CT5-V Blackwing - Last Cadillac V8

[TaLoN]

First Drive: Cadillac’s New Tire-Smoking Blackwing, Its Last V-8 Sedan, Goes Out With a Furious Roar

Once near-sacred fire-breathing hunks of rolling Americana, Detroit muscle cars are a fast-dying breed, considered a hard sell in an increasingly electrified future. Even Cadillac, which has been producing such brawn in a three-piece suit since it debuted the 400 hp manual-transmission CTS-V in 2004, is getting out of the game: The 2022 CT5-V Blackwing will be the brand’s farewell to tire-smoking, V-8 powered rear-drive sedans. Fittingly, though, that swan song is more of a furious roar. Starting at $84,990, the CT5-V Blackwing is Cadillac’s fastest production car to date, with a top speed of over 200 mph and a 3.6-second sprint to 60 mph. And, yes, it comes with a stick—standard.

While exiting pit lane at Virginia International Raceway (VIR), even a light brush of the throttle hints at the ballistic capability of Cadillac’s most potent engine ever made, the hand-built, 6.2-liter supercharged Blackwing V-8 with 668 hp and 659 ft lbs of torque. Managing all that brute force is the Tremec six-speed manual transmission, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber, the automaker’s largest stock brakes and Cadillac’s next-generation Magnetic Ride Control system, which assesses conditions roughly a thousand times per second and makes suspension adjustments accordingly. (Sure, you can knock off 0.2 seconds from the zero-to-60 time—while adding 19 pounds—if you choose the optional 10-speed automatic transmission, but we suspect the Blackwing will appeal strongly to purists.) There’s even a No Lift Shift feature that allows full throttle while engaging the clutch.

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[TD Charlie]

That no lift shift feature sounds seriously fun.

I've pined for a V badged Cadillac since day 1 and it's just never worked out that I was in the market at the right time. Some of the more recent V model, or "V Sport" models are reasonably affordable used too, well they were pre-covid at least. Haven't checked in a while. I was looking for a CTS V Sport a couple years back and they're just impossible to find in the Northeast. Unfortunately it's one of those "I know what I have" situations usually...only in this case the owner is actually right.

 

[rynryn]

i would like to drive this.

 

[TaLoN]

That no lift shift feature sounds seriously fun

No doubt! I can imagine some serious hookup issues though when trying it out full boar...

 

[CrazyMonkey1208]

It ain't a Caddy without a V8. RIP Cadillac

 

[TD Charlie]

It ain't a Caddy without a V8. RIP Cadillac

They did a fantastic job with the CTS and ATS, despite not having monster motors. Unfortunately I think they confused the market. Like you mention, Cadillac and overhead v8 are basically synonymous to most people. Suddenly they're making 2 liter turbos and trying to compete with the 3 Series BMW? Don't get me wrong, the ATS and CTS are wonderful cars IMO, it's just confusing.

 

[CrazyMonkey1208]

They did a fantastic job with the CTS and ATS, despite not having monster motors. Unfortunately I think they confused the market. Like you mention, Cadillac and overhead v8 are basically synonymous to most people. Suddenly they're making 2 liter turbos and trying to compete with the 3 Series BMW? Don't get me wrong, the ATS and CTS are wonderful cars IMO, it's just confusing.

I say the same for the Mustang, Z/28 and Challenger as well. Buying one without the V8, you might as well get some 4 cyl turbo import

 

[TD Charlie]

I say the same for the Mustang, Z/28 and Challenger as well. Buying one without the V8, you might as well get some 4 cyl turbo import

Same idea. It’s funny too cuz the 4.0 mustang and Pentastar Challengers are plenty powerful. probably more nuts in those motors than a lot of older v8 cars.

it just feels so wrong though. Especially when the same engine can be had in a middle trim Grand Caravan

 

[CrazyMonkey1208]

Same idea. It’s funny too cuz the 4.0 mustang and Pentastar Challengers are plenty powerful. probably more nuts in those motors than a lot of older v8 cars.

it just feels so wrong though. Especially when the same engine can be had in a middle trim Grand Caravan

I hear ya. Today's V6 engines are incredibly powerful compared to the V8 engines we had in the 1980s. A 1987 Monte Carlo SS was only rated at 180hp. My V6 SUV is rated 100hp more than that. Some cars just aren't the same without the V8 roar

 

[TaLoN]

I say the same for the Mustang

Oh, Ford has insulted the Mustang MUCH more egregiously than by putting in a 6cyl engine under the hood on the low end...

They slapped the Mustang name and logo on THIS!

Give the thing a different name and any other damn logo, but don't insult the Mustang heritage by putting it on a soccer Mom vehicle!

 

[CrazyMonkey1208]

Oh, Ford has insulted the Mustang MUCH more egregiously than by putting in a 6cyl engine under the hood on the low end...

They slapped the Mustang name and logo on THIS!

Give the thing a different name and any other damn logo, but don't insult the Mustang heritage by putting it on a soccer Mom vehicle!

Oh I'm fully aware, I saw 2 of them today. Disgraceful. They should have just made it the new Escape. It literally has nothing in common with the mustang at all, other than having 4 wheels.

 

[TD Charlie]

Oh, Ford has insulted the Mustang MUCH more egregiously than by putting in a 6cyl engine under the hood on the low end...

They slapped the Mustang name and logo on THIS!

Give the thing a different name and any other damn logo, but don't insult the Mustang heritage by putting it on a soccer Mom vehicle!

Over the summer when I was shopping for a 3 row ride I was looking at the Flex. In my searches I saw a few of these Mach E things and honestly they don't look bad at all. It's a very sleek car inside and out. It just has one gigantic flaw and thats the name. Even calling it the Ford Mach E would've been ok, but as soon as you say Mustang, people are expecting certain things.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Oh, Ford has insulted the Mustang MUCH more egregiously than by putting in a 6cyl engine under the hood on the low end...

They slapped the Mustang name and logo on THIS!

Give the thing a different name and any other damn logo, but don't insult the Mustang heritage by putting it on a soccer Mom vehicle!

I just threw up in my mouth.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Over the summer when I was shopping for a 3 row ride I was looking at the Flex. In my searches I saw a few of these Mach E things and honestly they don't look bad at all. It's a very sleek car inside and out. It just has one gigantic flaw and thats the name. Even calling it the Ford Mach E would've been ok, but as soon as you say Mustang, people are expecting certain things.

Yeah I have no problem with the car itself, it's a very useful vehicle. But calling it a Mustang is basically the equivalent of me growing a mustache and calling myself Ron Jeremy. My wife sure as shit wouldn't be fooled, and neither should anyone else by this car.

 

[rynryn]

I'm so torn on things like this. I thought I'd never accept a porsche with more than two doors and now i'm just mildly irritated when i see a cayenne or a panamera and i'm considering a macan. certain badges have certain expectations that are hard to let go of. porsche probably had to start making SUVs to stay alive to keep cranking out Carerras and Caymen.

 

[TaLoN]

I'm so torn on things like this. I thought I'd never accept a porsche with more than two doors and now i'm just mildly irritated when i see a cayenne or a panamera and i'm considering a macan. certain badges have certain expectations that are hard to let go of. porsche probably had to start making SUVs to stay alive to keep cranking out Carerras and Caymen.

That's different though, as Porsche is a make, they produce several models.

Mustang is a model... of which Ford is the make.

 

[rynryn]

That's different though, as Porsche is a make, they produce several models.

Mustang is a model... of which Ford is the make.

yeah, i know the difference between make and model--That's why i said badge, not model.

Porsche:

Shouldn't be a Porshe:

 

[TaLoN]

yeah, i know the difference between make and model--That's why i said badge, not model.

Porsche:

Shouldn't be a Porshe:

Right, but the Porsche badge is on every Porsche model, thus if Porsche chooses to diversify, the badge will come with it.

That's why I never complained about that... if Porsche put a 911 name on that bottom image, I'd have been upset.

Ford chose to give the Mustang unique badging from its general lineup, so that unique badging is affected and doesn't belong on the Mach-E.

 

[rynryn]

Right, but the Porsche badge is on every Porsche model, thus if Porsche chooses to diversify, the badge will come with it.

That's why I never complained about that... if Porsche put a 911 name on that bottom image, I'd have been upset.

Ford chose to give the Mustang unique badging from its general lineup, so that unique badging is affected and doesn't belong on the Mach-E.

i see what you're saying. I'm just generalizing--certain...Names, if you would rather, have strong associations that shouldn't be messed with. Maybe the designers of that new "mustang" thought if you squint hard enough and look at it from behind it kind of looks like a modern fastback?

 

[TaLoN]

i see what you're saying. I'm just generalizing--certain...Names, if you would rather, have strong associations that shouldn't be messed with. Maybe the designers of that new "mustang" thought if you squint hard enough and look at it from behind it kind of looks like a modern fastback?

If you cock your head, squint, while looking at the actual mustang sitting next to it... maybe...

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Right, but the Porsche badge is on every Porsche model, thus if Porsche chooses to diversify, the badge will come with it.

That's why I never complained about that... if Porsche put a 911 name on that bottom image, I'd have been upset.

Ford chose to give the Mustang unique badging from its general lineup, so that unique badging is affected and doesn't belong on the Mach-E.

Egg-zactly.

 

[Albatros]

yeah, i know the difference between make and model--That's why i said badge, not model.

Porsche:

Shouldn't be a Porshe:

Considering that Porsche made his name designing tanks for Hitler using slave labor I'm not sure if an SUV is the atrocity that would tarnish the brand.

 

[Canes]

yeah, i know the difference between make and model--That's why i said badge, not model.

Porsche:

Shouldn't be a Porshe:

Porsche creating SUVs probably saved the brand. They weren't always this money printing juggernaut they've been the last 2 decades or so. Also if you've ever actually driven a Macan it's a wonderful car.

 

[HansonBro]

It's actually kind of sad to think I've never driven a Caddy.

 

[rynryn]

Porsche creating SUVs probably saved the brand. They weren't always this money printing juggernaut they've been the last 2 decades or so. Also if you've ever actually driven a Macan it's a wonderful car.

ha i hit on all those points a handful of posts up--incl considering a Macan