How does the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing compare to the best sport sedans of 2008? Jason Cammisa finds out – Jalopnik

Who would have thought that Cadillac, best known for the Escalade and luxury couches on wheels, would make what Camissa calls “the best compact sports sedan you can buy today?” While the Germans have moved theirs in different directions, Cadillac has copied their homework and improved it a bit, and the result is the CT4-V Blackwing. While Camissa criticized the E90 M3’s shifter for feeling rubbery and the throws being too long, the Blackwing feels great and sits exactly where it wants. The connection, he says, is perfect. He doesn’t mention how surprising it is that the Blackwing gets a manual transmission option at all, which the standard CT4-V doesn’t have. The Cadillac even runs dead in a drag race with the 6.2-liter V8 Mercedes C63 AMG, with which it shares most dimensions and has only 21 hp less. It also features a better suspension that improves both handling and ride quality compared to all older cars.

Our Andy Kalmowitz drove the standard CT4-V in 2023. Although Camissa drove the superior Blackwing, he still shares some of the same criticisms we had. The steering, while quicker and more precise than older cars, has little feel and seems disconnected from the front wheels. While the Cadillac’s starting price, including destination, is comparable to what German sports sedans cost new in 2008, it’s easy to see where Cadillac saved some money on fewer interior materials and a lack of sound deadening.

The biggest reason why the CT4-V falls short, however, is that it also doesn’t have a growling V8 under the hood. Its twin-turbo 3.6-liter V6, making 472 horsepower and 445 pound-feet of torque, is a significant improvement over the CT4-V’s 2.7-liter inline-4 turbo, but it’s still two cylinders short of a V8. It suffers from turbo lag that doesn’t exist in a naturally aspirated V8. With the right tuning, a modern twin-turbo V6 doesn’t even have to have turbo lag. It makes little noise on the outside and artificial sounds on the inside. Camissa suggested dropping the Corvette’s 6.2-liter V8 into the CT4-V Blackwing to solve all these problems. That’s a great idea, but it’s unlikely to happen as the CT4 will be discontinued next year with no planned replacement. As a result, the modern Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing does not beat the best German sports sedans of 2008. If the same car had a V8 it would probably blow them away.

There’s a lot more information in the video, but that’s the basics. It’s definitely worth a watch, especially for Camissa’s commentary, wild slides and classic Top Gear production style. We can ignore the fact that the M3, RS4And C63AMG are currently being auctioned through Hagerty, and the video is a cleverly disguised advertisement for them.