If you stop into a Cadillac dealer near Rochester, such as ours, here at Snell Cadillac, you’re sure to find a wide selection of refined, luxurious models to choose from. From the iconic Escalade to affordable entry-level models like the CT4 and XT4 and new offerings like the all-electric LYRIQ, the Cadillac lineup is just as diverse and alluring as ever, but how does it stack up in terms of performance? To keep pace in the ultra-competitive luxury segment, an automaker can’t just stuff the cabin with premium materials, cutting-edge tech, and sophisticated styling. Sure, these features are a nice bonus, but in the end, a luxury vehicle will ultimately be measured by what happens when your foot hits the gas pedal.
Cadillac has established itself as a true master of the luxury formula, producing an impressive stable of vehicles that put performance at the forefront. From the XLR-V convertible that shared a platform with the Corvette to the 469-horsepower STS-V and CTS-V that set a new lap record for factory sedans at the legendary Nürburgring, these models certainly helped Cadillac up its reputation in the performance segment throughout the early 2000s, but they all pale in comparison to the CT5-V Blackwing.
When Cadillac rebranded its high-performance Vsport sub-brand as “V” in 2020, the CTS-V also got a bit of a makeover, reemerging for the 2021 model year as the CT5-V Blackwing. The overhauled performance sedan debuted with a new body style that drew inspiration from the classic Cadillac fastback designs of the 1940s, but it was the goods under the hood that really caught the public’s attention. Built around a 6.2-liter V8 boasting 668 hp and 659 lb-ft of torque, the CT5-V Blackwing vaulted Cadillac back into the upper echelons of the performance sedan segment, allowing the American brand to compete with established European competitors like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi.
The CT5-V Blackwing now holds the distinction of being the fastest Cadillac ever made, but what is all the buzz about? Cadillac is no stranger to the luxury performance segment, so what sets the CT5-V Blackwing apart from the competition? Join us as we take a closer look at all things Blackwing, see what the 2024 model has to offer, and learn how a French explorer and former governor of Louisiana fits into the picture.
On the Wing
There’s no denying that Detroit is the spiritual home of the American auto industry, but many don’t realize that the city -- and the country’s foremost luxury brand -- can both be tied back to one adventurous Frenchman. When French explorer Antoine de la Mothe sieur de Cadillac arrived on the banks of the Detroit River in 1701, he set in motion a series of events that can be tied directly to the CT5-Blackwing. Cadillac established a new outpost dubbed Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit, which would be simplified to Fort Detroit in the years to come.
Fast forward to 1902, and a fledgling auto brand is looking for a new name that reflects its ambitious goals and Detroit heritage. Cadillac was the obvious choice, with the company choosing the moniker in honor of the courage, enterprise, and ability of Cadillac himself. The automaker would borrow Cadillac’s family coat of arms for its logo, which is where the Blackwing name enters the story. Cadillac’s coat of arms was a little busy by today’s branding standards, featuring two horses, a crown, and a central, shield-shaped badge occupied by three legless, beakless birds called merlettes. The Cadillac logo would be simplified over the following decades, but the black merlettes would remain a central part of the design until a rebrand saw the feathered friends eliminated in 2000.
That brings us to 2018, when Cadillac started looking for a moniker for its new, high-performance, twin-turbo V8. With up to 550 hp and 640 lb-ft of torque, the new V8 was the first Cadillac-exclusive dual overhead cam V8 engine since the Northstar was discontinued in 2011 and needed a name to match. The engine’s intercooled turbochargers were mounted between the cylinder banks in a “hot-V” design that, in the eyes of at least one Cadillac employee, resembled a bird in flight. This brought to mind the black merlettes of past Cadillac logos, and the Blackwing was born.
The original Blackwing V8 saw a relatively short run, appearing in CT6-V models from 2018 to 2020. Cadillac had planned to offer the V8 in a forthcoming CT8 sedan and Escalade model, but slow CT6-V sales and a $20,000 price tag saw the Blackwing dropped from the Cadillac lineup after just a few years. Even so, the Blackwing made quite a name for itself during its brief moment in the sun, which is probably why Cadillac revived the name for the CT5-V Blackwing.
Taking Flight, Again
The CT5-V Blackwing might not feature the original twin-turbo Blackwing V8 under the hood, but it’s certainly not any slouch in the performance department. Cadillac has graced the CT5-V Blackwing with a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that’s actually more powerful than the original Blackwing V8, with 668 hp fed through either a six-speed manual or 10-speed automatic transmission. The CT5-V Blackwing also has 659 lb-ft of torque to play with and a zero-to-60-mph time of under 3.6 seconds, packing all the thrills of a high-performance model into the sort of opulent package that only Cadillac can provide.
Raw power is nice -- in theory -- but when it comes to a daily driver like the CT5-V Blackwing, it’s all about finding a balance between performance and comfort. Cadillac has done just that thanks to some expert engineering and the deployment of innovative technologies like Magnetic Ride Control. Essentially a shock absorber filled with magnetorheological fluid, these dampers can be adjusted on the fly using electronically-controlled magnetic fields.
It is said to be the fastest-reacting suspension technology on the market, delivering a comfortable ride that few of its competitors can match. The system’s wheel accelerometers can read the road up to 1,000 times per second and adjust the shock accordingly, which goes a long way in smoothing out those bumps, cracks, and other road imperfections that can make for a less-than-comfortable ride.
Magnetic Ride Control features a number of improvements over previous iterations, including secondary temperature maps, which allow the system to compensate for changes in damper fluid temperature, an important addition when it comes to navigating Minnesota roads in the middle of the winter. Add in magnetic flux control to smooth the transition between damper rebound and compressions, a new magnetorheological fluid formula that reduces friction, and some hardware and software upgrades to address body control while cornering, and you’ve it’s easy to see why Magnetic Ride Control has won some many industry plaudits.
Here’s to 20 More Years
Performance superlatives aside, there are plenty of good reasons to check out the 2024 CT5-V Blackwing for yourself. The sedan honors the 20th anniversary of Cadillac’s V-series performance brand with four new colors -- Coastal Blue Metallic, Cyber Yellow Metallic, Black Diamond Tricoat, and Velocity Red -- as well as 20th anniversary badging across the rockers, grille and digital gauge cluster and plenty of Blackwing logos that set it apart from the standard CT5.
The interior is where the CT5-V Blackwing really gets a chance to flex its luxury credentials. The cabin is fully decked out in leather upholstery with 18-way power-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats or high-performance sport seats with leather and microfiber upholstery with matching door panel inserts for an added fee.
Once upon a time, this sort of plush interior would have been more than enough to qualify the CT5-V Blackwing as a luxury model, but tech features have become an increasingly important part of the equation in the last few decades. The CT5-V Blackwing certainly doesn’t disappoint in that department, with a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment display running Cadillac’s CUE software, a 12.0-inch digital gauge display with a limited V-series startup animation, a heads-up display, ambient lighting, and more. In a nod to the sedan’s performance potential, the gauge display even includes a lap timer feature, as well as an optional performance data recorder that gives drivers a little digital evidence to back up their automotive achievements.
A rotary knob controller gives drivers an additional way to control the 10-inch infotainment display, a 16-speaker AKG audio system represents a marked improvement over the standard Bose option, and the CT5-V Blackwing comes packed with all the expected connectivity options like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot capability, but no rundown of the Cadillac’s tech offerings would be complete with mentioning the brand’s leading Super Cruise hands-free driving system.
Super Cruise can currently be used on over 200,000 total miles of compatible highways in the United States and Canada, giving drivers the chance to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride without micromanaging every aspect of their journey. Available for any model equipped with the 10-speed automatic transmission, Super Cruise is one of the best hands-free driving systems to hit the industry in recent memory, at least according to Popular Science’s Best of What’s New 2022 Awards. Industry stalwart Consumer Reports seems to agree, ranking the system second out of 12 current hands-free offerings.
Super Cruise earned top marks in Consumer Reports’ capabilities and performance, driver engagement, clarity, and unresponsive driver categories, and it’s only getting better as the technology matures. Super Cruise includes all the functions one would expect from a modern hands-free system, like lane-centering, pedestrian detection, and adaptive cruise control, but a recent update sees the addition of more detailed map information that allows Super Cruise to pull off one trick that few other hands-free systems can match: automated lane changes.
Under certain conditions, the system can perform a single lane change entirely on its own, taking one of the most stressful aspects of highway navigation off the driver’s plate. The new-and-improved Super Cruise system also sees improved functionality during turns and highway interchanges, as well as better steering and speed control and some subtle tweaks aimed at improving driver engagement.
The Cadillac Legacy Lives On
When Antoine de la Mothe sieur de Cadillac anchored his boat on the banks of the Detroit River in 1701, he scarcely could have predicted the impact his name and family crest would have on the auto industry some 300 years later. Detroit, Cadillac, and the Blackwing itself -- both the V8 and CT5-V -- can all trace their origin to the explorer’s fateful trip, and the CT5-V Blackwing is a great way to honor that legacy while building on the automaker’s reputation for luxury and performance.
Cadillac has made great strides in the performance segment in recent years, introducing a number of enthralling models that strike a perfect balance between raw power and automotive opulence. Technologies like Magnetic Ride Control and Super Cruise go a long way in eliminating some of the more uncomfortable and mundane aspects of driving, while the 668-horsepower supercharged 6.2-liter V8 unleashes the sort of power that’s made Cadillac such a relevant name in the industry as of late. The CT5-V Blackwing does the name proud, honoring Detroit and its founder in a way that Antoine de la Mothe sieur de Cadillac would surely appreciate.
