blackeneth
Member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2024
- Messages
- 11
- Location
- Phoenix
- V-Series Cadillac(s)?
- 2025 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
I took delivery of a 2025 CT5-V Blackwing (86-223, Deep Space Metallic) a couple of weeks ago in Phoenix, AZ. The car was built the 2nd week of December 2024. I had originally ordered a 2024 model, but got rolled over to 2025 -- which I didn't mind, as I like the new dash layout of the 2025 (I had been thinking, "They should just combine those two screens into one ..." Well, they did). Total wait from initial order to delivery was 15 months.
Why buy the CT5-V Blackwing? Well, I started driving in 1981 with a 3-speed manual transmission Ford Fiesta. Basically, if I wanted to drive, I was learning to use a stick shift. Then I got a manual transmission (4 speed, I think) Pontiac Sunbird after graduating college because it was cheap. When it was getting close to replace that, I said to myself, "Well, I should start saving up to buy a new car." Then something insidious happened. I started thinking, "Why wait, you can finance it . . . ". So I did. I ordered a 6-speed manual transmission 1996 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. Prior to that, there had always been a lot of competition between the Ford Mustang, with the 5.0 liter engine, and the Trans Am as to which was the "fastest car" -- with the Mustang usually edging out the Trans Am. GM decided to end the competition in 1996 by dropping the Corvette 5.7 liter LT1 engine (285 hp, 325 lb-ft of torque at 2400 rpm) into the Trans Am. Game over. That was a fun car.
Apparently, the car worked, as I got married in 1998. I sold the Trans Am in 2003 and went through a series of family cars with automatic transmissions after that (as my wife can't drive a stick shift). The last of which was a 2014 Ford Fusion (a brilliant sedan, Ford perfected it before they killed it). But the kids grow up, and now they each have their own car, so I don't need to drive them anymore. My wife also doesn't really need to ever borrow my car, as we have 4 others she could potentially drive. So I got to thinking, I could buy the car I want.
What is the car I want? I had two primary criteria: 1) V8 engine, 2) manual transmission. I had always aspired to own a Corvette. I liked the C7 stingray design. The C8 design, though, I don't like as well and . . . it doesn't have a manual transmission available. I was also thinking the suspension could we quite stiff and not especially pleasant to drive around town. A few years ago, I had done some research on V8 cars with manual transmission (anticipating the day I could buy one) and remembered the Cadillac CT6-V fit the requirements. So I looked up to see if they still made those. Turns out, they didn't. But they did make a new model, the CT5-V Blackwing, with a manual transmission, and monstrous 6.2 liter V8 with 668 hp and 635 ft lb of torque (which, observant readers may note, is over twice that of my old 1996 Trans Am). Plus it has a supercharger? That's been a dream ever since I saw The Road Warrior movie (Mel Gibson drove a modified Ford Falcon, with a Weiand 6-71 supercharger). It's a GM small block. I grew up in the Detroit area (Bloomfield Hills, for those who know the area) and being American made is a bonus, and I've always tended to like GM cars. I had never associated Cadillac with performance cars, but it appears Cadillac has claimed the performance car segment for GM that was lost when Pontiac was unfortunately lost. Also, the thought of a more luxurious interior and a smooth ride appealed to me. The price is kind of eye watering, but one of the mitigating factors of getting old is that you also get wealthier. Also, the wife had gotten an Audi Q7 a year earlier, so she could hardly complain about the price (she did complain, upon seeing a window sticker for one, "We're not getting this car, it has terrible mileage!" My response: "You don't buy this car for the mileage." She later countered with, "Why not get a Tesla, it's faster." My response: "I have no interest in an electric car. Your better counteroffer is a Corvette.").
So here I am in Phoenix with a 2025 CT5-V Blackwing. Phoenix is good country for a Blackwing -- smooth roads and doesn't rain much (being located in the desert, after all). Traffic enforcement is way down because Phoenix can't afford it. For those who know the Phoenix area, I'm in Arcadia. My wife still can't drive a stick shift. None of my kids can drive a stick shift either. It's a real shame they can't drive my car, a real shame I tell you. Although I'm retired now, so I don't actually drive that much. Break-in of the engine is like a form of torture. I need to find reasons to drive just to get through the break-in period.
My son and I are likely to take a road trip to Nevada in May, so that will let me have some fun with it. I found out last year that I don't really mind long drives, as I had to drive one of my daughters from Phoenix to Golden, CO -- a 14 hour drive. Didn't really mind it, although the last 2 hours are the worst ("we should be there by now ..."). Will drive to Las Vegas, then to Tonopah via the Extraterrestrial Highway, then back via Hwy 95 to Las Vegas, then back to Phoenix.
My dealer received in two other CT5-V Blackwings (one red, one black) at the same time mine came in. So two other fortunate people have also started driving Blackwings in the Phoenix area.
Starting up the Blackwing sounds like freedom, a sound of pure excess and technological superiority. A sound of defiance against those who say it can't be done, you can't accelerate faster, you can't go that fast, you need to have reasonable expectations. The Blackwing refutes the decline of the West, giving a big middle finger to those who say be reasonable, be fair, don't use so many resources. We can, we will, and we have mastered it. For those about to Blackwing, I salute you.
Why buy the CT5-V Blackwing? Well, I started driving in 1981 with a 3-speed manual transmission Ford Fiesta. Basically, if I wanted to drive, I was learning to use a stick shift. Then I got a manual transmission (4 speed, I think) Pontiac Sunbird after graduating college because it was cheap. When it was getting close to replace that, I said to myself, "Well, I should start saving up to buy a new car." Then something insidious happened. I started thinking, "Why wait, you can finance it . . . ". So I did. I ordered a 6-speed manual transmission 1996 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. Prior to that, there had always been a lot of competition between the Ford Mustang, with the 5.0 liter engine, and the Trans Am as to which was the "fastest car" -- with the Mustang usually edging out the Trans Am. GM decided to end the competition in 1996 by dropping the Corvette 5.7 liter LT1 engine (285 hp, 325 lb-ft of torque at 2400 rpm) into the Trans Am. Game over. That was a fun car.
Apparently, the car worked, as I got married in 1998. I sold the Trans Am in 2003 and went through a series of family cars with automatic transmissions after that (as my wife can't drive a stick shift). The last of which was a 2014 Ford Fusion (a brilliant sedan, Ford perfected it before they killed it). But the kids grow up, and now they each have their own car, so I don't need to drive them anymore. My wife also doesn't really need to ever borrow my car, as we have 4 others she could potentially drive. So I got to thinking, I could buy the car I want.
What is the car I want? I had two primary criteria: 1) V8 engine, 2) manual transmission. I had always aspired to own a Corvette. I liked the C7 stingray design. The C8 design, though, I don't like as well and . . . it doesn't have a manual transmission available. I was also thinking the suspension could we quite stiff and not especially pleasant to drive around town. A few years ago, I had done some research on V8 cars with manual transmission (anticipating the day I could buy one) and remembered the Cadillac CT6-V fit the requirements. So I looked up to see if they still made those. Turns out, they didn't. But they did make a new model, the CT5-V Blackwing, with a manual transmission, and monstrous 6.2 liter V8 with 668 hp and 635 ft lb of torque (which, observant readers may note, is over twice that of my old 1996 Trans Am). Plus it has a supercharger? That's been a dream ever since I saw The Road Warrior movie (Mel Gibson drove a modified Ford Falcon, with a Weiand 6-71 supercharger). It's a GM small block. I grew up in the Detroit area (Bloomfield Hills, for those who know the area) and being American made is a bonus, and I've always tended to like GM cars. I had never associated Cadillac with performance cars, but it appears Cadillac has claimed the performance car segment for GM that was lost when Pontiac was unfortunately lost. Also, the thought of a more luxurious interior and a smooth ride appealed to me. The price is kind of eye watering, but one of the mitigating factors of getting old is that you also get wealthier. Also, the wife had gotten an Audi Q7 a year earlier, so she could hardly complain about the price (she did complain, upon seeing a window sticker for one, "We're not getting this car, it has terrible mileage!" My response: "You don't buy this car for the mileage." She later countered with, "Why not get a Tesla, it's faster." My response: "I have no interest in an electric car. Your better counteroffer is a Corvette.").
So here I am in Phoenix with a 2025 CT5-V Blackwing. Phoenix is good country for a Blackwing -- smooth roads and doesn't rain much (being located in the desert, after all). Traffic enforcement is way down because Phoenix can't afford it. For those who know the Phoenix area, I'm in Arcadia. My wife still can't drive a stick shift. None of my kids can drive a stick shift either. It's a real shame they can't drive my car, a real shame I tell you. Although I'm retired now, so I don't actually drive that much. Break-in of the engine is like a form of torture. I need to find reasons to drive just to get through the break-in period.
My son and I are likely to take a road trip to Nevada in May, so that will let me have some fun with it. I found out last year that I don't really mind long drives, as I had to drive one of my daughters from Phoenix to Golden, CO -- a 14 hour drive. Didn't really mind it, although the last 2 hours are the worst ("we should be there by now ..."). Will drive to Las Vegas, then to Tonopah via the Extraterrestrial Highway, then back via Hwy 95 to Las Vegas, then back to Phoenix.
My dealer received in two other CT5-V Blackwings (one red, one black) at the same time mine came in. So two other fortunate people have also started driving Blackwings in the Phoenix area.
Starting up the Blackwing sounds like freedom, a sound of pure excess and technological superiority. A sound of defiance against those who say it can't be done, you can't accelerate faster, you can't go that fast, you need to have reasonable expectations. The Blackwing refutes the decline of the West, giving a big middle finger to those who say be reasonable, be fair, don't use so many resources. We can, we will, and we have mastered it. For those about to Blackwing, I salute you.
. Last year I ordered a new CT 5BW when I lived in Florida. I ended up canceling it because the dealer was screwing around.
