Track Test: 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing

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V is to Cadillac what M is to BMW, AMG is to Mercedes-Benz, and RS is to Audi. And has it been 18 years since the first V-designated Caddy — the CTS-V sedan — put the Germans (specifically the BMW M5) on notice? For a while it seemed Cadillac’s primary mission was to build Euro-beating ultra-performance sedans, coupes and wagons, and dang if the V-cars didn’t deliver on power and chassis dynamics. Perhaps not as fluid and refined as the Europeans, these hard-edged ‘Merican hot-rods nevertheless put up world-class numbers. The third-generation CTS-V ended production in 2019.

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Now that the performance sedan is a fading entity and Cadillac has essentially become a purveyor of ritzy SUVs, does this mean the V-boys and girls have folded their tent? Uh, no. Say hello to the 2022 CT5-V Blackwing that, in its 668-horsepower, 659 ft-lb glory, is rip-snorting proof that Cadillac is still deadly serious about this niche.

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An afternoon of exploring CT5-V Blackwing’s capabilities at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park ( née Mosport) on both the technical Driver Development Track and the high-speed Grand Prix course reveals just how committed Cadillac is. This ballistic V8 sedan is a triumph, showing spectacular dynamic poise, high levels of refinement, and pure driver involvement. Plus, it looks pretty dang sexy, stretched tight over those staggered 19-inch alloys and baring an aggressive mesh-filled face.

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And praise be, the rear-drive only CT5-V Blackwing comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission. Yep, you read that right. Sure, the optional Hydra-Matic 10-speed will get you around a racetrack (and to 100 km/h) a few ticks faster, but for those seeking a more elemental connection to all this mental power, Cadillac has your back. Even Caddy is surprised by the initial take rate of 60 per cent for the manual.

Under the hood we find a 6.2L LT4 supercharged V8, hand-built at the Corvette facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It makes 28 more horses and 29 more torques than the LT4 that was in the 2019 CTS-V — accomplished by freeing up the intake, fitting titanium intake valves, a more efficient supercharger and improving intercooler effectiveness by 10 per cent.

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Helmeted and hooked up, I fire up the bright blue CT5-V Blackwing and relish in the hairy-chested V8 burble echoing back at me off the pit walls. Blip the throttle and it barks like a junkyard dog. The clutch is weighty yet smooth and progressive, and the short-throw shifter connected to the 6-speed Tremec slots in with satisfying mechanical precision. We’re off onto the DDT.

A few laps in and it’s evident this massively powerful rear-drive sedan with three pedals and stubby shifter is far from a terrifying handful. It’s intuitive, communicative and confidence-inspiring. Yes, there’s a lot of stuff going on here belowdecks to keep you happy and out of the weeds.

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Performance Traction Management is an overarching system that controls the Magnetic Ride 4.0 adaptive damping, electronic rear limited slip differential, and traction/stability control. A couple of new devices on the steering wheel — V-button and rotary controller – give access to the myriad modes: Tour, Sport, Snow/Ice, Track, My Mode, V-Mode and five PTM modes. Chief engineer Tony Roma points out that all electronic intervention can be completely turned off for those who just want the car and their skill out there on the track. “Unlike most competitors, there is no hidden Angel mode to swoop in to save you.” Hardcore trackies can opt for a carbon-fibre brake option.

On this session we simply kept it in Track Mode, which provides a seamless experience allowing non-racers like me to push to our limits and feel all heroic.

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Ah, that supercharged small-block pushrod V8. Throttle response is beyond quick – it’s absolutely instant from any throttle position. This can actually be measured – from throttle tip-in to when the torque reaches the rear wheels – and the CT5-V Blackwing is allegedly one of the world’s fastest-responding engines, matching that of the naturally-aspirated Ferrari 488. Roma says, “This engine is in a hurry to do anything you want it to do.”

Out on the tight and technical Driver Development Track, the agile Caddy feels light on its feet — not weighty and bloated like some of its all-wheel-drive rivals. Indeed, the Blackwing is one of the lightest in the segment. It’s not pounding the track into submission, but more dancing through it.

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Moving to the sweeping high-speed Grand Prix track, the CT5-V Blackwing gets to… er, spread its wings a bit more. The big standard steel discs (6-piston Brembo front, 4-piston rear) are tireless, and bellowing up the back straight the V8 pushes me to about 225 km/h. This 6.2L V8 is so flexible, you could really do the whole GP course in third gear, although it hits the rev-limiter at 218 km/h, so an upshift to fourth keeps the accelerative forces boiling on the long straight.

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As this was solely a track event, we didn’t experience the CT5-V Blackwing on public roads, but Caddy is quick to note that everyday usability and comfort were high on the Blackwing priority list. To whit, Cadillac went with 19-inch wheels because the more stylish 20-inchers compromised ride quality and didn’t offer significant performance advantage. And I must say, it was somewhat surreal blasting around the GP track cocooned in its lovely leather trimmed, air-conditioned cabin while the ventilated seats cooled my backside.

Arriving the fall of 2021, the manual transmission 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing carries a $89,998 list. The 10-speed auto with paddles adds $3,636. This price significantly undercuts the V8-powered AWD BMW M5 and Mercedes-AMG E63 (neither of which offers a manual transmission), placing it price-wise closer to the BMW M3. So yes, a performance bargain, and one that need not make any excuses. As Tony Roma put it, “If you’re going to make the last of a breed, this is a high note to go out on.”

Amen to that.

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