Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Sure Looks to Be Underrated From the Factory
Multiple dyno runs produce better than expected results from this stock Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing.
In stock form, the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is already a formidable machine, thanks to its supercharged 6.2-liter V8 churning out 668 horsepower and 659 pound-feet of torque. That power flows to the rear wheels either via a six-speed manual or 10-speed automatic, resulting in blistering acceleration that comes in the mid-three second range from 0-60, while the quarter-mile clicks by in as little as 11.4 seconds. However, the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing also makes a solid base for some modifications, and that’s precisely what the folks at Complete Street Performance are working on with this black example right now.
The first modification in store for this Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is a set of Kooks headers and the corresponding exhaust, which certainly makes it sound way better than stock, if nothing else. The car is also in line for a tune and even perhaps an upgraded supercharger down the line, but first, the logical first step is to collect some baseline numbers on the dyno to see what kind of difference those mods will make later on.
This particular car is an automatic, meaning that it will likely put down somewhere around 580 horsepower, as we’ve seen in the past. This example is running on a set of aftermarket wheels and tires that aren’t stock in terms of size, however, so it may have an impact regardless. With the first baseline pull in the books, that’s certainly the case, as this Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing puts down an impressive 620 horsepower on its first run.
The second go-round results in even better numbers – 624 horsepower – though the subsequent pair of runs lead to weaker figures of 513 and 620 horsepower, respectively. Finally, the team plugs in an HP Tuners MPVI device to take a closer look at how the vehicle is working, as it enables them to log, read, and write data. In theory, it’ll give the team hints as to whether or not there’s still some more power left on the table prior to installing additional mods, though that doesn’t seem very likely at first.
After scoping out this good, usable data, the team attempts to utilize it on the dyno, and the results, well, they certainly pay off. On its next dyno run, the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing records an impressive 631 horsepower, which makes one wonder – is GM underrating this particular vehicle in terms of output? Another attempt results in 625 horsepower, seemingly confirming that the CT5-V Blackwing is underrated from the factory, which makes the prospects of modifying it even more enticing.
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