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CT5-V Blackwing: Cadillac's Most Powerful Car Ever has 668 hp and a Manual Transmission

In an age where electric vehicles get more and more popular, self-driving technologies have become a thing of everyday living and, the world's richest send people up in space just for the thrill, Cadillac went the completely opposite route and created a machine that worships the combustion engine at its finest, providing pure mechanical excitement for anyone behind the wheel.
Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing 10 photos
Photo: Cadillac
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Even if General Motors and other car manufacturers plan to have an almost complete EV line-up in the following decade, their latest creation is far from that master plan. The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing was first available for order at the beginning of the year, with deliveries already started at the end of this summer. As we speak, their lucky customers get blessed with an automobile that encompasses the brand’s championship-winning racing heritage, representing Cadillac's pinnacle of performance and engineering.

Of course, this machine is their most powerful ever for a reason. And that reason comes in the form of the 6.2L supercharged V-8, completely hand-assembled and tuned to produce 668 hp and 659 lb-ft of torque (893 Nm). Another surprising drivetrain feature is that this high-performance luxury sedan comes as standard with a Tremec six-speed manual transmission with rev-matching technology, intended for those who seek the ultimate driver involvement. Naturally, there is also an optional 10-speed automatic unit available. Both act directly upon the rear wheels, making the whole package even more intriguing and unique in an automotive world where everything goes digital and all-wheel-drive.

Flat-out, this configuration enables some impressive acceleration times, especially for a Cadillac. From a standstill, 62 mph (100 kph) can be reached either in 4.1 seconds for the manual version or in a faster 3.9-second time for the CT5-V Blackwings equipped with the ten-speed auto.

Cadillac CT5\-V Blackwing
Photo: Cadillac
Caddilac officials mentioned that the first 250 builds of this iconic vehicle sold out in just a few minutes. The company plans to celebrate this first lot of vehicles with a special Collector Series designation featuring two distinctive plates located on the sill areas and the B-pillars. Furthermore, each sill plate is signed by an employee who directly got involved in the production of that particular unit. The B-pillar mounted one gets the unique serial which can also be noticed on the vehicle's performance steering wheel.

Speaking of the inside, the new CT5-V Blackwing gets a luxury treatment that can get its German rivals quite irritated. Future customers can choose from many interior trims and premium diamond-quilted leather options with contrast stitching and piping. As standard, the vehicle comes with some very comfortable 18-way adjustable performance seats but. Owners who want to track their 668 hp luxury sedan can opt for the optional carbon-fiber bucket seats, which offer excellent levels of support during hard cornering and, surprisingly, still include a massaging function. Perfect for relaxing on the way home from a hard day of slaying supercars at the local racetrack.

For those tech-savvy, the CT5-V Blackwing emphasizes an extensive feature kit including a 12-inch configurable instrument cluster, full Apple Carplay and Android Auto compatibility, and a head-up display. Furthermore, the car can be fitted with a Surround Vision system of cameras which can function either as a usual dashcam for everyday driving or a lap recording system with performance data fetching.

Cadillac CT5\-V Blackwing
Photo: Cadillac
The exterior appearance got many upgrades from the stock CT5, giving off a mean and muscular stance. The front fascia presents larger side vents, wider openings, and a meshed grille displaying a V-shaped pattern.
Carbon fiber is applied extensively to the outside, including the front splitter, side skirts, and rear spoiler. The whole aero package of the Blackwing comes in very handy during high-speed maneuvering and especially throughout extensive track usage.

Other engineering achievements that help the CT5-V Blackwing survive running abuse are the slick chassis setup and massive brakes. The vehicle features a rear-mounted electronic limited-slip differential, several Performance Traction Management settings, and the fourth generation of the well-renowned Magnetic Ride Control. It reads the road surface up to 1000 times per second and reacts accordingly, vastly improving handling and driver feedback.

A sought-after machine, the all-new Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing may not be available for such a long time, especially considering the first 250 unit batch sold in record time. The starting asking price for this American performance sedan is set to $84,990, but a fully specced one can very well reach a six-figure range, up to $125,980.
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About the author: Dan Marinescu
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Since his early childhood, Dan developed an avid passion for cars and, now he sees himself as a genuine petrolhead. His enthusiasm comes from his father, an automotive engineer. They love to reminisce about the days when his dad showed him the inner workings of an engine and why everything does what it does.
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