2023 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Performance

The CT5-V Blackwing is an absolute monster of a sedan. It comes standard with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine producing 668 hp and 659 lb-ft of torque. The power is sent exclusively to the rear wheels, but you can choose between two gearboxes. You can have a ten-speed automatic or a 6-speed manual transmission.

The six-speed manual transmission is slightly slower to 60 mph. Cadillac estimates it should get there in 3.6 seconds, while the faster shifting ten-speed automatic transmission will get the Caddy from 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds. Cadillac doesn't claim a specific top speed, but it does state that it's more than 200 mph.

This makes it faster than just about everything else out there, at least at the top end. The German rivals are all restricted to below 200 mph, but both the BMW M5 Competition and Mercedes-AMG E63 S will outsprint it in a straight line. The Bimmer gets to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds, while the Merc will do it in 3.3 seconds. These are not the kinds of margins you'll be able to feel from behind the wheel.

The reason behind the German duo's impressive sprint times is all-wheel drive. Once power outputs started breaching 600 hp, the Germans saw AWD as an absolute necessity. Cadillac expects you to nut up and dominate those 668 horses using a rear-wheel drive only. Thankfully, you do get an advanced driving course as standard with the purchase.

The engine Cadillac chose for the CT5-V Blackwing is pure Americana. Instead of twin turbos, Cadillac uses a 1.7-liter Eaton supercharger bolted to a 6.2L V8 engine. Essentially, it's a slightly updated version of the V8 used in the old CTS-V.

It's an older engine, but we like it for many reasons. First, it feels and sounds American. There's nothing quite like the roar of a V8 coming from the rear and the whine of a supercharger joining in from the front. Because it's an existing engine, Cadillac is also able to offer the CT5-V Blackwing at a more affordable price than the M5 and E63. Both these cars retail for more than $100k, while the Caddy comes in at under $90,000.

A quick look at the specs show that the supercharged V8 delivers 668 hp at 6,500 rpm and 659 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm. While the torque figure arrives slightly late to the party, both gearboxes allow you to get the most out of the car. The ten-speed automatic transmission has enough gear ratios to constantly keep the car in the powerband, and in the manual, you get to make all of the choices. If you want to attack a corner at 6,000 rpm in second gear, there's nothing stopping you from doing just that.

While we respect the modern automatic gearbox and believe that it will eventually be the demise of the manual transmission, we do love the ultimate control that comes with a manual. And let's not forget, this is the last V8 manual sedan available in the USA. Perhaps it might be a bit of a collector's item one day?

Still, there is a reasonable case to be made for the automatic transmission. We do think CT5-V Blackwing owners are the kind of people that will partake in the occasional track outing. With so much power going through the rear wheels only, the CT5-V has the potential to be a wild vehicle in amateur hands. Equipping it with an automatic transmission gives the driver one less thing to worry about while trying to set an impressive lap time. The transmission software is perfectly happy on track, and it will get the job done. As the driver, you'd then be free to focus on braking, applying power, and steering.

The news was never going to be good, but there is another way of looking at it. As mentioned earlier, the less powerful German rivals retail for more than $100k. You can use the money you save on the purchase price to spend on fuel. It won't take long to spend it all, however. According to the EPA, the CT5-V Blackwing manages around 13/21/15 mpg city/highway/combined with both the manual and automatic transmissions, though these figures may vary slightly. The regular fuel stops might just drive you crazy. For some reason, Cadillac decided a 17-gallon tank was good enough, which means you're looking at 255 miles at best between refills.