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Hagerty recently pitted three titans of sports sedans against each other, and the result is outstanding. A Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, Tesla Model S Plaid, and a BMW M5 CS go head-to-head in a battle as some of the quickest sports sedans on the market. A curious comparison, in that the Cadillac CT5 Blackwing is the most powerful of all three but doesn’t come close to the same speed in a drag race, though that could come down to the way it puts traction onto the ground.

Tesla Model S Plaid vs. BMW M5 CS

Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing driving on track | Cadillac

The Model S Plaid edition comes with 1,000 horsepower and hits 60 mph in just two seconds. It’s one of the fastest sedans in the world, and it’s all-electric. It recently broke the lap record for EVs at the Nurburgring. Drivers can choose from a variety of suspension modes, including one meant for drag racing. The interior isn’t as nice as its expensive price point deserves, but it goes about 400 miles on a charge and tops out at 200 mph. 

The BMW M5 CS is comparably priced to the Model S Plaid and offers a nicer interior along with stiffer suspension. It has 627 horsepower at the ready from a turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 and many computer gadgets to get the power to all four wheels without breaking a sweat. While it is technically all-wheel drive, the BMW M5 CS has a computer that sends most of the power to the rear wheels, most of the time. It only sends power to the front when necessary, thus ensuring a primarily rear-wheel-drive experience. 

Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing offers luxurious muscle

As the spiritual successor to the CTS-V, the CT5-V blasts 668 horsepower from its supercharged 6.2-liter V8 to the rear wheels for a scorching 0-60 time of 3.6 seconds. The Cadillac also comes with a manual transmission and traction control and shies away from the BMW’s behemoth price point by about $40,000. It’s nowhere near the Tesla or BMW in terms of straight-line speed, but the lap times of Willow Springs International Raceway tell a different story.

BMW M5 CS is the slowest around the track

Tesla holds the lap record for 4-door sedans around Willow Springs with 1:27.78. While the BMW M5 CS is quicker than the Cadillac in a straight line, the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing barely ekes out enough time to split the Tesla from the M5. BMW’s M5 CS lapped the circuit in 1:28.78, while the Cadillac did it in 1:28.07. According to Hagerty, this comes down to the Cadillac’s immaculate stability control, which allows the car to make more precise maneuvers. 

The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is the best driver’s car

Of these three, for a driver to experience a V8 car, the Cadillac is the one and only choice. The Tesla obviously can’t offer a V8, and the BMW M5 CS has too much interference from computers to give the driver a proper feel of how it’s behaving. The Cadillac’s manual transmission also lends the driver a sixth sense to better connect them with the car. For pure speed, nothing beats the Tesla. For an experience, get the Cadillac.

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MotorBiscuit Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Brian Grabianowski

An automotive journalist since 2008, Brian holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from San Francisco State University and eloquently speaks on all manner of cars, from classics to new technology, reliability, and recalls.

Brian’s mechanical inclinations afford his work a first-hand lens on the ’90s automotive market and mods. Neither his first nor last project car, a 2002 Ford Mustang GT in True Blue Metallic, his third Pony, will keep him busy when he isn’t writing, with a new suspension and final drive ratio change on the to-do list. He’s also built a racing seat for simulator video games.