500 Cadillac Blackwing Models Will Be Available In Reservation Program

15 Comments

1. 

   John M Engelman January 10, 2021, 2:49 pm

   Hard for me to take any of this seriously. Two Cadillacs that are smaller than the ATS, and CTS, with cheaper interiors, and not sure what segment they compete in. Shown here with a BMW M4 I believe.

   I wonder if they intend to paint those magnesium wheels Black. They would certainly look better…..

   Using a name…Blackwing, that means nothing, since both are using older engines, one from Corvette, that have nothing to do with the Cadillac Blackwing engine, now discontinued, along with the CT6, much to the dissatisfaction of the stockholders like myself

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     Steven Toia January 10, 2021, 3:04 pm

     Both V excellent vehicles. Ct5 V Blackwing will lead. First 200 will be sold out quickly. Standard V also impressive once you understand position in market. Interiors greatly improved and sneak peak of Blackwing interior shows extensive attention to detail and Cadillac leads them all in tech. Nice to see Cadillac going there own way now and not trying any longer to follow.

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     Greg January 10, 2021, 6:58 pm

     GM stock has risen nicely over the last year. Why are you dissatisfied?

     You weren’t going to even consider any model of CT4 or CT5 anyway. I can’t take YOU seriously to read that you can’t take THEM seriously.

     And why do you keep posting the fiction that these cars are somehow smaller than their predecessors? The CT4 is over 4″ longer than the ATS. The CT5 is 1.7″ shorter than the CTS (which is a tiny difference and due entirely to the design of the front facia being more blunt). But the CT5 wheelbase is over 1″ longer, adding to interior room and ride smoothness.

     “Blackwing” was ALWAYS intended as a Series name not just an engine. What possible good would it do to produce cars like the CT5 Blackwing with 550 hp when there’s a 640+ motor available?

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       Alex Luft January 11, 2021, 11:26 am

       John, you’re off on so many levels, that I don’t even know where to begin.

       “Two Cadillacs that are smaller than the ATS, and CTS, with cheaper interiors, and not sure what segment they compete in.”

       1. The CT4 is larger than the ATS on the outside (not so much on the inside), while the CT5 is larger than the CTS on the inside (not so much on the outside). Both are positioned to be bigger than their direct rivals on purpose – to offer more room, which is important for the U.S. and China markets.

       Furthermore, the positioning of the CT4 and CT5 is very simple.

       The CT4 competes in the C-segment, with these models:
       https://cadillacsociety.com/2020/12/31/cadillac-ct4-sales-numbers-figures-results-third-quarter-2020-q3/

       The CT5 is larger than the CTS in many respects, and competes in the D-segment, with these models:
       https://cadillacsociety.com/2020/09/03/cadillac-ct5-sales-numbers-q2-2020/

       Your comment about the CT4 and CT5 having “cheaper interiors” is completely false. Please educate yourself and get back to us once you’ve done so.

       As for the name, who ever said that Blackwing is exclusively the name of the 4.2L DOHC LTA engine? Nobody. Figure it out.

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       John M Engelman January 12, 2021, 1:58 am

       I am not dissatisfied with the profit, which, by the way comes from other divisions, like Chevrolet, and other GM investments, which you would know nothing about if you are not a stockholder.

       Why would I ever want to buy a “small” sedan that is terribly uncomfortable, a not convenient for me.

       I own a CTS V which, in my opinion, is larger than the ugly CT5. It also looks quite aggressive in Black, with Black looking cf, and Black aftermarket wheels.

       Your ignorance of Cadillac really shows when you make statements like this… “Blackwing” was ALWAYS intended as a Series name not just an engine. What possible good would it do to produce cars like the CT5 Blackwing with 550 hp when there’s a 640+ motor available?”

       What possible sense would it make to pay $100,000 for a 640 hp. automobile that takes 3.7 seconds to get to 60, when you can get a 495 hp. automobile that can get to 60 in 2.8 sec. looks better, and costs around $70,000……….Your logic of dollars, hp. and speed.

       Here’s what you fail to understand with your Logic…” What possible good would it do to produce cars like the CT5 Blackwing with 550 hp when there’s a 640+ motor available.

       It’s called….”exclusivity”. Read my other comment about the history of the “Blackwing” engine and try to understand what the word “exclusive” means. Perhaps Alex can explain it to you. To me…

       …you build a limited number of automobiles,say around 500, with this exclusive “CADILLAC” engine, try to make each as bespoke as possible with exclusive paint colors, interiors, options, and….wheels. Keep each one as exclusive as possible….and price them exclusively as well……say $125,000+……..and you call them CT5 Blackwing. A true Blackwing……

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         Greg January 12, 2021, 11:25 am

         So now even size and dimensions are matters of “Opinion”?

         If you think the CT5 is “Ugly”, that is your perogative of course.

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           Alex Luft January 14, 2021, 4:28 pm

           @John

           “I am not dissatisfied with the profit, which, by the way comes from other divisions, like Chevrolet, and other GM investments, which you would know nothing about if you are not a stockholder.”

           Actually, you have no way of knowing this because GM does not disclose revenue or profitability per brand or model line. This applies as much to the media as it does to stockholders.

           So you already started off on the wrong foot. Had you stopped there, it would have been forgivable… but you didn’t.

           “…you build a limited number of automobiles,say around 500, with this exclusive “CADILLAC” engine, try to make each as bespoke as possible with exclusive paint colors, interiors, options, and….wheels. Keep each one as exclusive as possible….and price them exclusively as well……say $125,000+……..and you call them CT5 Blackwing. A true Blackwing……”

           At the most basic level, the goal of Cadillac is to sell vehicles and to do so at a profit. Cadillac does not exist to make bespoke vehicles with sky-high prices for the sake of satisfying John M. Engelman and a handful of other opinionated folks.

           Now, the Blackwing engine is done for. It never scaled, and it would have added a substantial amount of additional expense to use it in the CT5 Blackwing. So you talk about being a stockholder and being satisfied with profits, but fail to understand that those profits are the result of strategic planning like using high-performance powertrains already in production.

           You talk about exclusivity, but you don’t seem to understand that exclusivity with no profit accomplishes nothing, particularly when there is a profit opportunity associated with using the LT4, while also delivering more power and more capable vehicle.

           In addition to that, the Blackwing engine does not have the requisite power or torque figures to be in an ultra-high-performance model like the CT5 Blackwing. The engine is okay for a mid-tier performance product like the CT6-V, but it wouldn’t have done the CT5-V Blackwing any benefits. In fact, it was never planned to be a high-performance engine.

           “In fact, the motor is not even being considered a V-series engine.” – a paraphrase of comments made by ex-Cadillac president Johan de Nysschen about the 4.2L Blackwing engine:
           https://gmauthority.com/blog/2016/01/cadillac-spills-details-on-its-upcoming-twin-turbo-v8-engine/

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             Tom Mikelson January 14, 2021, 6:35 pm

             I don’t even know what you’re arguing for, John. You want the Blackwing engine in the CT5-V Blackwing? If thats what you want, why? Like Alex said, it was never meant to be a high performance engine and its also less powerful than the LT4. The Blackwing engine also physically larger vs LT4, so it will increase the car’s center of gravity and making handling worse. Whats your point dude?

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2. 

   John M Engelman January 12, 2021, 1:31 am

   The CT5, as you pointed out, competes in an entirely different segment, the D segment (lower) than the CTS did….MB C Class…Audi A4…..BMW 4 Series…..the CTS segment was MB E Class…..Audi A6…..BMW 5 Series….SMALLER by one entire segment. They lifted the LT4 engine from the CTS V, it was NEVER called a Blackwing then, nor when it rode in a Corvette, yet Cadillac has stupidly decided to call this vehicle “Blackwing”…why.

   “Blackwing” was the name given to the Cadillac 4.2 liter dohc engine specifically designed for the Cadillac CT6 V. It was not a “repurposed” Chevrolet engine. It was called “Blackwing” for a reason. Totally hand built by one individual in Bowling Green, it was designed for a “unique” individual variant of the CT6 Cadillac to be a Sports Sedan, and Cadillac decided to call it a CT6 V. The name was created for the ENGINE and I quote….”The name comes from the original crest of the Merlette, the so called Black Duck which appears on the original Cadillac Crest, a legless bird, the founder of Detroit and meticulous hand craftsmanship all define Cadillac’s most exclusive and expensive engine: The “Blackwing.”

   Your lack of knowledge and ignorance of Cadillac history is the reason you make stupid statements like this…”As for the name, who ever said that Blackwing is exclusively the name of the 4.2L DOHC LTA engine? Nobody”

   There are over 100 articles that state the name “Blackwing” died with the engine.
   It is insulting to try to tell me it was originally designed to be “bastardized” around to any Cadillac that came along, especially one with a Chevrolet engine that originated with the C7 Corvette.

   The fact that the CT5, a design disaster with that “C” pillar that looks like an afterthought, has a name totally unrelated to anything on the vehicle is yet, another GM management blunder

   I own a Cadillac CTS V, and a Corvette ZO6…both come with the LT4 engine. My CTS V is bigger looking, has a better interior ( check the space in the backseat and the cheap plastic, with no controls, around the ac ducts on the CT5), and, in my opinion, sleeker than this design disaster called the CT5. It has more cf on it than the CT5 will have, and it did not come with “gold” wheels.

   Cadillac is adrift in a sea of SUV’s all inferior to the competition, I’m sorry to say, soon to be a segment of electric “trucks”. Cadillac continues to self inflict wounds, the latest, their decision to kill dealerships, but I commented on this in another article elsewhere.

   Do not, ever again, presume to insult me by implying I know nothing about Cadillac.

   My family has a long Cadillac history, we have owned over 125 Cadillacs since 1941. I have read every publication that I could find on Cadillac history over the last 50 years. I do not make these statements lightly, I own several million dollars of GM stock and, more than anyone, would like to see GM profitable.

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   • 

     Alex Luft January 14, 2021, 2:37 am

     Again, I really don’t know where to start because your comment borders on a complete misrepresentation of the facts… but I’ll try anyway.

     “Do not, ever again, presume to insult me by implying I know nothing about Cadillac.”

     Those are some fighting words there, big guy. Pound your chest all you want, throw all the shade you can, buy up all the stock your heart desires, and I’ll STILL be here to tell you that you are dead wrong in your logic and thinking about the matters at hand. Buckle up, let’s go to school together!

     1. The CT5 competes in a different segment than the CTS. I have been expounding this reality on Cadillac Society and GM Authority two years before the vehicle was even announced. Did you just now figure this out? Bully for you my friend.

     2.”My CTS V is bigger looking, has a better interior (check the space in the backseat and the cheap plastic, with no controls, around the ac ducts on the CT5), and, in my opinion, sleeker than this design disaster called the CT5.”

     If you are well aware that the CT5 competes in a segment lower than the CTS, then why do you continue to compare the two cars?

     By all means, compare the CT5 to the ATS Sedan – the vehicle whose position the CT5 replaced in the Cadillac lineup. Do that, and you will arrive at the logical conclusion that the CT5 excels in every single way when compared to the product it replaces (ATS Sedan), even when it comes to the rear console treatment (you’re welcome!) that you love to complain about.

     2. You also love to complain about the use of the Blackwing name on the upcoming high performance CT5 and CT4 models. Yes, neither one will use the Blackwing engine. Let’s think about that for a few.

     First, Cadillac is free to take its vehicles and its brand in whatever direction it feels is best. With the CT4 and CT5, the V-Series brand shifted to create a new mid-tier position previously semi-occupied by V-Sport (to capitalize on a growing trend for mid-tier performance vehicles that are more approachable), while the V-Series Blackwing brand was created to identify the range-topping models. The branding and nomenclature evolved, it’s as simple and as straightforward as that. Cadillac is not and should not be a monolith, an idea you seem to be a fan of.

     But hey, let’s take your Blackwing branding argument to its most reasonable conclusion: by your logic, the ATS-V and CTS-V simply can not share the V-Series moniker either, because they don’t even share the same engine. That’s where your argument ultimately leads, isn’t it?

     To that end, does every single Mercedes AMG or BMW M model use the same engine? No. The collective AMG and M names simply stand for the highest-performing models in their lineups, regardless of engine. V and V-Blackwing will mean the same thing for Cadillac. It’s a new brand. It’s a new age. It is literally that simple.

     To quote a legend of the auto industry…
     “The car makes the name, the name does not make the car.”
     – Caroll Shelby

     3. “Your lack of knowledge and ignorance of Cadillac history is the reason you make stupid statements like this…”

     It’s at this point that I will remind you that your professor was the first one in the world to report that Cadillac will drop the V-Sport sub-brand and will replace it with V-Series for mid-tier performance models:
     https://gmauthority.com/blog/2019/04/cadillac-v-sport-trim-level-is-dead-exclusive/

     I was then the first in the world to report that Cadillac will introduce the V-Series Blackwing moniker to represent the high-tier performance models:
     http://cadillacsociety.com/2019/06/29/next-level-cadillac-v-series-cars-to-be-called-blackwing/

     So you might want to dial back the bits about my alleged “lack of knowledge”, “ignorance of Cadillac history, and “stupid statement”.

     You then grace us with this beauty:
     “The name comes from the original crest of the Merlette, the so called Black Duck which appears on the original Cadillac Crest, a legless bird, the founder of Detroit and meticulous hand craftsmanship all define Cadillac’s most exclusive and expensive engine: The “Blackwing.”

     Correct! That quote is from MY ARTICLE, where I was once again the first in the world to report on the reason the engine is called Blackwing. Here it is for your reference:
     https://cadillacsociety.com/2019/01/19/heres-why-cadillac-new-twin-turbo-v8-engine-is-called-blackwing/

     Now, I’m not here to pound my own chest or toot my own horn, but you’re not talking to an average Joe here, so cool it with the name-calling. Let’s continue with your schooling.

     “There are over 100 articles that state the name “Blackwing” died with the engine.”

     Another example of bad thinking on your part. Hundreds of articles about something doesn’t make it right when all of those articles copy a single source; welcome to the echo chamber that is (most of) the auto media world today.

     “It is insulting to try to tell me it was originally designed to be “bastardized” around to any Cadillac that came along, especially one with a Chevrolet engine that originated with the C7 Corvette.”

     Yet another example of bad thinking and a lack of understanding of the situation on your part. The Blackwing name was planned to be used on the range-topping CT4-V and CT5-V performance variants WAY BEFORE anyone inside of Cadillac/GM knew the fate of the Blackwing engine. Meanwhile, the internal decision to use the Blackwing name on these models despite them not having the Blackwing engine took place in mid-2018, when the CT6 V-Sport was renamed to CT6-V, despite using the Blackwing engine. Mind you that the reason the Blackwing moniker was not used on the CT6-V is because the CT6-V was not the ultimate performance expression of the CT6. That model would have been the CT6-V Blackwing, which as we all know, never came to be.

     So no, the Blackwing name did not die with the Blackwing engine, because the Blackwing nameplate for the 4 and 5 was conceived BEFORE the fate of the Blackwing engine was sealed, as evidenced by the renaming of the CT6 V-Sport to CT6-V.

     Bottom line: Cadillac created a new nomenclature for its performance vehicles. The new nomenclature makes sense and provides a clear delineation of mid-tier performance from high-end performance. If that’s offensive to you, I could give you a number of a really good reality TV shrink who could would be very interested in hearing you out.

     4. You say… “Blackwing” was the name given to the Cadillac 4.2 liter dohc engine specifically designed for the Cadillac CT6 V. It was not a “repurposed” Chevrolet engine. It was called “Blackwing” for a reason. Totally hand built by one individual in Bowling Green, it was designed for a “unique” individual variant of the CT6 Cadillac to be a Sports Sedan, and Cadillac decided to call it a CT6 V. The name was created for the ENGINE”

     But that’s factually incorrect. First, the CT6-V was one of TWO models to use the 4.2L DOHC TT LTA engine. The second was the CT6 4.2TT Platinum. Both were planned to use the Blackwing engine.

     Now, the CT6-V could be characterized as a “Sports Sedan.” To call the Platinum a “Sport Sedan” would be a stretch. So it actually wasn’t designed for a “unique individual variant of the CT6.” It was simply designed for the CT6, period.

     To expand on that, the purpose of the Blackwing engine was not high performance, but rather refinement, something that GM’s Small Block OHV engines have been criticized for not having. I’m not necessarily supporting that notion, but I’m simply presenting the perception that some in the automotive media and some consumers have about Small Blocks. The move to make a DOHC was as much to create a refined powerplant befitting a luxury vehicle like the CT6 as it was to win those who “perceive” that OHV engines have no place in luxury vehicles.

     I will again emphasize that the Blackwing was not planned as a performance engine.
     “In fact, the motor is not even being considered a V-series engine.” – a paraphrase of comments made by then-Cadillac president Johan de Nysschen:
     https://gmauthority.com/blog/2016/01/cadillac-spills-details-on-its-upcoming-twin-turbo-v8-engine/

     5. You state that your CTS-V “has more cf on it than the CT5 will have, and it did not come with “gold” wheels.

     You talk like you’ve already seen, touched, sat in and driven the CT5-V Blackwing. You haven’t. So there’s the first sign of bull$hit.

     The second sign is that the CT5-V BW will offer black wheels as standard. Additionally, the “gold” wheels you refer to are not gold, but actually magnesium, and they will be optional. If you don’t want them, don’t get ’em.

     Third, since when did the amount of carbon fiber determine the prowess or capability of a vehicle? By that notion, the Lexus LFA should be the best car in the world, right?

     Fourth (and most importantly), the CT5-V will outperform your CTS-V in every area… while also being a segment “lower” than your CTS-V. Progress never looked so good. You’re just pissed that it will have a name that you personally don’t approve of. Boohoo.

     5. “Cadillac is adrift in a sea of SUV’s all inferior to the competition, I’m sorry to say, soon to be a segment of electric “trucks”.”

     So according to you, Cadillac is adrift in a sea of SUVs that are allegedly inferior to the competition.

     80,305 people in the U.S. – that’s the amount of people who bought a Cadillac crossover in the U.S. in 2020 – disagreed with that statement. In addition, 90K people disagreed with that statement in China in 2020. Clearly Cadillac is doing something right.

     Now, can the crossovers be better? Sure. Should they be? Absolutely. But as someone who describes himself as being educated, informed and with a deep sense of historic understanding of all things Cadillac, I would have expected you to understand what Cadillac had to work with in creating the XT# models in question. In short, the team was given lemons, and they made lemonade… lemonade that’s bought and enjoyed by thousands of people every year, and that generates substantial revenue and profit. As a shareholder, you should appreciate that.

     PS: you’ll get the class-leading Cadillac crossovers with the Lyriq, Optiq and Symboliq.

     Class dismissed.

     Reply
     • 

       Scotty Keen January 14, 2021, 2:50 pm

       Thank you Alex. I often enjoy reading your comments and explanations, they always have a lot of substance… I leaned a lot from your commentary above.

       Also enjoyed your snarky tone. Someone has to put these overly confident but otherwise clueless chest pounders like John in their place. Appreciate all that you and your team to keep us Caddy fans informed and entertained!

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         Dave Pasquale January 15, 2021, 6:30 pm

         Ahahaha. Engelman you are a clueless riot.

         After I beat you and your CTS-V in my “ugly” CT5-V Blackwing at the track and on the street, you’ll at least be able to take comfort knowing that your CTS-V has all that carbon fiber. Hilarious.

         Thanks for setting him straight Alex. We need more car people like you who get the info and keep things straight.

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         • 

           Derek Sullivan January 18, 2021, 11:22 pm

           John Engelman you obviously have no clue who you are talking to. Alex is the the guy to talk to about Cadillac. I met him in person at an ATS V driving event years ago, he gave owners a presentation that was off the chain. The guy knows his stuff and knows how to drive too. I would not bet against his knowledge or understanding of Cadillac.

           Also the CTS is not in the same segment as the CT5. Stop comparing the two.

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3. 

   Johnls_39 January 17, 2021, 3:30 pm

   John M Engelman is Donald J Trump in disguise. Absolutely funny.

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     Scotty Keen January 18, 2021, 3:10 pm

     It’s sad because Engelman is obviously clueless but tries to argue with Alex, who does all the original reporting on the subject. Engelman then feels disrespected when people call him out on his cluelessness. Hilarious!!!

     Reply