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Cadillac wants you to forget about all of the divey STS and DTS cars of the 1990s and early 2000s and to start thinking of the brand as a performance entity. We know: it’s hard to get rid of the idea that Caddys aren’t big, floaty, terrible handling cars known more for fins, acres of wood trim and lazy V8s, or even as the brand of tarted-up Chevy Tahoes. But, the new Blackwing series of Cadillacs is going far to change some opinions. The case in point is the 2023 CT5 V Blackwing.

What is so special about the Cadillac Blackwing?

Cadillac branded its top performance cars and SUVS all Blackwings. In the CTS V (which is already pretty special), you get some rare goodies, including an optional six-speed manual gearbox that powers a 6.2-liter supercharged V8. But Cadillac didn’t just LS swap the CTS. The car’s engine is boosted to 668 horsepower and 659 lb-ft of torque. It also has Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 and a limited-slip differential to help you keep all that power under control.

Then, to make the Blackwing special, it adds a new grille, rear spoiler, splitter, diffusers and more aero trickery to the outside. On the inside, the trims get real carbon fiber seats, premium leather, and carbon fiber trim.

The CT5 V Blackwing is the fastest Cadillac          

A blue Cadillac CT5 V Blackwing sliding at a racetrack
The CT5-V Blackwing | Cadillac

Together, the mods mean this is both the quickest Cadillac you can buy and the fastest Cadillac you can buy. We’ll skip mentioning the one-off race cars and show cars like the Cien that were claimed to be faster. Cadillac will tell you it can hit 60 MPH in 3.6 seconds. MotorTrend equaled that number in its testing of the manual, and then saw it romp through the quarter mile with an 11.5 second time at 127.5 MPH.

That’s quick. But it’s also fast. Cadillac says its terminal velocity is 202 MPH, and it has four doors and a killer stereo, to boot.

What is the difference between a CT5 V and a Blackwing?

A blue CT5 Blackwing doing a burnout at a racetrack
A CT5-V Blackwing | Cadillac

The CTS V is a very special car, indeed. The CT5 V gets a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 that makes 360 horsepower. It’s also quick, and Cadillac says it can hit 60 mph in 4.3 seconds. It, too, has a performance suspension, and it includes the magic Magnetic Ride Control shocks.

On the inside, the Blackwing gets the carbon seats, torch-red colored seat belts, a different headliner, and most importantly a steering wheel that has extra buttons and switches. Cleverly, like a racer car, Cadillac added a red stripe to the top center of the wheel.

How much is a CTS V Blackwing?

The interior of a Cadillac VT5 V Blackwing in tan and black
CT5 V Blackwing interior | Cadillac

A regular CT5 V isn’t cheap, and it starts at $50,995. But it you want the Blackwing, be prepared: It starts at $91,995, before a long list of options. But, you’ll likely pay a premium because Cadillac is limiting the number of Blackwings built.

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Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.