Media dumps

[xeerohour]

It's way better than the ATS was, at least according to others. But ultimately the ct4 is a 30k car that they stuck a giant engine in.

I opted to upgrade the seats (and get the sky cool grey) and get the alcantara. Coming from German cars I knew that for long term living with it, and my wife's comfort, making the cabin feel comfortable and bright was important. Honestly, I feel both upgrades were worth it. It does genuinely feel like a nice place to be inside the blackwing.

Both things can be true: It's a nice interior, nicer than a lot of "cheap" cars. But it's not as nice as the German competitors. But as others have pointed out, it's cheaper and it offers a stick. There's no perfect car, or we'd all be driving the same thing.

 

[Matt27]

To add on to the interior debate - I sold my BMW m340i at the beginning of this year before I bought my blackwing. The BMW interior is better, hands down. Screens are brighter and bigger, the doors are heavier, there's less cheap plastic, it feels more spacious. Seriously, the extra couple inches of room in the backseat was really noticeable with kids, for cars that are almost the exact same exterior length. Yes, it's the m340i and not an m3. But all the BMW interiors of this gen are pretty much the same.

I love my blackwing. It's the best car I've owned. The problem with the BMW wasn't the interior, or the engine (that b58 was fantastic). It was the lack of soul - the lack of engagement - the lack of "special". How much of that was simply "lack of a stick shift" for me personally is tough to say. But as I've stated before, I never really loved the BMW. I respected it - it was one of the most practical cars I've owned. It just wasn't what I wanted. The Caddy is.

The "special" thing is so true. Pre-4BW, I was between the M340 and the Alfa Giulia.

That B58 is ridiculous and the car is quick as all hell. But there's no buzz. The Alfa, though down a full 100HP on paper (and more than that in reality given how underrated the B58 is) was just way more fun and still practical enough.

When I was looking for the next move, the 4BW was ahead of the M3 for the same reason. I can't trust BMW anymore (also a former owner) and if I can't test drive either, it was worth the roll of the dice on the Caddy.

 

[Jameson's Viggen]

To add on to the interior debate - I sold my BMW m340i at the beginning of this year before I bought my blackwing. The BMW interior is better, hands down. Screens are brighter and bigger, the doors are heavier, there's less cheap plastic, it feels more spacious. Seriously, the extra couple inches of room in the backseat was really noticeable with kids, for cars that are almost the exact same exterior length. Yes, it's the m340i and not an m3. But all the BMW interiors of this gen are pretty much the same.

I love my blackwing. It's the best car I've owned. The problem with the BMW wasn't the interior, or the engine (that b58 was fantastic). It was the lack of soul - the lack of engagement - the lack of "special". How much of that was simply "lack of a stick shift" for me personally is tough to say. But as I've stated before, I never really loved the BMW. I respected it - it was one of the most practical cars I've owned. It just wasn't what I wanted. The Caddy is.

I ordered an Estoril Blue F30 MSport 6mt. It was great to look at.

After 2 years I sold it. It was incredibly COMPETENT but nothing to be passionate about. So yeah, stick or not, I dont think is the issue with MOST modern BMWs. My nearly 23yr old one though, it seems like an event to drive, special from the second you sit in it.

 

[Cuse44]

The Cadillac CT5-V Sport Wagon That Doesn't Exist But Absolutely Needs To

 

[Throat Yogurt]

They will gush over the M3's M3ness and like the ATS V before it declare the 4BW out performs it in most ways but then hand the M3 the nod because the 4BW uses critical standard GM components like window, switches, door handles and seat buckles. Followed by a complaints about the not Cadillac y enough UI. The coupe de grace will be the fake M3 I6 engine sounds better than the mic'd live sound of the 4BW piped into their respective cabins. If you go back and read reviews of the ATS V the only thing it lacked to eclipse the M3 were a BMW badges. By several accounts the 4BW is a significant improvement over the ATS V but I suspect the same old biases will remain...

I hope they prove me wrong.

The 4BW and 5BW are on C/D's 10 Best list. The M3 (or any BMW for that matter) is not.

 

[Berserker]

The Cadillac CT5-V Sport Wagon That Doesn't Exist But Absolutely Needs To

Looks pretty nice!

But I think it needs two changes to be perfect:

1. the D pillar should just be a giant piece of black plastic
2. it should be painted "School Bus Yellow"

 

[seattlecubes]

Perhaps I'm thinking of the Comp X-drive vs CT4 Blackwing comparisons that have been making the rounds. Lightning Lap in Car and Driver was one of those and Motor Trend did one as well.

Actually the M3 Comp (auto) isn't much more than the M3 Base (manual). The comp comes with the upgraded wheels (1300) that you want anyway so the price difference is only 2600 dollars to get the comp. Basically think of the comp as the auto m3 and the base as the manual m3

The price difference is actually less than the upcharge to get the auto in the 4 or 5BWs.

All the expensive features you can option on the comp you can also option on the m3 base and basically most are tech or cosmetic things rather than performance stuff.

The m3 comp xdrive costs a bit more still, but not out of line with what most manufacturers charge for AWD option.

BMW is essentially giving the comp tune for free.

Don't think of the comp version of the s58 as an upgrade, that's just the normal state of that engine. Think of the manual version of the s58 as a downgrade.

I think BMW structured it this way instead of just calling it M3 auto or M3 manual is because they had to so severely neuter the s58 so it doesn't explode their manual that they half assed. This way it doesn't seem like you lose all that HP and torque when you check the manual option box. BMW basically bundled the desirable wheels and the shadow line trim (blacked out trim that is a no cost option to charge) with the automatic, called it a comp and hoped no one would notice.

Look at the trap speeds in the C&D tests for the comp vs base M3. It's like a 125mph trap vs 117mph trap. The 8 speed auto helps but that's a huge difference. The comp is like 5 seconds faster to 150. It's way more than a 30hp difference can explain, that's nearly 4BW to 5BW difference by C&Ds tests.

I looked heavily into getting an M3 comp xdrive after ordering the 5BW and coming here and realizing that the order might never get picked up.

I had a spec all picked out and ready to order one at MSRP, but got the call the 5BW order was picked up. So I ordered an X3M comp for the wife (she insisted on an SUV). Even the X3M comp carrying 800 pounds more than the M3 manual and shaped like a brick is faster in the trap and faster to 150.

Sure you can tune the base M3 s58 back to its comp form but you gotta figure BMW neutered it so hard for a reason. I don't think they have alot of confidence in how much torque it can handle.

 

[ClassaxV]

The point I am driving at on the interiors is both the BMW and Cadillac use plastics in the non touch points. They both use maker specific switch gear across the entire line. I'll certainly admit graphically BMW is an XBox to the Caddys Nintendo from a fonts and design language perspective. So not necessarily better just different .

Our ideas of quality need to change with material science. By all accounts the Caddy is quieter , why ? Acoustic front glass , wave front door cards, and active noise canceling. Yet we will say the Bimmer is better built because the doors feel heavier, but we live in an age where the doors don't have to be solid to deliver a quiet cabin. Engineering...

I love a leather wrapped dash, but the truth is it's way more expensive so the question if I'm comparing two cars with dissimilar price points there are two comparisons I have to make. Absolute and relative to value. Are BMW interiors better than Cadillacs, in the case of the top tier trims, definitely but it's a fairly narrow gap. BUT, from a relative to value perspective the BW delivers far more value per dollar so when pitting an up graded 40K can interior against an upgrades 60k car interior, if the latter is approaching near parity , it's hard to say the BMW has a better interior because the Caddy has elements that remind us of other GM offerings. I keep going to that because the reviews do. Personally save for the C8 and Denali, Cadillacs sport the best interiors GM has, and back during the CUE era they were unmistakably unique to the brand .

Lastly specifically with the ATS/CT4 V BWs the design philosophy has always been performance and handling first with everything else earning its place back on the platform. So no they didn't pack it with every feature and a giant infotainment screen, because that would be counter intuitive to the whole design and operational envelope they had for the car.

 

[Ryan]

If the ct4 v bw had an option to get the bmw interior, I would take it. I would pay 5k to get the bmw interior option, but probably not 10. There’s nothing wrong with the interior like cue, but there’s also nothing amazing save maybe the PDR if your a track weenie. If neither car had a manual, I would get the bmw m3 comp.

The caddy is winning on driver engagement and smiles per dollar, definitely not on the interior and infotainment. And that’s ok, let’s celebrate the drivers cars that caddy gave us

 

[ClassaxV]

The Dutch seem to feel it's as good and in many ways better than the M3.

 

[NorCal Blackwing]

The point I am driving at on the interiors is both the BMW and Cadillac use plastics in the non touch points. They both use maker specific switch gear across the entire line. I'll certainly admit graphically BMW is an XBox to the Caddys Nintendo from a fonts and design language perspective. So not necessarily better just different .

Our ideas of quality need to change with material science. By all accounts the Caddy is quieter , why ? Acoustic front glass , wave front door cards, and active noise canceling. Yet we will say the Bimmer is better built because the doors feel heavier, but we live in an age where the doors don't have to be solid to deliver a quiet cabin. Engineering...

I love a leather wrapped dash, but the truth is it's way more expensive so the question if I'm comparing two cars with dissimilar price points there are two comparisons I have to make. Absolute and relative to value. Are BMW interiors better than Cadillacs, in the case of the top tier trims, definitely but it's a fairly narrow gap. BUT, from a relative to value perspective the BW delivers far more value per dollar so when pitting an up graded 40K can interior against an upgrades 60k car interior, if the latter is approaching near parity , it's hard to say the BMW has a better interior because the Caddy has elements that remind us of other GM offerings. I keep going to that because the reviews do. Personally save for the C8 and Denali, Cadillacs sport the best interiors GM has, and back during the CUE era they were unmistakably unique to the brand .

Lastly specifically with the ATS/CT4 V BWs the design philosophy has always been performance and handling first with everything else earning its place back on the platform. So no they didn't pack it with every feature and a giant infotainment screen, because that would be counter intuitive to the whole design and operational envelope they had for the car.

BMWs used to be famous for driver-focused interiors. Those simple orange gauges for better night vision, the wrap-around dash, outstanding ergonomics. Now they're just a mishmash of gaudy shapes, textures and colors (don't get me started on the weird hard to read hexagonal rev counter). Maybe I'm just getting old and/or maybe I'm not the target customer for the BMW, but to me the black/black Blackwing's interior is all business and I love it.

 

[M2Cto4BW]

So no they didn't pack it with every feature and a giant infotainment screen, because that would be counter intuitive to the whole design and operational envelope they had for the car.

If by operational envelope you mean a ~$30k base car, for sure ;-) A lot of it isn't anymore complicated than that.

I'm simple and don't need anything fancier than what the 4BW with upgraded interior provides - but the base model plastics on the dash do actually impact the driving experience as the crappy plastic is really shiny and reflects in the windscreen, had they continued with the 'better' dash material through to the windscreen it would be better.

Other than that (and no sunglass holder) I think the interior and the ergo is excellent and pegged about right for a upper $60k - low $70k performance car.

Just thinking about it I want to jump and go for a drive and that's what it's all about

 

[Jameson's Viggen]

The Dutch seem to feel it's as good and in many ways better than the M3.

"There are only two things I can't stand in this world: People who are intolerant of other people's cultures and the Dutch."

 

[PrimeTime]

I actually thought it was one of the most accurate and balanced reviews of the CT5 V blackwing out there.

I agree with every single one of his criticisms of the car.

Too many reviews for the car are just trying to one up themselves on how much they can praise it, but his criticisms are real. He isn't just swinging from this car's nuts for 20 minutes like most youtube reviewers have.

He drove the 4BW before the 5BW and all reviewers have agreed that the 4BW feels much smaller and nimbler than the 5BW (because it is). I agree with him that the steering is pretty light and I'd even go further to say that feedback is only okay but not amazing. Finally his assertion that it's a little under damped at the stiffest sitting is something I agree with. I felt that the wheel control wasn't that amazing on the 5BW, for example my wife's x3m comp has much better wheel control and I've mentioned that before. I suspected it's because the engineers tuned the shocks for the CCBs unsprung weight and without the CCBs the control suffers a bit.

He clearly has done his research on this car. He knows about the constraints on the CF packages, he knows that infrared got discontinued.

The 4 and 5 version are in the end, fantastic cars and benefit from each other in tech and performance! However, opinions are like what we already now "a@@#$%^" and everyone has one especially in media when it "supports" their agenda. I don't hang my hat to much on it (opine), of course I have a 5 with some "interest" in the controlled experiment. So I have a dog in it! That said, honest is what I believe we do as owners in experiencing the capabilities of these cars, being consistent drivers of these cars. We set the mark in my opinion. I appreciate your perspective and opinion. Refreshing to get a different look. Thanks.

 

[xeerohour]

We Blew Up the Engine in Our Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing during Initial Testing

GM says this is the first such failure of any supercharged LT4 V-8.

www.caranddriver.com

 

[NorCal Blackwing]

We Blew Up the Engine in Our Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing during Initial Testing

GM says this is the first such failure of any supercharged LT4 V-8.

www.caranddriver.com

Interesting - could be worthy of its own thread. I don't recall seeing similar posts here from other owners so hopefully this is a very rare/one-off situation

 

[white98ls]

Related: Our Long-Term 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Is off to an Unforgettable Start

 

[dribs15]

Related: Our Long-Term 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Is off to an Unforgettable Start

I can see the headlines now...'Gas-Guzzling Air Polluting American Car Now Attacking Wildlife: Will This Lead to Endangerment of Birds and Deer?' or this one...'Car & Driver Psychopaths: Killing Engines, Deer, and Birds...Who's Next...You?'

 

[NorCal Blackwing]

It does seem like they received a cursed car!

 

[565565]

I can see the headlines now...'Gas-Guzzling Air Polluting American Car Now Attacking Wildlife: Will This Lead to Endangerment of Birds and Deer?' or this one...'Car & Driver Psychopaths: Killing Engines, Deer, and Birds...Who's Next...You?'

This was probably mother nature's attempt to defend itself.