Road test | Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing: rebel with a cause

For many driving purists, German sports sedans have abandoned their quest for the intangible but cherished interaction between driver and horse. Obsessed with this sterile war against the clock on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, they were gradually equipped with integral wheels and complex electronic crutches while abandoning their manual gearbox. However, there remains a rebel in the group. Last of Cadillac’s illustrious V line, the CT5-V Blackwing plays the savior with a formula that is doomed to disappear.

Charles Rene
The Press

Its design

Mired in a confusing nomenclature to say the least, Cadillac decided to name its sporty spearheads Blackwing, a name briefly used on an evanescent twin-turbo V8. There’s the CT4-V Blackwing which competes with the BMW M3 and the CT5-V Blackwing which throws the gloves off in front of the BMW M5. Visually, this CT5-V essentially takes over from the CTS-V. Ensuring its panache on modifications dictated by its function, the sedan receives the contribution of functional aerodynamic elements. They can be made of carbon fiber, to add exoticism to the rendering. This CT5-V also does not succumb to the fashion for gigantic rims, putting on 19-inch wheels whose obvious width ensures grip (275 mm at the front, 305 mm at the rear). It is obviously his face that reveals his intentions in the preface. It is cut with a sickle to cool and breathe the burning mechanics placed in the bow.

On board

Without reforming the cabin of the standard CT5, this Blackwing is content rather to perfect the assortment where necessary to support its abilities. Very supportive and elegant optional bucket seats with their carbon fiber shells welcome us in surprising and well configurable comfort. It is also on these that we see the only discreet label “Blackwing”. Moreover, the carbon moldings enhance the appearance, contrasting with certain hard plastics that make up the controls and the bottom of the door finish. The assembly is nevertheless very neat and the positioning of the various physical keys is irreproachable. As for the space itself, this CT5 benefits from its long wheelbase to provide a very decent volume. Up front, it’s one of the most comfortable sports vehicles for tall drivers. In the back, the sloping roofline limits headroom a lot. The knees also rub against the thick backs of the front seats.

Under the hood

It is unquestionably here that this CT5-V Blackwing cannot deny its Americanness. Carrying on the slightly rewritten score of the CTS-V, the CT5-V is powered by the supercharged 6.2L LT4 V8 supercharged from the previous Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Thanks to various tweaks, including the optimization of the air intake, the power increases to a fabulous 668 hp and the torque to 659 lb-ft. This mechanical rocker arms trumpets its presence at start-up, letting out a short cavernous bark followed by a rhythmic and muffled idle. The following is more temperate at low speed, but the slightest use of an accelerator, magnificently progressive, moreover, recalls its immense means. It’s poignant, without being unnecessarily flashy. The Tremec manual gearbox allows you to link up its six gears quickly thanks to a race that is just short enough with a firm feel and a well-measured clutch. We feel a mechanical harmony between these two organs, testimony to the great eloquence of this sports sedan.

Behind the wheel

Despite all that power coupled with a rear-wheel-drive platform, this CT5-V Blackwing can’t be studied solely from the angle of pure acceleration. It is rather a frankly homogeneous and accessible whole thanks to the constant improvements made to its Alpha 2 chassis, an evolution of the skeleton of the Chevrolet Camaro. Fitted with the fourth generation of Magnetic Ride Control electromagnetic shock absorbers, it first seduces with its ability to isolate the cabin from bumps thanks to continuous adjustments. The more sporty modes strengthen its interventions, giving a feeling a little more raw. The steering is also slightly heavier and guides with ease and precision a rigid front axle that plants its claws in curves. This CT5-V is also very neutral, a behavior obtained from the weighted interventions of the electronic rear differential. It provides a stunning and necessary predictability for such an imposing cavalry. The electronic braking and adjustable in its sensitivity supports the whole with grip.

Embedded technologies

There are few elements worth mentioning on the side of the technological offer of this CT5-V Blackwing. The sedan welcomes us as we enter the cabin with an animation presenting the Blackwing logo on the instrumentation screen. The latter does not have the extraordinary level of definition of that of the Escalade, but it remains readable regardless of the outside light and is configurable in many ways. It teams up with a 10” touchscreen providing access to an infotainment system that is simple and effective in its layout. However, it is not based on the Android base of the latest vintage systems that will gradually be incorporated into General Motors models. Note that if you opt for the manual transmission, you will not be entitled to the navigation wheel or the adaptive cruise control, very small concessions. Moreover, note the good sound quality of the AKG channel.

Verdict

It goes without saying that there is an excessive and resolutely nostalgic side to this CT5-V Blackwing. With nearly 700 hp and an average fuel consumption that can hardly be lowered below 14 L/100 km, the sedan reads the American automobile as a cultural object invariably equipped with a V8 under its hood. The work is nevertheless much more accomplished and nuanced than that. Its chassis is astoundingly virtuoso and balances its sporty side with a sensitivity to rolling that has nothing to envy to many European luxury products, undoubtedly less authentic in their approach. Its eight-cylinder engine and manual transmission simultaneously ensure emotionality, without saturating our senses. As Cadillac begins its electric shift, the CT5-V Blackwing is a sentimental homage to a mechanical era. Just rebellious enough, it testifies to a know-how that we want to see transferred to the brand’s next electric creations.