The 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is a beast and a beauty, equipped with six-speed manual transmission for added fun factor, if you swing that way. We know the EV Lyriq is coming soon, with no tailpipe emissions. The future is here. Maybe that’s what make this one so much more savoury.
Related: Cadillac CT4-V: Starting with that curb appeal, It was better than we expected
What a blast this ride was, right from the moment we walked up to car. Start with its “Black Raven” exterior, natural tan and Jet Black accents on the inside. I let a Cadillac-loving friend take it for a quick spin up the street, while at a party. There I saw him sit with the brake lights on. I swear the group of us didn’t think he was going to come back. And he admitted to that when he returned it.
It’s the last, gas-powered performance sedan from Cadillac. Starting at $87,798 CAD ($65,119 USD), with all the add-in features the car comes in at $112,753 CAD ($83,629 USD). If you’re going to go to this level of car, no doubt you are also test driving comparables, like the BMW M5, Lexus ES, maybe the Infiniti Q50.
Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing: High performance
It’s got swagger. Everything begins and ends with what’s under the hood: a 6.2L supercharged V8 with 668 HP, muscle and a heap of self-confidence. We were told about chassis refinements and the Alpha 2 platform, from the same development engineers that honed the Chevrolet Camaro muscle car. Our media car came equipped with 19-inch wheels, aluminum alloy with Tech Bronze finish ($1,725 CAD add-on, $1,300 USD). Talking gas mileage, the car does 18.3L/100 km/h in the city, 11.4L/100 km on the highways.
These cars are for real drivers. It is not for those who pine for the self-driving automobile that’s coming soon, so they can sip on their chai latte, scrolling their phone on the way to work. Thank God for capitalism.
What about the interior? Comfort, technology and ergonomics that befits a high-performance luxury sedan. Driving feel, feeling of safety, driving comfort all score high as plus drivers pointed out in a J.D. Power review. Full Semi-Aniline leather seats are an option, as is the UltraView dual pane sunroof.
What about the user experience? The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing comes with embedded navigation AM/FM stereo with connected navigation providing real-time traffic. There’s a 10″ diagonal HD colour information display, 3 USBs, personalized profiles for each driver’s settings. Also, it has Natural Voice Recognition, Phone Integration for Wireless Apple CarPlay/Wireless Android Auto capability for compatible phone, and Connected Apps.
Cadillac’s final execution of a gas-powered high-performance sedan
“V-Series Blackwing stands for the very highest level of execution from Cadillac. It offers a distinctly American vision of performance: incredible power and luxurious craftsmanship, with absolutely zero compromise,” says Brandon Vivian, executive chief engineer, Cadillac. “We looked to our championship-winning racing heritage and brought an uncompromising eye for detail to create two cars that elevate the V-Series experience.”
I am a 50-something Torontonian who loves everything about my city. It’s been my home, my playground, for my entire life. I went to school here. I met my wife here. I own real estate here. I love writing about the transformation of my city on the world stage, which hasn’t been anything short of dramatic. That continues on, as I write this. I write on the real estate scene. I write on travel and fashion. I like following the world of luxury watches.
But I love writing about cars – check that, luxury cars, a level of superior, engineering sophistication, high performance and style, that transports you not just from one destination to another but also out of whatever you are going through on a particular day, whatever mood you are in, all to another head space. It’s complete and total exhilaration, head to toe.
Check out my stories, and email me direct at mkeast@regardingluxury.com
