The CS is the most powerful BMW ever made, and the CT5-V Blackwing is the same thing for Cadillac. But still, neither can win against the tri-motor Tesla Model S Plaid on the straightaway at the Willow Springs circuit.
Even though it looks a little dated, the Model S Plaid finished the quarter mile in 9.3 seconds at 152 miles per hour (225 kilometers per hour). The M5 CS wraps it up in 10.6 seconds at 130 mph (209 kph) and the CT5-V Blackwing settles for third place in 11.6 seconds at 125 mph (201 kph).
That’s pretty darn impressive for the only rear-wheel-drive car in this race, more so if you remember that Cadillac uses the LT4 small-block V8 in the luxed-up sedan. Jason Cammisa, who now hosts the ICONS show on Hagerty's YouTube channel, makes a good point about the personality of the slowest car on the track. “Most of that comes from the engine.”
He is right, you know. With the notable exception of the CT5-V Blackwing, the V8-engined sedan is completely dead for General Motors. The Bimmer and other competitors feature double-overhead cams and turbos instead of a positive-displacement supercharger. What’s more, BMW M and Mercedes-AMG don’t offer manuals anymore while Caddy offers a stick.
Taking a step back to look at the bigger picture, Cadillac wanted to send off internal combustion-engined performance sedans with a bang rather than a whimper. The crown jewel of General Motors couldn’t have waited any longer for this bittersweet conclusion because the all-electric future is right around the corner. As a brief reminder, Caddy aims for a zero-emission lineup by 2030, which means that even the Escalade will go fully electric.
In the meantime, the only Cadillac with all-electric propulsion is the rear-wheel-drive Lyriq crossover that offers 340 horsepower and 325 pound-feet (440 Nm) of torque. The Debut Edition further boasts a 100.4-kWh battery that promises more than 300 miles (483 kilometers) of EPA driving range.
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
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