The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
American muscle with Cadillac’s CT5-V Blackwing
This is what earth-shattering power is all about.
Cadillac, the great American luxury brand, has had great success when providing ground-pounding power to its array of vehicles. Although no history lesson is needed, its fan favorite CTS-V has always been a chart topper. When it comes to American power, someone has to keep up with the rest and in typical Cadillac fashion, the 2022 CT5-V Blackwing is really a thing of beauty.
Wrapped in Infrared Tintcoat, or Pull Me Over Red as I like to call it, the CT5-V is really a thrill of a ride. Offering a monster 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine known as the Blackwing engine and a six-speed manual transmission, but at 668 horsepower and 659 lb.-ft. of torque, I can’t think of one American production vehicle with four doors that is like it.
To stay this is a beast, that’s an understatement. Adding to the power, it’s all about the exhaust and the noise given off for the CT5V. The quad tips’ exhaust is throaty, loud and shows the CT5-V means business. Matched with magnetic ride controls, adaptive suspension and rear wheel drive, this animal certainly brings everything to the table.
“The CT5-V Blackwing represents the pinnacle of performance, technology and craftsmanship from Cadillac,” said Rory Harvey, global vice president of Cadillac. “Leveraging V-series’ success on the racetrack, the V-series Blackwing models were developed with driver engagement and performance at the top of mind. Powered by the highest output in Cadillac’s history and with a standard six-speed manual transmission or option for an available 10-speed automatic, the customer is in control of that performance.
“Couple this with a standard rear-wheel drivetrain and upgraded chassis and suspension systems and you’ll find that our engineers have managed to fuse power and poise to deliver an unmatched driving experience.”
Comfort tops the list of expectations for consumers as the Cadillac brand strongly doesn’t want this to be associated with a Chevrolet product. For pricing reasons and power reasons, the separation between the two is always a controversy. A 10-inch infotainment system with touchscreen navigation was present, paired with your normal cellular adaptabilities.
Massaging 18-way adjustable seats for the front row are ultra comfortable and really similar to the prior CTS-V’S luxury interior which came in at $6,090 extra. Ultraview Sunroof, Carbon Fiber package as well as Ceramic Carbon brakes combined for over $14,000.
As basically a Corvette with four doors, the Cadillac CT5-V is a dream machine for those who love power, enjoy luxury and want that traditional American muscle that consumers miss from the mid ’60s and ’70s. Add the modern touch of normal frills and thrills, and this six-speed monster is the real deal and one that consumers will enjoy for years to come.
Grasso’s Garage is here for you! Are you in the market for a new car? I would be happy to provide my honest input. All you have to do is email me: marc. grasso@bostonherald.com.
Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
MSRP: $83,995 As tested: $109,765 MPG: 13 city, 21 highway, 16.0 as tested