2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Finally Unveiled

We’ve been waiting a long time for it, and it has finally landed. After showing a teaser video during the broadcast of last weekend’s Rolex 24 race in Daytona, the 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing just made its official debut.

As confirmed previously, under the hood of the CT5-V Blackwing will lurk a supercharged 6.2L V8 (production code LT4), which was also found in the recently departed Cadillac CTS-V. However, wearing a higher-flow air intake system and a new exhaust system, the engine is now rated at 668 horsepower and 659 pound-feet of torque, or 28 horses and 19 foot-pounds more than in the CTS-V. All that muscle is sent to the tarmac through the rear wheels only.

With the optional 10-speed automatic transmission, which includes magnesium wheel-mounted paddle shifters, Cadillac says the car can blast from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. With a long-enough stretch of pavement, a top speed of more than 200 mph is attainable.

As we mentioned before, a six-speed manual transmission will be fitted as standard. Sourced from Tremec, the gearbox received some enhancements compared to the unit offered in the also-departed Cadillac ATS-V, which are said to improve both quietness and durability. The driver can also turn on Active Rev Matching with a console-mounted button, which adjusts engine speed automatically during downshifts, making every driver look like a heel-and-toe champ. A No-Lift shift feature also allows rowing through gears without lifting the throttle, contributing to faster laps around a closed circuit.

Given all that go-fast hardware, the 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing benefits from beastly stopping power as well, with oversized discs at each corner clamped by six-piston front and four-piston rear Brembo brake calipers. On the options list, we find a carbon ceramic brake package that’s better suited to extreme track driving conditions, in addition to being lighter than the stock setup.

Also standard is Magnetic Ride 4.0, which gets specific tuning for the CT5-V Blackwing, such as stiffer springs, hollow stabilizer bars and higher-rate bushings. The MacPherson strut front and five-link rear suspension receives stiffer bushings, knuckles and cradle mounts to improve handling all while retaining the CT5’s ride quality. A set of 19-inch forged aluminum wheels, with 275/35ZR19 front and 305/30ZR19 rear Michelin Pilot Sport 4S performance tires, come standard, while new magnesium wheels are available for added style and reduced unsprung weight.

Inside, the 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is equipped with a 12-inch digital driver instrument panel with Blackwing-specific graphics, a 15-speaker AKG stereo, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Surround Vision with recording, head-up display as well as a 3D printed trim cap on the manual transmission shift lever and a serialized plaque on the high-performance steering wheel. The latter includes carbon fiber trim, a V-Mode button and Performance Traction Management controls as well.

Three levels of interior trim are available in the Blackwing. Carbon fiber sport seats with leather upholstery, heating and ventilation as well as 18 power adjustments come standard, in addition to carbon fiber accents, while leather and suede surfaces with a lumbar massage feature are available, as is full leather seating with custom quilting, matched with semi-aniline and sueded door trim.

Visually, the 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing benefits from a unique grille design, larger secondary grilles for extra cooling, a front splitter, a trunklid spoiler, a rear bumper diffuser and rocker extensions, giving the car a more aggressive look. Meanwhile, underbody panels have been added for extra aerodynamic stability at track-level velocities. The options list includes a functional carbon fiber aero package that further reduces lift at speed.

Reservations are now open for the CT5-V Blackwing, and a $1,000 deposit will secure one of the first 250 units of the high-performance sedan. The new 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing will retail from $84,990 and deliveries will start this summer.

Until then, we’ll have more details to cover, so subscribe to Cadillac Society for more Cadillac CT5 news and around-the-clock Cadillac news coverage. We also invite you to join the latest discussions in our Cadillac forums.