I retired from the plant that makes this car. People in this plant really are proud of what they are doing and work hard to make this the best car they can. They also build the Camaro.
@@seoultrain99 The engine is plenty powerful enough. A V-8 would have just added weight and taken up more room. Sure, it would have been appealing, but engineering is not just indulging in preferences.
Can we all just applaud GM and their Alpha chassis gems - Camaro / CT4 / CT5. All of them calibrated further with their 1LE / V goodness is something we enthusiasts will lust after for years to come. Hell of a feat in a large corporation like GM. All of these special cars probably had to put a huge fight for approvals. Most importantly - Manual (not half assed) options!
Love your deep dive on this one, Cadillac engineering seems extraordinarily proud of the Blackwings. I like the 4 but it's a bit too small, styling a bit awkward to me, and the LT4 is now putting down 620 rwhp... so I ordered a CT5 BW with the TR6060 and CCB brakes.
I hear your there. If the CT4 came with the LT2 it would be a genuinely difficult choice. But it doesn't. So I've got a CT5-V Blackwing instead. The two cars are really so close to each other that it's a choice on what engine you want (and how much you want to spend)
@@obsidian.... And they're not going to ever again. If you can get these cars I would get them now, it will be the last. The announcement has already been made Cadillacs going to turn into an electrical brand, that includes the Blackwing line. So if you can get into this party, do it.
@@didafm I own a 2018 Camaro SS with a 6 speed manual, and it's the same transmission as this car, the Tremec TR6060, beautiful, smooth shifting trans 👍
I think what Caddy has done here is produce the best bang for buck performance sedans, maybe ever. When you consider the entire package...price, design, powertrains, performance...it's difficult to come up with better all-around packages.
@@neodro4831 nothing Genesis makes could compete with these cars dynamically. I like Genesis and what they've done but their sedans would get destroyed on track versus these Cadillacs.
GM in general has always been good to the enthusiasts, unfortunately they haven't returned the favor then again only GM and Hyundai makes true track ready cars under 45k, it's a shame circuit racing isn't as popular in North America like it is in Europe.
@@tri3pleagent this is true but Genesis hasn’t built anything to compete with M3’s and M5’s. In the bracket of performance m340i ct5v c43 etc…….they are number one best bang for your buck overall.
I was definitely excited about this car because I absolutely loved the cts-v but I didn't realize how special this actually was. Very glad to see a vehicle like this still being made
@@jayda1k_ on my first track day my SS 1le manual competley ate up an 2018 m3 competetion package with dct and driven by someone with many many track days. The m3 with dct was faster on the straight but within one lap he was trying so hard to keep me behind him he lost it and went off the track. The alpha platform is shockingly superior to the F8X platform.
GM / Cadillac in particular didn't jump into the haptics and touch controls because they tried that first years ago before pretty much everyone else and found out that it didn't work. See the old CUE system
@@Username-sf1bk ...yes, gonna say the same thing...Saab had it right. They had a lot of other thing right too; however, they had to undo so many other things they made theirs more complicated and more expensive and thus brought about their own demise (from a financial perspective). Engineers, good...accountants and designers (not on same page and rarely communicated).
Cadillac hasn't been that innovative for a very long time. Once you get used to something like that you don't ever want to drive anything else. Those little special touches can make a world of difference.
To start with, they killed it on so many aspects. Titanium connecting rods for the manual trans option only? How cool is that??? Everyone in the industry should take notes on the interior lighting options, being able to dim the dash so thoroughly. But... Am I the only one terrified of that brake-by-wire system? Brake fade is only illustrated by a light on the dash, in a car that weighs over 3800 lbs? Is there at least an alarm sound?
I hear you. Although the brake-by-wire tech has been out since the 80's, it's always good to have a mechanical back up. A safety redundancy. But in reality, that'll be counterproductive with regards to costs and weight. Besides, steering is almost as important and many vehicles are steer-by-wire.
As the review noted, there is a backup system to ensure braking if the electronics fail. More and more cars are going this way and so far there don't seem to be major problems.
"It doesn't actually know how much temperature is in there. So if you go and change brake pads, it can't accommodate for you..." With that in mind, it will be interesting to see what happens when customers switch to ceramic pad because they can't stand brake dust and washing wheels once in a while is too hard. First time they drive hard on a track/hot day, the brakes melt and the car goes flying off, while the pedal feel stayed the same the whole time lol.
I bought one of these manuals last year and I am loving it! Makes me forget about all of the other performance cars I’ve previously owned…Roush Mustang, Hellcat Challenger, G8-GT to name a few! This car is the real deal. I can’t imagine any other car being any better!
Which one do you miss the most? I have a charger hellcat now and am scared I’ll miss that engine sound. I do feel like I’ve had my fun with it for the last 3 years though and wanted to capitalize on the high used values
I dont care what anyone says, GM has really been making some AMAZING cars the past few years… first the Camaro ZL1 and the C7 Corvette, and now the new C8 Corvette Z51/C8 Z06, Escalade, CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwing… if this is the new GM then i’m all for supporting it. No overly complicated, overly engineered gimmicky cars, just solid built and affordable cars for true car enthusiasts. The CT4-V/CT5-V Blackwing is more of a BMW M car than modern BMWs are and for less money. Good job GM
The problem isn't that they can't make a great car, rather, their consistency in production. Take the new Hummer for example. An impressive SUV, but ugly as sin electric vehicle design. Can't tell whether its coming or going. If only there was a Cadillac version with more flowing lines. That'd be great.
I can't wait to cash in my 401k and buy this vehicle for $110,000 (dealer markup) and be stuck in traffic Monday through Friday going 45mph. It will be totally worth it and all my neighbors will be so jealous of me.
Gm is the enthusiast company. They sold naked Camaro chassis so you could do a full ground up build. Not to mention all of their crate engines. They also put spool valve dampers in the Camaro. I love the accessibility.
I love BMW, but damn... the only reason a true enthusiast takes a G80 over the CT4-VB is brand loyalty. I'm glad I don't have to make that choice cuz it would be a hard one.
4:05 I think it is really interesting that this future is still something special, considering Saab introduced it 1994 with the "Black Panel" and then wider use in the 9-5 "Night Panel". That turned everything off besides the tachometer and even that part was seperated, only lighting up to 140km/h, leaving the rest to 250km/h black, only lighting it back up once you drove faster than 140km/h.
I would say this will be ultimate used car buy in 10 years, but since everything new will be EV in 10 years, these will probably be only more expensive
Yeah, compare this to the random crossover reviews where Mark just sits there looking depressed and not saying anything for long stretches of time, lol.
@@weedmastersr I've gotten the impression from watching these (very well put together) reviews is that Mark, deep down, doesn't like high-performance street cars. At least those that start with B end with W. This made me want this car.
If I ignore any potential quality or reliability problems I totally agree. I wish Buick or Chevrolet can now go that route. I wondered if Buick built a crossover like the BMW X6 with the sloping roof and a powerful engine. Chevy really needs to update their crossovers design. Super boring to look at.
I love this car. I just wish they used the NA LT1 V8 instead of the twin snail V6. Power level is about the same and it should prove to be more reliable. My camaro has the LT1 and it's quite refined and should suit the character of the car.
I personally have thought new Cadillacs and Lincolns have been looking real nice lately design wise. I'm kinda bored of looking at German cars everywhere at this point.
Thank you for these deep dives into the technology and engineering, and props to Cadillac/GM for making this car and sharing the technical details. Keep up the amazing work SG!
That brake by wire system, while introducing no issues in the regular world, on the track it's gotta be disconcerting to the driver. No matter what's going on with brakes, the pedal feel never changes. As they heat up, and the brake capabilities change, your foot and your inner ear are telling your brain VERY different tales.
No, it's not a problem. Your butt-ometer (really inner ear) helps you figure out if the car is braking longer or differently. Hasn't been a problem in my track times in the V3 or the CT5-V BW
By interior volume and Cadillacs' own reps, this car competes with the sub compact class; M2, AMG A45s, and the RS3. And in that regard, only the M2 comes close. The others are based on fwd entry level cars. Gotta give credit where it's due! Caddy did a pretty great job with this car!
That really is a beautiful vehicle. Hat's off to Cadillac for making what I'm sure will be a classic. Thank you as always for an engaging and informative piece gents!
Almost bought the ATS-V in 2016. Back then, they sat on dealer lots forever and there were some great deals a few years later. At the time, I had an ATS 2.0 6M and loved it but went with a Charger Scat Pack instead because it fit my needs better. I still like this ATS-V (CT4 Blackwing) but don't see a huge change since 2016. To me its a great car at $50-$55k but at $70k, slightly out of what I want to pay. If they made the ATS(CT4) with the Camaro 6.2 NA V8, it would be so sweet. We are about at the end of the gas powered performance era but I am willing to embrace the performance EVs and hybrids on the way.
I just want to thank everybody who is too special to be seen in a Corvette or a Cadillac, because they are some of the very best driver's cars money can buy, and you folks are keeping the price down for me.
Lmaooooo that clip of that power slide into landscaped garden section of the track was beautiful 😍 edit: its at 25:25, watch and learn from this wonderful display of elegant beauty behind the wheel
Man...I really like this car. Have a 2017 Camaro 2SS...love it. Don't have a need for 4 doors, but love the look of this car. GM has been killing it lately IMO.
Nice that you guys talked about the eLSD. I have one on my Merc and if I'm being honest I don't like it. Just feels weird like someone else is driving the car. I tolerate it because, of it's safety features and overall ride. I'd much prefer a basic limited slip LSD especially for snow and rwd only.
Watching this made me sad - I realize that electrification is Cadillac's future, but I will miss their well-sorted sports sedan with the Blackwings. Of course, I'm old enough to remember the Cadillac rolling isolation chamber of the 60s 70s and 80s, my family owned a few of them and they were great in their own ways, but its the end of the ICE era.... and I'm probably overly nostalgic.
Keep in mind, so much of what GM is doing with chassis, steering, and suspension should carry over to an EV once the battery density arrives for a compelling sports car (problem is all the OEMs seem to want to make for now are crossovers...)
The current EVs all have the same problem: the manufacturers have not figured out how to make them ride and handle properly because of the extra weight If GM can apply their black magic suspension/chassis voodoo to their EV they might really have something special
Thank you very much for this amazing review and in dept-view of the amazing engineering that got into this car. This car is for passionate and made by passionate. You guys provides us with high quality production and i would be proud to be who you are and what you do.
The CT4-V Blackwing has a soul... confirm 1000% got to test drive one over the past weekend....... and all I can say.. Is it took away my ability to speak English... that car has a soul in it... no flipping doubt in my mind
I remember 2 years ago mark said that the m2 was ideal power around 380-400 and that the m4 with 420 was a little too much. Now 480 became the sweet spot. Its crazy how much power is available to us these days. I recon come electric powertrains 500+ 600+ is going to be the 'sweet spot.'
Top notch cinematography as always. Great tech brief. Amazing suspension. Actually more interested in how this car acts in city driving and road trips. I still don't get why I'd want a car like this on a track. After all, there are dedicated track-day cars and various road kill out there you can track for a lot less money. Maybe when I'm making deep 6-figures as opposed to my 6-figure starter kit I'd feel differently. But, the practicality of a dedicated track car has a ton of logic behind it, where trashing an 80K car does not. I see this car and think, road trip from Texas to Las Vegas or Idaho. Is that just me?
Glad to see a modern car with a ton of electronics and software still provide a connected feeling (minus the brakes). And of course, very happy to hear that the manual in this one wasn't just an afterthought, thrown together with the leftover $10 of budget.
As an engineer, I love seeing you praise the work of other engineers. It's not very often that we get credit for all the work and effort that goes into anything we make, in any industry. Most of the time we hear about what we missed, or a detail we thought wouldn't matter turning out to be more important to the end user than we realized. It's refreshing to instead see you singing the praises of the technology so many men and women sunk their best work into.
Excellent review ! I have a 2021 CT4V RWD non-blackwing with few options... a great value and drives great even in winter time, it puts the power down so well !
I wish it was more technical video but these technical video and or explanations is the main reason I will buy a vehicle. I walked into dealership demanding I would to to the technical advisor and or engineers .
Your guys are amazing!! Great content I love this type of information of the vehicles you guys review. Much respect to Cadillac for making such an amazing vehicle.
Different things for different folks, that's why I love FWD more than RWD. There are only very few cars in the states that doesn't wanna wag its tail willy nilly... It's a shame Europe gets serious sub 40k rwd track monsters and the closest thing we get to it is a Camaro unless you go Hyundai.
I retired from the plant that makes this car. People in this plant really are proud of what they are doing and work hard to make this the best car they can. They also build the Camaro.
Love my C8. Appreciate our fellow Americans and the pride you all put into our cars.
Never gettin rid of my 06 Gto
Thank you boss
The Camaro and CT4 are super awesome!
@@slowgoat6089 ain’t the gto a rebadged holden?
Every now and then, when engineers are allowed to roam free, we see what the General can produce.
"The General" lol
If the engineers were free, they would've put an LT1 V8 in it.
The engineers know that a tt v6 is a better engine from every aspect
@@seoultrain99 The engine is plenty powerful enough. A V-8 would have just added weight and taken up more room. Sure, it would have been appealing, but engineering is not just indulging in preferences.
C8 corvette is another example. Most GM cars are boring, but every once in a while they do incredible things.
Can we all just applaud GM and their Alpha chassis gems - Camaro / CT4 / CT5. All of them calibrated further with their 1LE / V goodness is something we enthusiasts will lust after for years to come. Hell of a feat in a large corporation like GM. All of these special cars probably had to put a huge fight for approvals. Most importantly - Manual (not half assed) options!
Love your deep dive on this one, Cadillac engineering seems extraordinarily proud of the Blackwings. I like the 4 but it's a bit too small, styling a bit awkward to me, and the LT4 is now putting down 620 rwhp... so I ordered a CT5 BW with the TR6060 and CCB brakes.
I hear your there. If the CT4 came with the LT2 it would be a genuinely difficult choice. But it doesn't. So I've got a CT5-V Blackwing instead. The two cars are really so close to each other that it's a choice on what engine you want (and how much you want to spend)
How much did it cost? And what was the warranty?
Congrats I’m very happy for you!!
Holy smokes! Congratulations!
@@neodro4831 not a bad way to spend $100k 😊
CTS-V/CT4/5-V is definitely a dream car. GM keeping it together with these cars. Love it
They don't make that car anymore, but I think these are good replacements. The 5 is more like the CTS-V. Where this is like an ATS-V 👍
@@obsidian.... Yeah i gotta get used to the new naming. I'd still like a CTS-V3 lol
I was thinking the same thing. So good. Wish I had a big ol' bank account.
@@obsidian....
And they're not going to ever again. If you can get these cars I would get them now, it will be the last.
The announcement has already been made Cadillacs going to turn into an electrical brand, that includes the Blackwing line. So if you can get into this party, do it.
2022 m2 coming soon but man CT4 black and audi rs3 hard choices
The interior light dimming feature is something I've always valued. Saab did it right too.
Saab did it decades ago. I use it on my 9-3 Viggen quite often.
Yesss. My old 93 & 95 blacked out the dash perfectly. Good nostalgia!
This is a huge feature. After staring at a bright monitor all day long it is nice not to have to do that in a car.
Don't forget Holdens also
Thoughtful
The fact that this is offered in a manual is amazing! Thank you GM!
Lol most of the people preaching these cars to be manual can't even afford them
@@didafm I own a 2018 Camaro SS with a 6 speed manual, and it's the same transmission as this car, the Tremec TR6060, beautiful, smooth shifting trans 👍
@@FirebirdCamaro1220 cool
More than 26 minutes of pure in depth review, always refreshing for a Friday
Thank god we get stuff like this
Mark and Jack, this year has been your finest yet. Keep up the amazing work. I really enjoy the technical deep dives and the track drives.
3:45 I really hope everyone adopts that feature, every single car manufacturer acts like nobody in the world has astigmatism or night blindness.
A sad sigh for SAAB cars. They had a button for night mode in virtually all models (a heritage to their aviation past).
At least a little bit of Saab still exists after GM took over. Night Mode was a nice feature on dark and rainy nights or on a remote stretch of road.
I have a pontiac g8 that has that. The only light that stays on is the speedometer
I think what Caddy has done here is produce the best bang for buck performance sedans, maybe ever. When you consider the entire package...price, design, powertrains, performance...it's difficult to come up with better all-around packages.
Maybe 2nd to Genesis
@@neodro4831 nothing Genesis makes could compete with these cars dynamically. I like Genesis and what they've done but their sedans would get destroyed on track versus these Cadillacs.
I agree, but I’m concerned with how their value will hold up over time.
GM in general has always been good to the enthusiasts, unfortunately they haven't returned the favor then again only GM and Hyundai makes true track ready cars under 45k, it's a shame circuit racing isn't as popular in North America like it is in Europe.
@@tri3pleagent this is true but Genesis hasn’t built anything to compete with M3’s and M5’s. In the bracket of performance m340i ct5v c43 etc…….they are number one best bang for your buck overall.
I was definitely excited about this car because I absolutely loved the cts-v but I didn't realize how special this actually was. Very glad to see a vehicle like this still being made
The way they allow you to dim the lights in the cabin is very impressive. That’s part impressed me the most actually.
... lifted or inspired by the Saab night panel origins perhaps....
I was really surprised by that. Cadillac is known for cheap drippy chrome covered plastics, but the dash is really impressive, and I love the seats.
@@K03sport Definitely taken from Saab - decades later.
Holy shit, someone at GM actually remembered something from the Saab days and put in a dimmable cockpit feature.
My 2004 crappy 9-3 has the night button, blacks out everything but the speedo
Thanks for continuing to pump them out guys! Living vicariously through you.
Your B roll really is second to none, along with the manufacturers info you overlay during your talks. Really info packed, great review guys!
Watch Hagertys video on the ct5v , insane production quality
This car will be a cult classic. Buy now and enjoy the resale.
Always been a European (& Japanese) car guy but that's an impressive piece of kit by GM. I'd buy that happily and excellent value for money. 👍
Remember how much cash GM splashed into the “Alpha” project to improve driving dynamics of Cadillac cars. Thorough testing around the Nürburgring.
It’s still a GM product no matter that they do
My Alpha based ATS outperforms (driving experience) any comparable F30 3 series I’ve been in.
@@jayda1k_ on my first track day my SS 1le manual competley ate up an 2018 m3 competetion package with dct and driven by someone with many many track days. The m3 with dct was faster on the straight but within one lap he was trying so hard to keep me behind him he lost it and went off the track. The alpha platform is shockingly superior to the F8X platform.
@@paladin3116 no, it’s more of
Paladin hates GM no matter WHAT they do
@@paladin3116 Meaningless statement
GM / Cadillac in particular didn't jump into the haptics and touch controls because they tried that first years ago before pretty much everyone else and found out that it didn't work. See the old CUE system
Absolutely great point
Old CUE was so bad it was a driving hazard.
Didn't need to even see the rest of the video. When you said, "We're going to bash you with technical info," I was in. Thumbs up!
The light control for night driving is sick, so many OEM's fall down on this.
they probably got that idea when they were in control of Saab with their night panel button.
@@Username-sf1bk ...yes, gonna say the same thing...Saab had it right. They had a lot of other thing right too; however, they had to undo so many other things they made theirs more complicated and more expensive and thus brought about their own demise (from a financial perspective). Engineers, good...accountants and designers (not on same page and rarely communicated).
Cadillac hasn't been that innovative for a very long time. Once you get used to something like that you don't ever want to drive anything else. Those little special touches can make a world of difference.
Once again the production value of these videos is par to none! Great job guys!
This looks like a homerun from GM. Really great review. Looks like the Cadillac that I'd like to own.
To start with, they killed it on so many aspects. Titanium connecting rods for the manual trans option only? How cool is that??? Everyone in the industry should take notes on the interior lighting options, being able to dim the dash so thoroughly. But...
Am I the only one terrified of that brake-by-wire system? Brake fade is only illustrated by a light on the dash, in a car that weighs over 3800 lbs? Is there at least an alarm sound?
I hear you. Although the brake-by-wire tech has been out since the 80's, it's always good to have a mechanical back up. A safety redundancy.
But in reality, that'll be counterproductive with regards to costs and weight.
Besides, steering is almost as important and many vehicles are steer-by-wire.
I'll wait until GM kills it with reliability, which will never, ever happen.
@@LearnAboutFlow Haven't had one issue with my 100k mile Camaro, knock on wood haha.
@@scottherron Guess you got one not built on a Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, holiday . . .
As the review noted, there is a backup system to ensure braking if the electronics fail. More and more cars are going this way and so far there don't seem to be major problems.
The opening gave me Top Gear vibes. As per usual the production quality on your videos is amazing.
TG and beyond.
Best car-reviewing duo ever.
What about The Straight Gimmicks?
"It doesn't actually know how much temperature is in there. So if you go and change brake pads, it can't accommodate for you..." With that in mind, it will be interesting to see what happens when customers switch to ceramic pad because they can't stand brake dust and washing wheels once in a while is too hard. First time they drive hard on a track/hot day, the brakes melt and the car goes flying off, while the pedal feel stayed the same the whole time lol.
I bought one of these manuals last year and I am loving it! Makes me forget about all of the other performance cars I’ve previously owned…Roush Mustang, Hellcat Challenger, G8-GT to name a few! This car is the real deal. I can’t imagine any other car being any better!
Which one do you miss the most? I have a charger hellcat now and am scared I’ll miss that engine sound. I do feel like I’ve had my fun with it for the last 3 years though and wanted to capitalize on the high used values
The production of these videos is impeccable! SG is the best car channel out there
How can they be best when they don't have a long CAAAARS AND BIDS ad injected in every review?
Demuro has entered chat.
I loved my V2 CTSV, and now I really want one of these. Great review (as usual)!
This was one heck of a nice intro. I had to play it back a few times for about 15 minutes.
One of the best rabbit holes I’ve gone down in a longtime. Great review boys.
Watch their LFA video
You know the video is gonna be good when Jack is wearing his signature Patagonia.
I am driving a ct5 v at the moment and it is , by far, my favorite car.
Ohhhhhh, nice!
Blackwing, or V-series?
I dont care what anyone says, GM has really been making some AMAZING cars the past few years… first the Camaro ZL1 and the C7 Corvette, and now the new C8 Corvette Z51/C8 Z06, Escalade, CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwing… if this is the new GM then i’m all for supporting it. No overly complicated, overly engineered gimmicky cars, just solid built and affordable cars for true car enthusiasts. The CT4-V/CT5-V Blackwing is more of a BMW M car than modern BMWs are and for less money. Good job GM
The problem isn't that they can't make a great car, rather, their consistency in production. Take the new Hummer for example. An impressive SUV, but ugly as sin electric vehicle design. Can't tell whether its coming or going. If only there was a Cadillac version with more flowing lines. That'd be great.
Finally, a car made by GM that makes me wish I was 2 years older and out of law school so I could go even more into debt.
Get a used ATS-v. You won't be disappointed.
@@paullo796 Honestly if I would buy another car it would be a Challenger 392
It is still available 2 years later.
That last comment really struck to the heart
in an era where all of this is going away
I can't wait to cash in my 401k and buy this vehicle for $110,000 (dealer markup) and be stuck in traffic Monday through Friday going 45mph. It will be totally worth it and all my neighbors will be so jealous of me.
You should buy a Tesla.
Top notch quality once again. Appreciate all the work that goes on behind the scenes to provide this much depth!
Second. The quality shows.
Im 27 years old, not sure if im the target market for this but... i feel like i need this in my life now
You don't need 80k in debt at this point in life , unless you are making six figures after tax
myself and my wife both make six figure salaries, with no kids. This is deff something I can afford, is it smart ? No. But Im a car guy...
What a fantastic vehicle, this was some juicy technical info and I am here for all of it.
I am not a GM fan, but as a German car fanboy I do appreciate all the advanced technology and engineering then went into this car.
Gm is the enthusiast company. They sold naked Camaro chassis so you could do a full ground up build. Not to mention all of their crate engines. They also put spool valve dampers in the Camaro. I love the accessibility.
I love BMW, but damn... the only reason a true enthusiast takes a G80 over the CT4-VB is brand loyalty. I'm glad I don't have to make that choice cuz it would be a hard one.
This was a great way to end the work week! Thank you for putting in the time to make this great in-depth review.
SG is a seriously underrated channel.
4:05 I think it is really interesting that this future is still something special, considering Saab introduced it 1994 with the "Black Panel" and then wider use in the 9-5 "Night Panel". That turned everything off besides the tachometer and even that part was seperated, only lighting up to 140km/h, leaving the rest to 250km/h black, only lighting it back up once you drove faster than 140km/h.
Is the CT4-V BW more fun to drive than the CT5-V BW on curvy backroads? Which would you prefer for a day of canyon carving?
They feel similar, just comes down to deciding if you want a V6 or v8.
The looks of the CT4 is far better than the CT5 - I just cannot get past the rear quarter window on the CT5.
Great review.
Nice throwback to the ZL1 1LE.
_"It's like first gear in every gear."_
both versions of this car is a huge success.
I wish i had to money to buy it.
I would say this will be ultimate used car buy in 10 years, but since everything new will be EV in 10 years, these will probably be only more expensive
Love it guys! Have an ATS w/6sp and love it, Alpha platform was a revelation!
Well, this is the best review I have seen in a while, perhaps because Mark seemed to like the car. Jack, as always, great job
Yeah, compare this to the random crossover reviews where Mark just sits there looking depressed and not saying anything for long stretches of time, lol.
@@weedmastersr I've gotten the impression from watching these (very well put together) reviews is that Mark, deep down, doesn't like high-performance street cars. At least those that start with B end with W. This made me want this car.
Cadillac the car brand that just keeps on giving 😎
If I ignore any potential quality or reliability problems I totally agree.
I wish Buick or Chevrolet can now go that route.
I wondered if Buick built a crossover like the BMW X6 with the sloping roof and a powerful engine.
Chevy really needs to update their crossovers design. Super boring to look at.
I love this car. I just wish they used the NA LT1 V8 instead of the twin snail V6. Power level is about the same and it should prove to be more reliable. My camaro has the LT1 and it's quite refined and should suit the character of the car.
Awesome car. Thank you to the engineers for making something with driving passion in mind. Would love to drive one someday.
I personally have thought new Cadillacs and Lincolns have been looking real nice lately design wise.
I'm kinda bored of looking at German cars everywhere at this point.
Same here Baron
Thank you for these deep dives into the technology and engineering, and props to Cadillac/GM for making this car and sharing the technical details. Keep up the amazing work SG!
Love this car so much. Id take it over the G80 M3 any day of the week.
That brake by wire system, while introducing no issues in the regular world, on the track it's gotta be disconcerting to the driver. No matter what's going on with brakes, the pedal feel never changes. As they heat up, and the brake capabilities change, your foot and your inner ear are telling your brain VERY different tales.
No, it's not a problem. Your butt-ometer (really inner ear) helps you figure out if the car is braking longer or differently. Hasn't been a problem in my track times in the V3 or the CT5-V BW
Outstanding car. Prefer it to the M3! I appreciate the deep technical dives you guys do!
These deep dive reviews are the BEST Mr. Geese. This content and the great visuals are why we are all here!
I actually love the ability to turn off all the screens and lights. Good for long drives at night. Not many cars do this right.
Saab
The GM Blackwing has always been such a good car from a performance standpoint. Wish they’d last a bit longer and hold their value better.
Myself (and everyone else except you) is perfectly happy with the depreciation of GM performance products
@@ormand3000 Seems like hyperbole, but I’ll allow it. Corvettes are cool cars, no matter what age.
By interior volume and Cadillacs' own reps, this car competes with the sub compact class; M2, AMG A45s, and the RS3. And in that regard, only the M2 comes close. The others are based on fwd entry level cars. Gotta give credit where it's due! Caddy did a pretty great job with this car!
The RS3 has a AWD system.
@@aaron5222 So does the Benz. It's still a fwd platform.
That really is a beautiful vehicle. Hat's off to Cadillac for making what I'm sure will be a classic. Thank you as always for an engaging and informative piece gents!
Great stuff the deep dive into the technical details is awesome. No else does that.
Great video guys I've been hungry for your takes on the Blackwings. Amazing cars it's a shame GM can't do it all the time.
25:29 Thank you kindly for including that clip.
Almost bought the ATS-V in 2016. Back then, they sat on dealer lots forever and there were some great deals a few years later. At the time, I had an ATS 2.0 6M and loved it but went with a Charger Scat Pack instead because it fit my needs better. I still like this ATS-V (CT4 Blackwing) but don't see a huge change since 2016. To me its a great car at $50-$55k but at $70k, slightly out of what I want to pay. If they made the ATS(CT4) with the Camaro 6.2 NA V8, it would be so sweet. We are about at the end of the gas powered performance era but I am willing to embrace the performance EVs and hybrids on the way.
Base price is 61.
I just can't stop rewatching this video
Wonderful, deep car review. Impromptu car comparo with BMW was great!
I just want to thank everybody who is too special to be seen in a Corvette or a Cadillac, because they are some of the very best driver's cars money can buy, and you folks are keeping the price down for me.
Lmaooooo that clip of that power slide into landscaped garden section of the track was beautiful 😍
edit: its at 25:25, watch and learn from this wonderful display of elegant beauty behind the wheel
Man...I really like this car. Have a 2017 Camaro 2SS...love it. Don't have a need for 4 doors, but love the look of this car. GM has been killing it lately IMO.
with the amount of leg room it has they really should have just made it a coupe
Nice that you guys talked about the eLSD. I have one on my Merc and if I'm being honest I don't like it. Just feels weird like someone else is driving the car. I tolerate it because, of it's safety features and overall ride. I'd much prefer a basic limited slip LSD especially for snow and rwd only.
Watching this made me sad - I realize that electrification is Cadillac's future, but I will miss their well-sorted sports sedan with the Blackwings. Of course, I'm old enough to remember the Cadillac rolling isolation chamber of the 60s 70s and 80s, my family owned a few of them and they were great in their own ways, but its the end of the ICE era.... and I'm probably overly nostalgic.
Keep in mind, so much of what GM is doing with chassis, steering, and suspension should carry over to an EV once the battery density arrives for a compelling sports car (problem is all the OEMs seem to want to make for now are crossovers...)
Agree 100%. My first thought when I heard of this car was “at least it’s not another EV”….
The current EVs all have the same problem: the manufacturers have not figured out how to make them ride and handle properly because of the extra weight
If GM can apply their black magic suspension/chassis voodoo to their EV they might really have something special
My problem is the forced end of ICE.. They are legislating it away...
We could coexist with the electric crap
This was a fantastic video. Thank you for your attention to detail.
GM has been killing it lately!
Can you think of another car besides the Caddy they have been killing it lately?
@@expsterm1 c8 z06?
They could possibly be an upset for the industry, if they don't bury their heads in the clouds.
Thank you very much for this amazing review and in dept-view of the amazing engineering that got into this car. This car is for passionate and made by passionate. You guys provides us with high quality production and i would be proud to be who you are and what you do.
Another excellent video, good work guys
The CT4-V Blackwing has a soul... confirm 1000% got to test drive one over the past weekend....... and all I can say.. Is it took away my ability to speak English... that car has a soul in it... no flipping doubt in my mind
Still miss my 2005 CTS-V manual. What a fun car that was, and under the radar so to speak.
Can't wait for the CT5-V blackwing review!
I remember 2 years ago mark said that the m2 was ideal power around 380-400 and that the m4 with 420 was a little too much. Now 480 became the sweet spot. Its crazy how much power is available to us these days. I recon come electric powertrains 500+ 600+ is going to be the 'sweet spot.'
The sweet spot will change depending on the weight of the car.
Top notch cinematography as always. Great tech brief. Amazing suspension. Actually more interested in how this car acts in city driving and road trips. I still don't get why I'd want a car like this on a track. After all, there are dedicated track-day cars and various road kill out there you can track for a lot less money. Maybe when I'm making deep 6-figures as opposed to my 6-figure starter kit I'd feel differently. But, the practicality of a dedicated track car has a ton of logic behind it, where trashing an 80K car does not. I see this car and think, road trip from Texas to Las Vegas or Idaho. Is that just me?
Glad to see a modern car with a ton of electronics and software still provide a connected feeling (minus the brakes). And of course, very happy to hear that the manual in this one wasn't just an afterthought, thrown together with the leftover $10 of budget.
As an engineer, I love seeing you praise the work of other engineers. It's not very often that we get credit for all the work and effort that goes into anything we make, in any industry. Most of the time we hear about what we missed, or a detail we thought wouldn't matter turning out to be more important to the end user than we realized. It's refreshing to instead see you singing the praises of the technology so many men and women sunk their best work into.
Snowflake.
Was this tough to type with tears pouring from your eyes?
Excellent review ! I have a 2021 CT4V RWD non-blackwing with few options... a great value and drives great even in winter time, it puts the power down so well !
The most underrated car along with the C5 on the market.
This channel really has earned to have 1M+ subs
Buying one to drive every day at the end of this year. The perfect petrol car IMO. The size is what won me over vs the 5BW.
Couldn't tell you the last time I actually saw a Cadillac on the road.
I have the ATS-V, can’t wait to upgrade to this with a manual!
@ 16:15, Is that really the transmission that's in the 4v? Because that doesn't look like the tr6060 I have. Lol
Excellent review guys!
Great video. I reviewed this exact car back in October and it was a blast to drive with the manual transmission. Well done Cadillac !
I wish it was more technical video but these technical video and or explanations is the main reason I will buy a vehicle. I walked into dealership demanding I would to to the technical advisor and or engineers .
Your guys are amazing!! Great content I love this type of information of the vehicles you guys review. Much respect to Cadillac for making such an amazing vehicle.
I had a 17 SS1le which drove amazing. I got an M4 comp and I never liked the feel. It wiggled its butt more than my dog when I get home.
Different things for different folks, that's why I love FWD more than RWD. There are only very few cars in the states that doesn't wanna wag its tail willy nilly... It's a shame Europe gets serious sub 40k rwd track monsters and the closest thing we get to it is a Camaro unless you go Hyundai.
What year M4? Try the xdrive yet?