Ct5-v Manual Transmission
Chara Dagres
The first manual transmission CT4-V Blackwing and the first manual transmission CT5-V Blackwing produced will not be available for regular retail sale. Cadillac states in the FAQ "GM intends to auction the first manual transmission VINs for the CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing and donate the proceeds to a worthy cause."
One of the complaints about the last CTS-V (at least in a Car and Driver comparo) was that it couldn't put all 640 horses down and thus got passed by heavier and less-powerful cars. It will be interesting to see if this car does a better job of it... but even still, without AWD Cadillac still isn't gonna catch ze Germans that it insists on chasing.
Lack of AWD is an interesting decision but I think it has to do with certification costs of the manual + AWD combo. Since these cars are only going to sell in US and in quite limited numbers, I don't blame GM for skipping AWD. If they did automatic only then maybe they would have gone with AWD.
True performance driving is back. Exclusive to V-Series Blackwing, the standard 6-speed manual transmission strengthens your connection to the road and includes a unique shifter with a jewel-like, 3D-printed emblem.
Standard on CT5-V and available on CT5-V Blackwing, the 10-speed automatic transmission was obsessively tuned to deliver lightning-fast shift times, giving you smooth power you can feel. With Dynamic Performance Mode, exclusive to V-Series vehicles, the system can automatically select the correct gear during performance driving when in Sport or Track mode.
Wield the performance power of CT5-V with High-Performance front Brembo brakes. Featuring beautiful four-piston fixed calipers and patented Duralife rotors, these brakes are durable and deliver sure-footed stopping power.
Not much stops CT5-V Blackwing in its tracks. But the largest factory-installed brakes in Cadillac history do so with authority. Track-tested and -validated, high-performance advanced front and rear Brembo brakes deliver confident pedal feel and enhanced cooling for secure stopping power.
CT5-V and CT5-V Blackwing include an Electronic Limited-Slip Rear Differential that automatically directs torque to the rear wheel with the most traction for greater control during cornering and spirited maneuvers. This system is extremely precise and optimized across the spectrum of driving conditions.
Launch Control, a form of traction control that helps optimize power delivery and grip, helps you achieve high levels of acceleration in a straight line. This feature is intended for use during closed-course race events where the quickest 0-60 mph and/or quarter-mile times are desired. Additionally, V-Series Blackwing vehicles include Line Lock, helping to give you an extra advantage off the line.
More than exterior adornments, this aerodynamic package delivers touches that significantly reduce lift and dramatically improve high-speed handling and control. It includes the following carbon-fiber exterior elements:
Every V-Series vehicle undergoes extensive wind-tunnel development and testing, resulting in sophisticated design that slips through the air. Aerodynamics in CT5-V Blackwing artfully add a new mesh grille that helps improve cooling and airflow, while front and rear splitters combine to reduce lift and generate downforce. This is science applied by the hands of a sculptor.
Personalizing CT5-V Blackwing, available carbon-fiber-accented seats are crafted for the true performance enthusiast. Optimized ergonomics provide lateral support during spirited maneuvers, and the slim head-restraint design is shaped to comfortably accommodate track helmets.
Information at your command. Available on CT5-V and standard on CT5-V Blackwing, this beautiful interface is integrated with the center cluster and available Head-Up Display, resulting in the streamlined delivery of key driving data.
Forget about the name change for a second. Or that this is the final era for gas-powered Vs. Let's first live in the now and revel in the fact that the most powerful Cadillac ever is offered with a manual transmission. That's right, the CT5-V Blackwing's 668-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 comes standard tethered to a six-speed Tremec TR6060 gearbox from the Camaro.
Although this highest-performance CT5 is an evolution of the previous CTS-V, both the model name and performance designation have changed this time around. CTS has become CT5, and the former top V moniker has become V Blackwing. That's a shift in the previous hierarchy of V Sport to V to now V and V Blackwing. Although the Blackwing name started as a label for the exclusive-to-Cadillac twin-turbo V-8 that powered the short-lived CT6 and CT6-V, the company now says it means simply "the pinnacle of Cadillac performance."
It seems silly to change the nomenclature now, right before another total revamp to electric power. But, also, who really cares what it's called? We won't look a gift V-8-powered, shift-it-yourself supersedan in the mouth.
The supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 returns for an encore performance from the previous CTS-V with intake and exhaust improvements that bump its output from 640 hp and 630 pound-feet to 668 and 659, respectively, this time around. Although the Eaton four-lobe supercharger still displaces 1.7 liters, it now has smaller-diameter rotors to improve response. Each engine is hand-built by a single technician at the Corvette assembly plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky, who signs each of his or her creations.
Cadillac promises a 3.7-second zero-to-60-mph time with the available and quick-shifting 10-speed automatic, although that's not any quicker than before. The quickest we got out of a CTS-V was 3.5 seconds to 60 mph, and with a similar claimed weight of just over 4100 pounds for the CT5-V Blackwing, we expect similar results. With the manual, the CT5-V Blackwing will be slower. No one cares.
The CT5-V Blackwing has numerous structural enhancements, including an underhood strut tower brace emblazoned with a V, plus extensive aero work including a front splitter, functional fender vents, and drag-reducing underbody panels, helping to push the CT5 to a claimed and imprecise top speed of "over 200 mph." As with the CTS-V, there's an available package to swap out the front and rear aero add-ons with carbon-fiber bits.
Rare for sport sedans today, a six-speed TREMEC manual transmission is standard on both vehicles. It has been optimized for each V-Series Blackwing vehicle to provide an engaging experience on the track or on the road. Details include:
You'll crest 50 mph by the time you hit the 6,500-rpm redline in first gear. And when its time to shift, Cadillac's manual transmission has a no-lift shift feature so you can drop it into second without taking your foot off the throttle, allowing for smoother gearchanges with no loss of power.
Give the high-power, rear-drive setup, the CT5-V Blackwing will do burnouts all day long. But the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires are also great for handling, and the Blackwing's traction control has settings for Wet, Dry and Sport, as well as two Race modes. This is in addition to drive modes like Snow/Ice, Tour, Sport and Track, as well as a configurable My Mode, where you can adjust the programming for the steering, suspension and traction control.
The Blackwing's sheer straightline speed is impressive, but with the standard Magnetic Ride Control suspension, this Cadillac can scoot through corners. These quick-reacting magnetorheological dampers read the road and react to what's happening quicker than any coilover setup could, bringing in ultimate control at high speeds and a cushy ride while toddling around town.
Crest a hill in the Blackwing and just when you think the car is going to get too light to control, the Magnetic Ride Control sucks it back to the pavement. The big ol' Brembo brakes -- the largest Cadillac has ever offered -- slow the sedan quickly before entering a turn, and the transmission can rev-match on its own for easier downshifts. Even in the standard Tour mode, the CT5-V Blackwing absolutely rips.
In Sport mode, the throttle input gets sharper and the suspension is a bit more taut. If the rear end steps out a bit while cornering, I can easily rein it in thanks to the quick, direct steering response. The car just... well, it makes me feel like a goddess. I am a supreme being, one with my sport sedan, and nothing else can touch me. It's so, so, so easy to drive fast.
According to the EPA, the CT5-V Blackwing should return 13 mpg city, 21 mpg highway and 15 mpg combined. Shockingly, despite driving with aggression all of the time, I saw 17.5 mpg after a week of testing. That's way better than I expected.
When you aren't on full attack, the CT5-V Blackwing has plenty of advanced driving aids. Automatic emergency braking, forward-collision alert, a rear-seat alert, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and automatic high-beam headlights are all standard. I fail to understand why adaptive cruise control isn't included, instead only available as an option, but whatever. Want Cadillac's nifty Super Cruise highway driving tech? Not on the Blackwing, friends.
A 10-inch color touchscreen runs Cadillac's infotainment system, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included. The native multimedia tech is simple and straightforward without a lot of menus and submenus to work through.
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