New CT5-V Blackwing Owner - First thoughts and impressions

[Champale]

One thing you might want to consider is what mode you are driving the car in. I found that the "race" modes were super annoying in terms of interference and making the car feel unnatural, despite them supposedly being the fastest on track. I didn't even like the feel of those modes at Spring Mountain a couple of months ago (and I was fastest in my class so I'm not a total slowpoke).

The OE tires are very impressive with their SportCup2 compound outer shoulders but they are still only 305mm wide. I would like to get rid of the squishy rear bushings for the 1LE pieces eventually because I do feel the tires loading and unloading under hard acceleration over less than perfect pavement.

And Vipers are so cool. I had 2 days in one at Bondurant 7 years ago and have driven my friend's Gen4 ACR (that would spin the tires at the top of 3rd until he put better tires on it). Neat cars.

 

[MookdocOE]

I drove the car a bit last night. I feel like I’m driving a car with a solid locker in the rear around turns. Almost any throttle and it wants to step out. Is that normal?

No? The car is more poised and harder to step it out than any car I have driven. That's the scary/rewarding part about the Blackwing you start pushing it harder and harder to see what is the weak point and it keeps giving back to the driver that Steering,Braking etc. is it's best attribute and you only find out it's a different attribute that's better because they all are SO FREAKING GOOD! Except the turning radius yeah that's comical and awful.

 

[savethemanual]

The exhaust and supercharger need to be louder. A lot louder. I'm shocked at how much this takes away from the experience and enjoyment of the car. I want to hear that blower scream when I get it on it. It has a valved exhaust so why not let it sing a little louder?

THIS was my biggest disappointment when I test drove the 5bw hoping to upgrade from the 4BW. It's way too quiet and muted inside the car. I want it to be as loud inside as it is outside. Also for folks saying you can't have it both ways that's precisely what the valved exhaust is for.

The 4BW suffers from the same- its a racket outside and all quiet inside.

 

[668LT4]

THIS was my biggest disappointment when I test drove the 5bw hoping to upgrade from the 4BW. It's way too quiet and muted inside the car. I want it to be as loud inside as it is outside. Also for folks saying you can't have it both ways that's precisely what the valved exhaust is for.

The 4BW suffers from the same- its a racket outside and all quiet inside.

I could handle a bit more supercharger whine inside, but certainly not Dodge level. I feel the interior noise is just right. I do value that it is a Caddy, which is part of my massive interest in the car. Jekyll & Hyde, driver's choice. 5 Blackwing is just not for everyone. Glad it is for me (although I truly wish I preferred the 4 and saved half the cash!).

 

[savethemanual]

I could handle a bit more supercharger whine inside, but certainly not Dodge level. I feel the interior noise is just right. I do value that it is a Caddy, which is part of my massive interest in the car. Jekyll & Hyde, driver's choice. 5 Blackwing is just not for everyone. Glad it is for me (although I truly wish I preferred the 4 and saved half the cash!).

They could have accomplished both. Right now it’s all jekyll and no Hyde noise wise inside the car.

And ps no- I’m not asking for dodge sounds. A Lexus lc500 sounds spectacular inside the car while still having options to quiet it down when needed.

My problem is I might have to spend more than the blackwing to get what I want- lc500/z06/ Porsche gts prices .

 

[coffee_time]

First, congrats and welcome to the forum!

Second, I concur with Mr. Coffee (time). Except for the GLE thing, I don't care for SUVs or Mercedes.

Third, yeah, turning radius. It won't get any better with bigger tires, I promise.

Fourth, I think the seats are great. You just gotta figure out what setting works for you.

My wife: I want an SUV
Me: ok but I get to pick it
My wife: ….ok

I dislike SUVs. To the point where I myself promised to never buy one ever again after owning a grand Cherokee way back in 1999. But she wanted one, and to be honest Mercedes makes German muscle cars and the GLE is hilariously fast and mean sounding.

 

[5VBW Nick]

My M3 was that way that I bought and sold early this year. It was harder to drive with the traction control things set low, but not off. It would stop you in the middle of a slide or something so hard that it felt dangerous. It's either leave it all on, or leave it all off.

 

[Lawineer]

Ironically enough, my Viper has great stability control. They went 4 generations raw dogging it and then were like went all out with it. Someone said something like half of the gen 5 R&D budget on electronics.

 

[668LT4]

My M3 was that way that I bought and sold early this year. It was harder to drive with the traction control things that low, but not off. It would stop you in the middle of a slide or something so hard that it felt dangerous. It's either leave it all on, or leave it all off.

My 2022 M4 Comp scared me a few times. It reacted in manners I was not expecting on aggressive cornering. I'll take RWD any day.

 

[hawk02]

I don't get why people want to hear the whine of the supercharger. I prefer to hear the sound of the engine and exhaust. Not what sounds like a thousand bees buzzing around. The car is a luxury sedan and the interior should be isolated from outside noise. I think the Cadillac engineers did a fine job keeping the cabin noise to a minimum. If you're into buzzing supercharger whine, the 5BW is not the car for you.

 

[Champale]

If you have ever owned a Hellcat powered car, you might understand the allure of the blower whine. It makes the car feel even more like a living, breathing creature.

 

[BimmerFan]

If you have ever owned a Hellcat powered car, you might understand the allure of the blower whine. It makes the car feel even more like a living, breathing creature.

I don't get why people want to hear the whine of the supercharger. I prefer to hear the sound of the engine and exhaust. Not what sounds like a thousand bees buzzing around. The car is a luxury sedan and the interior should be isolated from outside noise. I think the Cadillac engineers did a fine job keeping the cabin noise to a minimum. If you're into buzzing supercharger whine, the 5BW is not the car for you.

Simply put, you can't please everyone. Some of us want to hear the whine or the pop-off valve on a turbo, others just want to hear a rumbly exhaust, others (me) want a subtle Q-ship that no one notices, but with a "redneck" button to let me enjoy the noise once in a while.

 

[Lawineer]

I don't get why people want to hear the whine of the supercharger. I prefer to hear the sound of the engine and exhaust. Not what sounds like a thousand bees buzzing around. The car is a luxury sedan and the interior should be isolated from outside noise. I think the Cadillac engineers did a fine job keeping the cabin noise to a minimum. If you're into buzzing supercharger whine, the 5BW is not the car for you.

Why? Because it's cool.
And if anything, the high pitched supercharger whine goes closer to "luxury car sounds" than V8 muscle car rumble.

 

[565565]

I want my NA cars to sound NA, I want my turbo cars to sound turboed, I want my supercharged cars to sound supercharged, and I want my electric cars to be silent. Is that too much to ask?

 

[668LT4]

I want my NA cars to sound NA, I want my turbo cars to sound turboed, I want my supercharged cars to sound supercharged, and I want my electric cars to be silent. Is that too much to ask?

Certainly not the last part...

 

[rubberduck]

I want my NA cars to sound NA, I want my turbo cars to sound turboed, I want my supercharged cars to sound supercharged, and I want my electric cars to be silent. Is that too much to ask?

I want other people’s Honda cars to be quiet. That’s why I drive a Cadillac.

 

[T.O.Blackwing]

You can hear the supercharger whine but it's a whisper, a whisper, as in ... ... blackwing... ...

 

[hawk02]

If you have ever owned a Hellcat powered car, you might understand the allure of the blower whine. It makes the car feel even more like a living, breathing creature.

Well, I traded a 2017 Camaro ZL1 in for my Blackwing. And while the ZL1 didn’t have as much supercharger whine as a Hellcat you could still hear it. As for me, I didn’t find the sound particularly alluring. I expected it on the Camaro since it was considered a muscle/pony car. On my BW, I’m glad I don’t hear any whine inside the cabin. I expected the BW to be a high performance luxury sedan and I’m glad it lives up to that classification in spades.

 

[OldGoat]

I too thought my 5BW was too quiet initially. After following others around at SM I was pleasantly surprised at how loud the exhaust is. Not to often you get to see and hear from that view.
I have since removed the baffle plate from lid while I sent blower to Kong for X-port and 103 TB. Blower whine is slightly noticeable from outside car.
I've come to appreciate the quality of sound isolation from wind, road, and yes exhaust.

 

[Brad_TX2V]

Hard to gauge a car I haven't driven on track through a video of a track I've only driven on a sim, but I think I'm a lot more aggressive, especially on brakes. Also, VIR gives a lot of cool down time between hard stops. My home track has a lot of hard braking zones closer together.

(this is almost a year ago, I'm about 1 sec faster now, but it shows you the track. That's a 185whp car with aero so it doesn't brake that hard. Wish I had a video of the viper on it).

I already got Carbotech race pads, so might as well use them. Even if OEM doesn't fade, they'll definitely smear across the rotor and that sucks.



I did SM in a C7. That's definitely not a hard track on brakes with the layout we did (I'm pretty sure, intentionally). They didn't run OEM pads in the C7 either, IIRC. Almost certain they ran hawk race pads. Are you sure they ran OEM pads in the BW?

I LOVE ECR!!!

I didn't buy the wing to track it but I did take it out for three sessions at COTA this Summer - went to SRF fluid and did the brake vent mod (for cooling). No fade at all. Stock pads. Stock tires. Just a tick over 500 miles on the car. Hit 150+ (maybe 160?) on the back straight and that was braking waaaaay early...out of an abundance of caution....I seriously hate tracking street cars!

BTW - you want NOISE!?!?! You need to ride in my Escalade V - that this is RIDICULOUS!! LOL!! And it's stock.