2022 CT5-V Blackwing six-speed versus 2024 Model S Plaid

[quikag]

I've had my '22 #26 Blackwing six-speed since August of 2021 (I was lucky enough to get one of the 250 reservation cars). Anyway, I have almost 15k glorious miles over the last 4+ years.

I bought a new '24 Model S Plaid to supplement driving chores about 13 months ago (November '24). It has about 10k miles as I consider it more of a mule and I hope to keep the 5BW forever along with my C6 ZR1.

Anyway, I've been driving the 5BW for about a week now and just did a 100+ mile drive today. In short, the 5BW still has ALL the goods. I love the Plaid, I genuinely do and I've had zero issues in the 10k miles. Charge it and drive it. Okay, I got a small hole in one of the tires, but Discount Tire fixed it in 30 minutes and said I still have roughly 8-10k more miles to go which I was happy with given I drive it in Plaid mode and am not afraid to nail the happy pedal all the time to experience the instant thrust of 1,020hp to all 4 tires. It's super comfy, quiet, smooth, kids love the screen in the back (Netflix, Youtube, Hulu, etc), everything is intuitive, FSD is legit good now when I don't want to drive, and even the adaptive matrix lights work awesome. It keeps the brights on sometimes when a car is coming right at me, but I see a quadrant of darkness where the car is and everything else is lit up like a Christmas tree. Then, factor in it's a standard gray color with the sport seats, no fancy wheels or carbon brakes, sticker was right at 90k, but it had an $8,100 inventory discount. Then, I go some business tax breaks on it to make it a pretty cheap car overall comparatively speaking.

Okay, enough about the Plaid. The reason the 5BW is the keeper is the six-speed, the amazing 4th gen mag ride, the carbon ceramic brakes, the chassis, the engine sound, the LT4 torque and thrust. It's the total package. The Plaid has the speed down and handling is 'okay', but brakes are average and don't match the speed potential, so you can fly in the Plaid, but you are *comfortable* flying in the 5BW because you know the brakes are there and the suspension is there even in highly aggressive maneuvers. The 5BW can be driven 100% laterally and longitudinally in all directions with confidence. More than 80% aggressive driving in the Plaid (besides acceleration) and it starts to show some weaknesses and limitations.

The 5BW will be the classic and keeper for sure and I've loved driving it this past week. I tucked her back in my garage and put it on the tender and I look forward to taking her back out again, hopefully soon.

 

[VBhak]

I've had my '22 #26 Blackwing six-speed since August of 2021 (I was lucky enough to get one of the 250 reservation cars). Anyway, I have almost 15k glorious miles over the last 4+ years.

I bought a new '24 Model S Plaid to supplement driving chores about 13 months ago (November '24). It has about 10k miles as I consider it more of a mule and I hope to keep the 5BW forever along with my C6 ZR1.

Anyway, I've been driving the 5BW for about a week now and just did a 100+ mile drive today. In short, the 5BW still has ALL the goods. I love the Plaid, I genuinely do and I've had zero issues in the 10k miles. Charge it and drive it. Okay, I got a small hole in one of the tires, but Discount Tire fixed it in 30 minutes and said I still have roughly 8-10k more miles to go which I was happy with given I drive it in Plaid mode and am not afraid to nail the happy pedal all the time to experience the instant thrust of 1,020hp to all 4 tires. It's super comfy, quiet, smooth, kids love the screen in the back (Netflix, Youtube, Hulu, etc), everything is intuitive, FSD is legit good now when I don't want to drive, and even the adaptive matrix lights work awesome. It keeps the brights on sometimes when a car is coming right at me, but I see a quadrant of darkness where the car is and everything else is lit up like a Christmas tree. Then, factor in it's a standard gray color with the sport seats, no fancy wheels or carbon brakes, sticker was right at 90k, but it had an $8,100 inventory discount. Then, I go some business tax breaks on it to make it a pretty cheap car overall comparatively speaking.

Okay, enough about the Plaid. The reason the 5BW is the keeper is the six-speed, the amazing 4th gen mag ride, the carbon ceramic brakes, the chassis, the engine sound, the LT4 torque and thrust. It's the total package. The Plaid has the speed down and handling is 'okay', but brakes are average and don't match the speed potential, so you can fly in the Plaid, but you are *comfortable* flying in the 5BW because you know the brakes are there and the suspension is there even in highly aggressive maneuvers. The 5BW can be driven 100% laterally and longitudinally in all directions with confidence. More than 80% aggressive driving in the Plaid (besides acceleration) and it starts to show some weaknesses and limitations.

The 5BW will be the classic and keeper for sure and I've loved driving it this past week. I tucked her back in my garage and put it on the tender and I look forward to taking her back out again, hopefully soon.

Great write-up.. thank you! We have so many write-ups on "vs M5" or "vs 911", this is likely the more practical, realistic, two or three car garage, with one "mule", and one or two super fun toy(s).

Question: One of the early review articles (I don't remember which one unfortunately) said (paraphrasing) "the immediacy of the torque at speed in the 5BW reminds us of electric vehicles"... do you find that sentiment to be true when you drive them back to back?

 

[quikag]

Question: One of the early review articles (I don't remember which one unfortunately) said (paraphrasing) "the immediacy of the torque at speed in the 5BW reminds us of electric vehicles"... do you find that sentiment to be true when you drive them back to back?

In short, yes. It's about as close as you can get to 'instant' torque for a gas engine with the LT4. It's obviously not quite as immediate and linear, but for a gas engine the LT4 in the 5BW responds very quickly to throttle input and builds speed in an electric-like manner. It's roughly 750lbs lighter than the Plaid too, but is short about 400 torque and 350hp. The Plaid is noticeably faster in a straight line, but the 5BW is certainly no slouch. It's very easy to do triple digits in both cars with an effortless feeling.

 

[jbawden]

I think ICE and EV are both great, just leave the choice to consumers. We've been both since '21 (Lucid Air currently) and I love running errands and slab (boring freeway etc) in the Air and then when the adventure calls for ICE, we take that option.

EV's own the temporary organ rearrangement crown with AWD/grip for days and instant torque but it's a novelty that quickly becomes unremarkable except for newbies. EV's lack the connection, the symphony, and the emotion that a 5BW offers (even more so with 6M).