Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Drag Races BMW M3 – Someone Should've Stayed Put

Considered to be the spiritual successor to the CTS-V, the American brand's answer to the BMW M5 and Mercedes-AMG E 63 was initially announced in 2021 for the 2022 model year.

An upgraded version of the V8 sourced from its predecessor sits under the hood. It is a 6.2-liter supercharged mill with new titanium intake valves, aluminum cylinder heads, an improved exhaust system, and several other upgrades, which unleashes 668 horsepower (678 ps/498 kW). The thrust is rated at 659 pound-feet (893 Nm).

To anyone keeping track, the CT5-V Blackwing is 28 hp (ps/21 kW) and 29 lb-ft (39 Nm) of torque more powerful than the old CTS-V. According to the spec sheet, it will do the naught to sixty miles per hour (0 to 97 kph) in just 3.6 seconds when fitted with the manual gearbox. Choose the ten-speed auto, and the sprint time will drop by two-tenths of a second. Flat-out, it’ll do over 200 mph (322 kph).

Everything is wrapped in a package that starts at $93,495 before destination for the 2024 model year. Thus, it is more affordable than the BMW M5 CS based on the previous-gen 5er, despite packing more punch. And while it is the Munich auto marque's executive super sedan that it mainly targets, it recently met the smaller M3 at a drag racing event held at the Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania.

The F80 sports sedan uses a 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight-six engine, developing 425 hp (431 ps/317 kW) in the lesser models and 444 hp (450 ps/331 kW) in the Competition. The transmission options included a six-speed manual and a seven-speed auto, and all versions of the previous-gen M3 were offered with pure rear-wheel drive, unlike the latest, which can be specified with a rear-biased all-wheel drive system.

As everyone knows, most Bimmers that hit the drag strip are usually tuned. Thus, despite apparently lacking in the power department compared to the bigger CT5-V Blackwing, it might compensate by boasting more power than the stock one. But does it? From what we can tell, the answer is no, as this M3 appears to still have the original output and torque.

So, where does this put it in a head-to-head race with the bad Caddy from a sixty miles an hour (97 kph) rolling start? Well, that's for you to find out by watching the video embedded below. It is only half a minute long and shows the direct battle between the older M3 and the CT5-V Blackwing, and it's certainly worth a look. Spotting the winner is very easy, as it was a walk in the park for one of them, which absolutely humiliated the other.