In the United States, the colloquial term for describing something that is best of the best is to simply call it ‘The Cadillac of…’.
For years, the Cadillac brand has rightfully represented the pinnacle of American luxury, offering some of the smoothest and most technologically advanced cars to the market.
In 2022 sees the newest iteration of Cadillac’s performance division, the mighty CT5-V Blackwing, a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 that is here to challenge old world marques of Europe.
Founded back in 1902 by Henry Leland, the majestic sounding brand name is in fact the surname of Motor City’s founder, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. By introducing interchangeable parts to the world of automotive, Cadillac effectively created the blueprint for mass production of cars in the early part of the 20th century.
Shortly after that in 1909,General Motors acquired the iconic American luxury carmaker.
Today’s model in question is the mighty Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing. It comes with the smooth as silk supercharged 6.2-liter V-8, which is an evolution of the brilliantly capable CTS-V engine.
Traditionally, American manufacturers have had a reputation for building oversized muscle engines that may do a cracking job at the Daytona International Speedway. But once on the Nürburgring, it won’t take long to realize going around corners isn’t part of their skill set.
With its poise, balance, handling, power, and pure exhilarating driving pleasure, the brand-new Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing completely dismantles that theory. Without a doubt, this car is Detroit’s answer to the European powerhouses of BMW M3, the Mercedes-AMG C63, and the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio.
Engine and Performance
With a whopping supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 producing 668 horsepower and 894 NM of torque, the acceleration of the CT5-V Blackwing is nothing less than eruptive. In the age of self-driving cars, Cadillac’s six-speed manual gearbox for the monstrous V8 is a breath of fresh air. You can opt for the almost faultless 10 speed automatic. 0-100 is taken care of 3.6 seconds and 3.4 seconds with the respective gearboxes.
The Interior
Cadillac has made sure the CT5-V Blackwing stays true to its premium luxury heritage. The 15-speaker AKG sound system comes as standard. The abundance of genuine leather on the heated and cooled seats that are 18-way adjustable is only a glimpse into the luxuries to come.
While the Germans would never dream of adding weight to a sports car, thanks to the massively powerful V8, the Blackwing has a massage function integrated into the high-performance carbon fiber sport seats.
Looking at the dashboard, the integrated lap timer as part of the 12.0-inch gauge display along with the data recorder reminds one that this car means business. 10.0-inches infotainment system is quick and intuitive. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard, along with a Wi-Fi hotspot and wireless smartphone charger.
Keeping the premium driver safe
As with most modern cars, the CT5-V Blackwing offers an array if driver-assist options to make the daily drive as smooth and safe as possible. Automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control with semi-autonomous driving modes are only a few of these to mention.
On Track
Thanks to the good folks at Cadillac Middle East, we had the opportunity to take this magnificent piece of engineering onto the Hill Circuit at Dubai’s Auto-Drome. The curviest of circuits was specifically chosen to demonstrate the magnificent cornering ability, handling, and acceleration. At every corner and every straight, the CT5-V Blackwing left my heart racing and wanting more. The perfect pairing of the V8 and the faultless 10-speed auto box smoothly gliding through the Hill Circuit is something every petrolhead should experience, and should you want to document it, the CT5-V Blackwing has a front-facing tack camera and an SD card slot to record it all.
