The 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Is The Most Powerful Cadillac Ever

The Cadillac CT5-V is a good car, but it isn't the proper CTS-V successor that we had hoped for. It's way down on power, with a mere 360 horsepower (269 kilowatts) compared to its predecessor's 640 (477 kW), and takes 4.8 seconds to hit 60 versus the CTS-V's sub-four-second time. But today the brand is debuting a car that feels like a proper follow-up to the CTS we all knew and loved: This the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing.

The company has been teasing the CT5-V Blackwing for quite some time – including yesterday at the Rolex 24 At Daytona alongside the smaller CT4-V Blackwing, smaller CT4-V Blackwing. But this is the first time we get to see the hotter CT5-V in detail, and with actual performance stats to boot. Borrowing the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 from the CTS-V – albeit with significant upgrades – the CT5-V Blackwing pumps out an absurd 668 horses (498 kW) and 659 pound-feet (893 newton-meters). That allows it to hit 60 in just 3.7 seconds and continue on to a top speed of around 200 miles per hour (322 kilometers per hour).

Although the CT5-V Blackwing uses the same supercharged V8 as its predecessor, the modifications are plentiful. The CT5 has a larger supercharger (1.7 liters, to be exact), new pulleys, aluminum cylinder heads, titanium intake valves, and 46-percent better airflow. And for the pursuits, there is a manual transmission. A Tremec six-speed manual comes standard on the CT5-V Blackwing (as well as the CT4-V Blackwing), with features like no-lift shift and rev-matching. The optional gearbox is a 10-speed automatic that Cadillac says shifts faster than competitors' dual-clutch transmissions. Notably, the 3.7-second sprint to 60 happens with the autobox, while the manual will be a touch slower off the line.

Underneath, the CT5-V Blackwing adopts GM's fourth-generation Magnetic Ride Control system. Already one of our favorite setups, the latest version includes upgrades to the front and rear suspension systems (hollow stabilizer bars, higher-rate bushings, etc.), improving both track handling and on-road comfort. And in both models, power travels to the rear wheels exclusively.

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The CT5-V Blackwing gets standard Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires designed exclusively for this model, measuring at 275/35R19 in the front and 305/30R19 in the rear. That super-sticky rubber wraps around Blackwing-exclusive forged 19-inch wheels, and those wheels hide a set of optional carbon-ceramic brakes pads that help shed an extra 53 pounds (24 kilograms) versus the standard steel brakes.

But most of the changes to the Blackwing model are mechanical; the hotter CT5-V only gets a slightly different front bumper with larger air intakes and black accents, a few carbon fiber aero pieces for additional downforce, and a blacked-out grille. The rear end of the Blackwing model also dons matching carbon fiber accents like a new spoiler and diffuser. The interior of the CT5-V Blackwing adopts a similarly subtle makeover, with carbon fiber accents on the center console, steering wheel, and door panels and a nifty 3D-printed shifter at the driver's disposal.

In terms of technology, the CT5-V Blackwing gets a 12.0-inch digital instrument cluster similar to what you'll find in the C8 Corvette. The large display offers basic readouts for things like tire pressure, G forces, and boost, with specific displays for the car's three drive modes – Tour, Sport, and Track. There's also a customizable launch control setting embedded within the display, as well as a Performance Traction Management system.

Gallery: 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing

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All that performance will cost you $84,990 for the base Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing before options. Reports suggest that we could see Super Cruise on the CT5-V Blackwing – although, Cadillac has yet to confirm – and we know that the CT5-V will come in two trim-exclusive colors at launch, Blaze Orange Metallic and Electric Blue. Buyers interested in taking home a CT5-V Blackwing can put down a $1,000 pre-order starting today.

More On Blackwing:

Cadillac Blackwing Sedans Already Sold Out, Will Be Last Gas V Models

Fully Loaded Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Costs Over $120,000: Report

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