considerable upcharge. With options, the CT5-V Blackwing can certainly cost as much or more; carbon-ceramic brakes alone will run you an extra $9,000.
The Cadillac’s Far Twitchier Than The BMW
The CT5-V Blackwing has one major advantage over that BMW — it’s considerably lighter, tipping the scales at just over 4,000 pounds. The M5 weighs 5,400 pounds. I’ve driven the wagon version of that BMW and it’s pretty amazing. But the Cadillac is just quicker-witted. Its steering feels wired to your brain, and once the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires are warm (thankfully the instrument cluster can tell you when they are), grip pulls above one g of cornering force. Grip loss is also predictable and progressive. And Cadillac engineered stability and traction control to allow just enough tail waggle to make the CT5-V entertaining, even below extreme velocity.
A Cabin Slathered With Upscale Jewelry
Anyone considering the BMW will also compare the digs of this Detroit brawler to the amenities offered by that Bavarian machine. Of course, that comes down to taste—but also to how much that stuff matters to you. For instance, the same controllers that grace the steering wheel of this $100,000 Cadillac are the ones you’d find in Chevy’s least-expensive offerings. These are familiar, handy, and logical. But from the turn signal stalk to the wiper control, there’s just too much that reads as GM vanilla rather than what Cadillac is fighting for in BMW’s Teutonic élan.
Though Cadillac does get some of this right. You can opt to always see Track mode vitals, and this array prioritizes performance metrics over all else. Also, a 33-inch display wraps through the instrument cluster seamlessly across to the infotainment panel. Unlike with its EVs, GM includes CarPlay and Android Auto, and standalone climate buttons (rather than nesting these within a menu) let you stay focused on driving.
Options You Might Want To Skip
I get why Cadillac offers $8,090 sport seats. Both BMW and Mercedes do at this tier, too. These are pretty comfortable for what they are, but I’d personally prefer a movable headrest and softer support. These buckets incorporate a massaging function, but you wouldn’t have that need if the seat weren’t quite so firm. This loaner also came with not one, but two carbon fiber accent packages totaling over $13,000.
The front seat backs came caged in an armature of carbon fiber, and Cadillac frames the door lever pulls in enough carbon fiber to deploy as a rear wing on the CT5-V. Unfortunately, it all comes off as trying too hard rather than upscale. That said, I don’t care. Personally, I’d just skip the extras since, performance-wise, the CT5-V Blackwing is at least as good as an M5.
Get The Manual?
I like this manumatic. I’d even go so far as saying if I were buying the CT5-V Blackwing, I’d be tempted to go this route, because it’s mighty forgiving when you’re bopping through town, and it executes shifts beautifully, even when you’re driving this car in anger. For me, the deciding factor between buying the six-speed manual gearbox and going with the automatic would be use case.
If I had another car for daily driving (and anyone with $100,000 to spend very likely does) and didn’t necessarily have to wrestle a third pedal in traffic all that often, I’d save the extra $3,675 Cadillac charges for the automatic and keep this car as close to stock as possible. Although, those carbon-ceramic brakes are superb.
TopSpeed’s Take
This car is special. It’s fast, poised, and capable — and, sadly, production ends in December. Arguably, Cadillac’s already proven that they know how to take a stock, $50,000 CT5 and massage it to near supercar standards. BMW does the same thing with the 5 Series. But Cadillac’s sales have never come close to BMW or Mercedes sedan numbers.
Cadillac says the CT5 will be back, and I hope so, especially because mainstream sedan sales (think Camry, Accord, etc.) are all rebounding in this country. Still, the leading American-branded sedan in this country is… the Tesla Model 3. Cadillac should fight for room here, and not just at $100,000. But also at that price point. Because you can’t take your kids to soccer practice in a Corvette. But this Cadillac is perfect for that, and so much more.
Sources: Cadillac, BMW, Tesla
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