Media dumps

[Dirkbg]

2023 Cadillac CT4 V-Series Blackwing Review – Here to Play

At first, I didn’t like the 2023 Cadillac CT4 V-Series Blackwing. I found it a little too stiff riding and I wasn’t sure the chassis was as well sorted as it should be.Then I found the space to open it up. Whoo boy.My initial take faded away as I realized that this is a car that needs to be...

www.thetruthaboutcars.com

Light read.

I love the comments. Camaro has more horsepower. Interior is low rent. Not enough luxury to justify the price, then another saying the luxury part doesn't make it go faster so the base version is better.

I cross-shopped the 2022 Audi RS3 (actually S3 since there were no RS3s in stock, but they are similar anyway) to just the CT4-V (again, no Blackwings in stock at the time) and I thought the Cadillac had a much nicer interior. The hard edges and plastic in the Audi compared to the carbon and leather in the Cadillac made the Cadillac a nicer place to be in my opinion. My BW has the gray leather with red seatbelts and trim that take it to another level over the CT4-V black standard seats or the Audi. The Audi probably didn't have the upgraded leather you can get in the S3 and RS3, but visually the Cadillac gray and red seats have a much greater visual impact, and to me they are very comfortable for longer drives. And, for a car with this performance I have a hard time believing there are others that can match the performance suspension with ability to give a soft ride like the BW does. To each their own...

 

[ClassaxV]

Every motojournalist I've read bemoans high-end GM products for switch gear and cheap feeling interior, when infact the Blackwing interior shares only seatbelt buckles, electronic parking brake, and turnsignal stalks with just three other GM products, Corvette, Camaro and Denali. Everything else is Cadillac's! Not even the silly Onstar mirror assembly is the same.

They say that because of the similar design language but the reality is its the Germans who recycle interior bits across models and makes.

Get in a C8 and it all feels very much like a Blackwing but it isn't, none of the touchpoints are the same. The interior concepts are similar but very differently executed.

Nuance is always lost on people with press deadlines...

 

[emdough]

I love the comments. Camaro has more horsepower. Interior is low rent. Not enough luxury to justify the price, then another saying the luxury part doesn't make it go faster so the base version is better.

I cross-shopped the 2022 Audi RS3 (actually S3 since there were no RS3s in stock, but they are similar anyway) to just the CT4-V (again, no Blackwings in stock at the time) and I thought the Cadillac had a much nicer interior. The hard edges and plastic in the Audi compared to the carbon and leather in the Cadillac made the Cadillac a nicer place to be in my opinion. My BW has the gray leather with red seatbelts and trim that take it to another level over the CT4-V black standard seats or the Audi. The Audi probably didn't have the upgraded leather you can get in the S3 and RS3, but visually the Cadillac gray and red seats have a much greater visual impact, and to me they are very comfortable for longer drives. And, for a car with this performance I have a hard time believing there are others that can match the performance suspension with ability to give a soft ride like the BW does. To each their own...

My GTI interior wasn’t as interesting/colorful as the Blackwing but the parts were of higher quality and the buttons had great feel and precision. For example, the turn signal sensitivity is off. Sometimes when I change lanes the signal slips past the point of resistance into a full turn. Also it’s not just the materials but how everything is bolted together. Leaning on the door armrest makes me think it’s flexing and doesn’t feel solid. The GTI interior bits felt solid like everything fit together better if that makes sense.

 

[savethemanual]

The blackwing is mine. The Camaro is on track alignment and on near bald tires. So might explain the steering and feel differences. The v6 vs v8 thing, meh- we’ve heard it before.

 

[emdough]

The blackwing is mine. The Camaro is on track alignment and on near bald tires. So might explain the steering and feel differences. The v6 vs v8 thing, meh- we’ve heard it before.

Did he at least let you drive his ITS?

 

[savethemanual]

Did he at least let you drive his ITS?

Honestly I didn't ask. I am also not comfortable driving other folks brand new cars. His was at less than 500 miles at that point.

 

[Ryan]

He trounced the v6 vs the v8 sound, and I’m not necessarily disagreeing, but not a word on that 4 banger buzzing about. Other than heated seats, not sure why anyone would take the Acura over the civic r.

 

[emdough]

He trounced the v6 vs the v8 sound, and I’m not necessarily disagreeing, but not a word on that 4 banger buzzing about. Other than heated seats, not sure why anyone would take the Acura over the civic r.

The suspension on the CTR is stiffer and more track focused. Acura is a better daily.

 

[ClassaxV]

The blackwing is mine. The Camaro is on track alignment and on near bald tires. So might explain the steering and feel differences. The v6 vs v8 thing, meh- we’ve heard it before.

Lol on the interior of the Acura being better than the Caddy! Sorry but the hyper Camery isn't in the same class in any respect. The infotainment screen is bigger but I assure you, you'll spend alot more time looking out at apexes than the infotainment screen.

I would also like to undeserved where motojournalist keep getting it wrong about the sound. Fake and augmented aren't the same. BMW pipes in engine sounds they created in a lab, that's fake. Piping in the actual engine sound to augment specfic frequencies the sound isolated cabin cancels out is NOT fake.

 

[FI Fiend]

The blackwing is mine. The Camaro is on track alignment and on near bald tires. So might explain the steering and feel differences. The v6 vs v8 thing, meh- we’ve heard it before.

Seems like a lot of variables here and in the end he picked the car he already picked. I'm sure I'd do the same thing if I did the review except say that saving <10k on the ITS and getting FWD, a 4cyl, and generally a rebadged Honda are not worth it

 

[Dirkbg]

Nice to hear a review not wishing for V8 sound, and a good understanding about the modes.

 

[savethemanual]

Seems like a lot of variables here and in the end he picked the car he already picked. I'm sure I'd do the same thing if I did the review except say that saving <10k on the ITS and getting FWD, a 4cyl, and generally a rebadged Honda are not worth it

The price is a deterrent for me for sure. The type s should have been 45k or so. It’s pricier than a s3, m240i etc. all because it has a manual.

If it was 45k I would have gotten one to replace my Acura Rdx.

 

[Grainofsand]

Most of the reviewers bash on the V6 sound but I don't mind it at all. Whether it's generated or not, it sounds like a machine winding up as I rev through the rpms. And I think that's not a bad sound.

 

[PL69]

Most of the reviewers bash on the V6 sound but I don't mind it at all. Whether it's generated or not, it sounds like a machine winding up as I rev through the rpms. And I think that's not a bad sound.

It sounds better than an M3 to me.

 

[dwgcooks]

 

[astacun]

Cadillac's 2023 CT5-V Blackwing Is Not My Idea Of A Caddy But It's A Real Ripper

With one of history's great engines and a good chassis, GM is stomping the fast sedan segment

jalopnik.com

 

[ernsteeng]

Cadillac's 2023 CT5-V Blackwing Is Not My Idea Of A Caddy But It's A Real Ripper

With one of history's great engines and a good chassis, GM is stomping the fast sedan segment

jalopnik.com

I love this part of the article:

Most keyboard warriors would doubtless say that the six-speed is the way to go here because manual is always better. They’re wrong,....

(Editor’s note: Kyle has not driven a manual CT5-V Blackwing and is deeply wrong about this.)

 

[HoustonCuse]

Most of the reviewers bash on the V6 sound but I don't mind it at all. Whether it's generated or not, it sounds like a machine winding up as I rev through the rpms. And I think that's not a bad sound.

So does the CT4BW use the speakers to generate or augment engine sound?? I have heard some reviews say it does, but if mine does it is ultra subtle because I haven't noticed that and it's fairly quiet even in valves-open mode.

 

[Grainofsand]

So does the CT4BW use the speakers to generate or augment engine sound?? I have heard some reviews say it does, but if mine does it is ultra subtle because I haven't noticed that and it's fairly quiet even in valves-open mode.

I'm not sure either, I also only heard that from reviewers on YouTube.

 

[ClassaxV]

It is my understanding that much like C8, as part of the whole NVH which included noise canceling technology, some of the actual sound from the engine is piped back into the cabin via the audio system, with the signal EQ to reduce the higher frequency of the running gear, to allow more of the natural rumble to be heard.

Think about the challenge here, the C8 is a sports car, whereas the BW is a luxury sedan with front acoustic glass, and a ton of sound deadening.

It wasn't till I went to spring mountain that I realized just how loud BWs are outside the cabin, because inside, it always seems quite pleasant.

To me the LF4 sounds better than its I6 powered M counter parts. It's a unique voice in a choir of cookie cutter German and Japanese cars.