The Stick-Shift 668-HP CT5-V Blackwing and 472-HP Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing are Cadillac’s latest hurray for the boisterous gasoline fury



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Photo: David Tracy

It is the end. Cadillac, a brand with a rich history of stuffing gigantic gasoline engines under the hoods of luxury sedans, is about to call it stops on internal combustion, but not before going out with a bang. Well, two bangs, with one of them called CT5-V Blackwing, a 668-a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 sedan with a standard transmission. The other is the CT4-V Blackwing, a 472-The 3.6-liter twin-turbo HP V6 sedan also comes with a gear lever, as per the orders of the car’s gods. Let’s take a first look at these latest hurrahs for high performance gasoline Cadillacs.

The automotive industry is quickly enter the electric ageSo it’s a bit strange for Cadillac to debut with two fully conventional flagship sedans. But that’s the last booth for performance gasoline Cadillacs, and my god is GM’s premium brand swinging around.

So much power, so many pedals

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Photo: David Tracy

The CT5-V is a 668-HP, A 659 lb-ft supercharged V8 sedan with a six-speed manual transmission that transmits torque to the rear wheels. On paper, it’s epic, filling the entirety of Maslow’s hierarchy of automotive needs (other than perhaps “low curb weight” the CT5-V Blackwing weighs approximately two tonnes). I can’t wait to drive this machine.

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Photo: David Tracy

The other car that Cadillac showed was the CT4-V, which also comes standard with a manual transmission, and also has a supercharged engine that sends torque to the rear wheels, although that engine is a V6 and the high intake manifold air pressure comes from a pair of turbochargers instead of a supercharger.

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Photo: David Tracy

Here’s a quick walk around these two cars with Marketing Director Ken Kornas:

When Cadillac released horsepower figures for the regular CT4-V and CT5-V, the auto media almost spat out their drink and laughed. “We regret to inform you that the Cadillac CT4-V is only 24 more horsepower than a Toyota CamryMy colleague wrote after Jalopnik’s initial article titled “2020 Cadillac CT4-V and CT5-V arrive without the big horsepower we’re used to. “

After being spoiled by the 464 HP ATS-V and 640 HP CTS-V, we just weren’t thrilled with the paltry 325bhp turbocharged inline-four of the CT4-V or the 360-HP bi-turbo V6 in the CT5-V. “Hey, that’s not the real V, is it?” my ECreator in 100hief rory carroll asked Cadillac at an event in 2019. The brand responded that a “big V” was under development. Now he’s here with his little brother.

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Photo: David Tracy

The 668-HP CT5-V Blackwing can allegedly achieve a 0-100 km / h time of 3.7 seconds and reach a top speed of over 200 mph. The 472-HP, 445 lb-ft CT4-V Blackwing takes a tenth more to hit 60, and its top speed plateau at around 189 mph, per Cadillac. Both cars are built on the Alpha II platform, the successor to the Alpha platform that underpinned the Chevy Camaro and Cadillac ATS. Like the ATS and Camaro, the CT4 and CT5 have MacPherson strut front suspensions and five-link setups in the rear.

Speaking of the ATS, the CT4-V Blackwing will likely be quite similar to this car’s Model V, which was a excellent driver thanks to an incredible steering feel and precise handling The CT4 has essentially the same engine and transmission, with roughly the same power (up to 8 HP). Car And Driver enters the differences, writing his story 472-HP 2022 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing is like an ATS-V, but better:

Chassis upgrades include larger front and rear brake discs, a newer version of the standard magnetorheological shocks and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires instead of the old Pilot Super Sport rubber. These tires wrap 18 inch wheels with a staggered width configuration; the magnesium wheels that Cadillac teased earlier will not be available until later in the production cycle. The electronic limited-slip differential housing is now aluminum, which Cadillac says saves 22 pounds. The overall curb weight is up to 77 pounds.

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I’m in conflict here, because as much as I like the idea of ​​an improved ATS-V that handles well, the bigger and heavier CT5-V Blackwing by a few hundred pounds has the V8 with an Eaton compressor of 1. , 7 liter. on it, and you know it’s gonna sound a lot, a lot better. So the question is, do you choose agile (ish) handling or do you choose the glorious sound of a boosted V8?

I might be a little basic, but my initial initial instinct is to go with option B.

Equipment

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Photo: Cadillac

Cadillac didn’t have engineers during my preview session at a warehouse in Warren, Michigan, so the brand wasn’t able to delve into the technology of the CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing. But right away it was obvious how epic cooling systems are. unsurprisingly, given that the ATS-V was a masterpiece in this area.

The cars each have about a dozen heat exchangers, with tiny outboards that tilt and tilt inward a bit:

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My favorite heat exchanger (everyone should have a favorite heat exchanger, right?) On the CT4-V is the flat up front, which I’m pretty sure cools the transmission and rear differential.

A heat exchanger whose face is actually parallel to the air flow ?! Sounds counterintuitive, but it makes sense if you consider that it’s located just in front of the main cooling module, which due to its restriction creates an area of ​​high pressure in front of itself. This high pressure, along with the low pressure under the vehicle when air rushes at a high speed, forces the air through the heat exchanger mounted parallel to the floor of the car:

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Photo: David Tracy

While on the topic of aerodynamics, Cadillac says the new grille design is a key factor in improving airflow on the ATS-V, and the brand mentions a new carbon fiber aero package, which would have reduced lift by 214% on the CT4. -V Blackwing and 75 percent on the CT5-V Blackwing. It goes without saying that there is a drag penalty.

The “air duct strakes” under the bodywork which make high what Cadillac calls the “Underwing” Basically, an underbody airflow strategy that Cadillac says reduces drag and improves track performance:

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Photo: David Tracy

Speaking of the underbody, here is a V-series logo “Easter Egg” at the bottom of the liquid-cooled limited slip electronics box. differential:

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The Bthe rakes are huge. The CT4-V Blackwing’s rotors are 15 inches up front and 13.4 inches in the rear, while the bigger sibling has 15.7 inch rotors in front of the driver and 14.7 inches behind. Both cars have six-piston calipers on the nose and four-piston clamps on the tail.

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Photo: David Tracy

The standard manual transmission is a six-speed Tremec, with a LuK double-disc clutch. If you’re unfamiliar with how a double-disc clutch works, it’s basically bolting a housing to the flywheel, using axial space to create extra surface for an extra clutch to hang onto. Here, watch this Aussie show you how it works:

Both cars have rev-matching capability and a ‘No-Lift Shift’, what it sounds like: you can stay hard on the gas pedal while shifting something that Cadillac says helps keep the CT4-V Blacking’s turbos energized.

A 10-speed automatic is also available if you like that sort of thing.

Pricing

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Photo: David Tracy

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Photo: David Tracy

The CT4-V Blackwing starts at $ 59,990, while the CT5-V Blackwing costs $ 84,990. These are higher base prices than the Audi RS3 and BMW M3 with which GM claims the two cars compete respectively. I can’t wait to see how the Caddies will hold up on the track against their German counterparts. Will cadillac Final internal combustion engine Series V cars come out on it?

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