The V-series Blackwing is the most performance-oriented CT4 that money can buy as of June 2023. Twinned with the Chevrolet Camaro, the D-segment luxury sedan packs a twin-turbocharged V6 – codenamed LF4 – with 3.6 liters on deck.
If the RPO code seems familiar, that's because Cadillac premiered the LF4 in the 2016 model year ATS-V. Can the CT4-V Blackwing hold its own against the segment's most accomplished sedan? Unfortunately, the answer is negative.
Pictured at the Dunville Aerodrome in Ontario, the compact executive sedans are both rear-wheel drive, and these particular examples of the breed feature manual transmissions. A Tremec-supplied gearbox is fitted to the CT4-V Blackwing, whereas the 2023 model year M3 flaunts the ZF GS6-53BZ.
Not as quick on the upshifts as the ZF-supplied 8HP, nor as capable in a straight line as the Competition tune with M xDrive all-wheel drive, the M3 shouldn't be dismissed for its no-frills configuration. The inline-six engine hiding underhood is a development of the B58 from the M340i, a peach of a powerplant with more ponies and torque than BMW says it has. The on-paper figures are 473 horsepower and 406 pound-feet (550 Nm), along with a base curb weight of 3,840 pounds (1,742 kilograms) in the United States of America.
Modestly updated for the 2024 model year, the M3 needs 4.1 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour). It's also electronically limited to 155 miles per hour (250 kilometers per hour), albeit opting for the M Driver's Package ups the limiter to 180 miles per hour (290 kilometers per hour). How does the CT4-V Blackwing stack up against it, then?
The American contender is pretty close thanks to 472 horsepower and 445 pound-feet (603 Nm), all wrapped up in a package that weighs 3,851 pounds (1,747 kilograms). The manual-equipped version also needs 4.1 seconds to hit 60 miles per hour from a standstill, whereas top speed is 189 miles per hour (304 kilometers per hour) from the outset.
Sam CarLegion and his crew drag raced these sporty four-door sedans from a standstill twice, with the first run being handily won by the M3. The second and final showdown also concluded in the Bimmer's favor, with the German contender clocking 4.0 seconds flat to 60 miles per hour compared to 4.2 seconds for the CT4-V Blackwing. The best ETs in the quarter mile are 12.2 clicks for the BMW and 12.6 for the Caddy.
Can the CT4-V Blackwing redeem itself from a rolling start? Be it 32 miles per hour (50 kilometers per hour) in second gear or 44 miles per hour (70 kilometers per hour) in second gear, the answer is – again – no. The M3 simply pulls and pulls despite having less torque on tap, with said torque peaking over a wider engine speed range: 2,650 to 6,130 rpm compared to 3,500 to 5,000 spinnies for the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News