First 1000 mile impressions with the CT5V Blackwing.

[Commonman]

Finally the beast is mine. Built on 9-8-22, took possession on 4-6-23. I was concerned that the car I was purchasing would be worn and weathered from a winter in DTW but the delivered car looked great. Fit and finish were better than I expected. The car drives like a dream and looks way better live than it does in a picture. I would call it menacing but elegant. Nobody gives it a second look when I'm out and about but some people do know what this car is about. I was at a traffic light waiting for the green and this 25 year old kid looked my way and said" that's a bad ass car man, a bad ass car". I loved it. Car tools around like a Buick but can be a 4 door Z06 in a Nano second. Perfect for me at this stage in life. Two opinions. First if you have broad shoulders and are generally bigger than average really consider the base seats. Super comfortable and they make it so easy to slide in and out of the car. Was at a Cadillac dealer the other day and sat in the upgraded seats and totally knew I made the right decision getting the base seats. The heavily bolstered seats just seemed to confining to me for 98% of the driving I do. Secondly, what in gods name is GM doing not putting adaptive cruise control on 95k cars. No reason is justified. Do a 600 day in the car and you will be cursing the idiots that continue to deprive great cars like the Blackwing and C8 this wonderful technology. The car does drink gas. City driving taking it easy I get 14 mpg. Hwy at 80 I get 23.5-24 mpg. Manual transmission is best I've ever driven. I have a C5 manual and that shifter feels crude in comparison. So, so glad I got the manual. Finally I really love the mix of button control and screen technology in this car. I drive a lot of different cars for a dealer group and most I find overly complex and way to dependent on touch screens. I will be very curious if the refresh 2024 falls into this trap of bigger, fancier screens is better. Many times it's not. For now I love that I can turn up the volume and change radio stations with a CONTROL KNOB and not be punching around a screen. As many have said before, the car is worth the wait. Endure the goat rope and you won't be disappointed with the final result.

 

[CGB]

Excellent review, you hit some of the many highlights of this beast...

 

[668LT4]

Well, apparently there is no interior refresh for 2024, so now worries there. When they do, it seems likely it would be along the lines of the XT4 refresh. Big screen, but lots of buttons too. I think what GM did with their new truck interiors is amazing. Cool driver display, larger center screen angled at the driver, and buttons. I don't see them changing that language.

Very glad yours arrived in solid shape. Mine too. Built June 22, delivered November 22, and the paint is outstanding. I'm at 2500 miles now and have nothing to complain about. Supercharged V8 with a manual transmission - and a damn good one as we all agree - it is a nonstop smile machine. Other cars might be faster, more nimble, have nicer materials, but none are as enjoyable to drive.

 

[The Sandman]

Secondly, what in gods name is GM doing not putting adaptive cruise control on 95k cars.

Seems to be more common for the package with ACC to be left off the manual transmission cars than the automatics. It does work great with the A10… I would imagine it’s not quite as advantageous with the M6… at least in some situations?

 

[Finally-a-V]

I totally agree about the mix of buttons. For the life of me, I don't understand why any human would design a car and make you go thru any kind of touch screen, especially multiple layers, to change the temp, volume, or heated/cooled seats.

As far as ACC, I don't like it, don't use it. Guess my opinion is tainted from having it in big trucks where you would lose too much speed, and took too long to catch back up.

And yes, it's a totally awesome machine. Absolutely love mine. Yes, it's worth the wait.

 

[The Sandman]

As far as ACC, I don't like it, don't use it.

Don’t use cruise control at all? Or do you turn off adaptive braking and use cruise control the conventional way with set speed only?

I couldn’t live without ACC.

 

[ernsteeng]

I never use the ACC. I've had it in my last two cars. I find it frustrating that you are at your set speed and then the car comes up on something and if you aren't paying close attention the car just slows down on you and doesn't alert you. Looking down a minute later and you are 5 mph lower than what you set. I always switch to the speed based cruise control whenever I use it. I also find when people jump around in traffic the radar sees it and thinks you are going to get in an accident and slows you down, when in reality it wasn't even that close and didn't require any braking.

 

[dribs15]

Don’t use cruise control at all? Or do you turn off adaptive braking and use cruise control the conventional way with set speed only?

I couldn’t live without ACC.

I don't use any cruise control... probably because I feel guilty enough for getting an A10... this time

 

[Finally-a-V]

Don’t use cruise control at all? Or do you turn off adaptive braking and use cruise control the conventional way with set speed only?

No, I don't use ACC. I do use regular cruise control on a long trip.

I find it frustrating that you are at your set speed and then the car comes up on something and if you aren't paying close attention the car just slows down on you and doesn't alert you. Looking down a minute later and you are 5 mph lower than what you set.

Exactly my point and why I don't use ACC. Try losing 5 or 10 mph with 80,000 pounds and then try to get back to 65 (or whatever), especially with traffic or a grade.

 

[BlueBird]

I originally wanted ACC or ideally SuperCruise. I have a long commute and I thought I wanted to do less driving in that type of situation. What happened was the opposite.

Since switching to a manual I get less drowsy during the drive and "zone out" less, the time seems to pass quicker because I'm doing something, and in those rare moments that an on ramp is clear or I hit a light just right I'm able to rip through gears in a satisfying fashion. I wouldn't change it at all.

 

[The Sandman]

I don't use any cruise control... probably because I feel guilty enough for getting an A10... this time

The A10 is awesome. I don’t feel guilty at all having it… not one little bit.

 

[The Sandman]

Exactly my point and why I don't use ACC. Try losing 5 or 10 mph with 80,000 pounds and then try to get back to 65 (or whatever), especially with traffic or a grade.

That certainly explains not using ACC in a semi. OTOH there is no such issue in a Blackwing.

 

[shbox]

ACC is nice when you aren't really "driving" and people are moving along at a decent pace. Agree that it is easy to get lulled into a lower pace if you aren't paying attention.

 

[Carguyshu]

For the extremely limited number of M6 cars built there was little chance GM was going to spend engineering dollars to add adaptive cruise control to them vs the autos, which already had all that stuff worked out on lower trims. A lot of people that buy manual cars because of the engaged driving experience so the take rate would be even lower than the few manual cars that were gonna be built.

 

[DAC17]

People, you're buying a serious sports car with 668 BHP. ACC, maybe for a regular CT5... I like the engineering money that was spent where GM chose to put it!

 

[CBH]

I never use any cruise control. We can already see why it was unnecessary on the 6MT. We actually *drive* our cars.........

Glad you're enjoying it. It is a great car.

 

[Speed Racer 007]

Nice review.
If I had ACC I wouldn't use it as I like to keep busy rolling through the gears.

My '23 Audi S5 Sportback has it and it scared the living shit out of me when the car recognized I was transitioning from a 55mph area to a 40mph zone and proceeded to hit the brakes like some dude ran in front of the car.. I learned quickly that the car really does recognize speed limits and adjusts accordingly. LOL

 

[Carguyshu]

Nice review.
If I had ACC I wouldn't use it as I like to keep busy rolling through the gears.

My '23 Audi S5 Sportback has it and it scared the living shit out of me when the car recognized I was transitioning from a 55mph area to a 40mph zone and proceeded to hit the brakes like some dude ran in front of the car.. I learned quickly that the car really does recognize speed limits and adjusts accordingly. LOL

you can turn the reduce speed when the speed limit changes off in the settings

 

[Dmkp621]

I use regular non-adaptive cruise for 99% of highway driving where cruise is warranted. The one place where I do use ACC is in heavy stop and go traffic. It lowers the stress level and watching it do its thing is actually kinda fun. I still don't fully trust it yet after 10K miles but that's on me, not the car.

 

[quikag]

No ACC for manual cars. Just like no remote start. No workie for six-speed.