For the first time in decades, Cadillac has its own Dual OverHead Cam (DOHC) in the Blackwing V8. But it’s not the first Cadillac engine to use the DOHC configuration. Before Blackwing, there was the Northstar V8, a 32-valve DOHC that represented GM’s first engine of the type. And that brings us to the question of the day: which DOHC Cadillac engine name do you prefer – Blackwing or Northstar?
Blackwing
The Blackwing name is inspired by the merlette – the black bird in the brand’s early logos. The motor displaces 4.2 liters and features two turbos placed in the valley, along with all the current advancements in internal combustion engine building.
As of this writing, the Blackwing engine is only available on some variants of the 2019 Cadillac CT6 – the CT6-V and CT6 Platinum specifically optioned to be equipped with the engine, although one that’s less potent than the one in the CT6-V. In the near future, we do expect the engine to become available across a wider range of Cadillac vehicles.
Currently, each Blackwing engine is built by hand at the GM Performance Build Center in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and the constructor’s name and signature are placed on the engine.
Northstar
The Northstar engine was the first modern GM and Cadillac engine to use the DOHC configuration. It was available in both naturally-aspirated and supercharged variants ranging from 4.4L to 4.6L in displacement.
The Northstar name is believed to have been derived after an objective/goal – a north star – set out by GM to have a world-class V8 engine to compete with and out-do the onslaught of German and Asian DOHC V8 engines.
The Northstar engine range featured an aluminum block with four valves per cylinder, and first debuted in the 1993 Cadillac Allante roadster and the Cadillac Eldorado.
Even though the Northstar name is typically associated with Cadillac, the motor was also available in a few other GM models, such as Buicks, Pontiacs and Oldsmobiles. In fact, the engine was technically developed by Oldsmobile’s R&D team. Down the line, Olds got its own version of the Northstar – a six-cylinder variant called Shortstar. Production of the Northstar V8 engine family ceased after a 17-year-long run in July 2010.
Poll
Interestingly, the only Cadillac engines to have official names/brands are the two Dual OverHead Cam ones developed specifically for the brand. All other motors currently or previously used by Cadillac vehicles are not branded.
All facts aside, which Cadillac engine name do you prefer? Cast your vote in our poll below and let us know what you think.
Stay tuned to GM Authority for more Cadillac news.
Comments
“Blackwing” conjures up images of the SR-71.
“Northstar” sounds like a what an HR manager calls his longeterm goals.
Maybe Miss Mary needs to focus on the business fundamentals and not just firing all of her workers. Funny how Ford is figuring it out…
***Ford investing $1 billion, adding 500 jobs in Chicago***
https://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKCN1PW21C
FROM THE ARTICLE:
“The Dearborn, Michigan, automaker is eager to highlight that it is building more vehicles than its rivals do in the United States. Ford built nearly 2.4 million vehicles in the United States in 2018.
“We are furthering our commitment to America with this billion-dollar manufacturing investment in Chicago and 500 more good-paying jobs,” said Joe Hinrichs, president of global operations.
By contrast, General Motors Co announced in November it would halt production at five plants in North America, including four in Michigan, Ohio and Maryland, as it cuts about 15,000 jobs.”
NOT CHINA…NOT MEXICO!
If Ford can do it, Miss Mary Barra has no excuses…but she always seems to have many, doesn’t she, along with her excuse-making followers.
Agreed.
No more fluffy marketing bullshit and more results. And stop ruining American and Canadian workers’ lives while you get paid millions.
Mary must go!
Ditto…
Mary will stay because Wall Street loves her short-term profits. While FCA is busy globally brand building with Ram, Jeep, Maserati and Alfa, GM is quiting every numerous markets with Oz probably next because GM simply can’t field a truly desirable line up due to bean counters and a disproportionate focus on Cruise which list nearly one billion this year and is years away from profitabley.
GM proved with EV’s the first doesn’t equal equal best or most successful. Clearly GM must keep an eye on the future but, like FCA, Mary needs to do a better job with interiors and building clearly defined brands that stand for something. Chevy, GMC and Buick flow into each other with often similar price yet no keen focus.
The Ford fake news propaganda got to you? Ford is on the verge of announcing 25,000 job cuts which were delayed due to obvious political reasons. Moody’s is expected to downgrade Ford’s credit rating to junk. Take a look at their stock price. In addition Ford is losing market share in all markets and getting absolutely slaughtered in China.
I call it the way I see it and Ford isn’t a great example of how things should be done.
Easy to blame Barra, much harder to analyze the situtation and point out GM’s weaknesses. Going by your handle I’d say you’re just following Dear Leader Trump’s lead in blaming Barra, when in reality he hates her because she’s a powerful woman who doesn’t take his bullsh t. Fact is he can’t handle any women who isn’t imported from former Soviet Union satellite nations.
The central problem with GM at this point and time is styling. GM’s design studio needs new blood and they need it fast. Simcoe is a tool and his portfolio prior to replacing Welburn is mundane and lacking in originality and boldness. Style sells, and without style you can’t move the best cars in the world.
Second issue is performance. GM has excellent engines but they’re too stingy with options. There’s some solutions in the pipleline so I’m less worried about this one.
how about bigly stable orange fury?
Oh, look, little Stevie with his Trump Derangement Syndrome again. Please take your meds, little guy..No amount of safe spaces and teddy bears is going to change the reality that you lost to President Trump. No impeachment happening either.
Good luck, little Stevie…It’s a big bad world out there.
you remind me my mom’s dog. she got her from the local shelter but when she first got her, anytime anyone raised their hand, the dog would scurry away. perhaps the previous owner wasn’t very nice.
fortunately, i was able to break this habit with jerky treats. so forget about the xanax/prozac. perhaps that trick would work for you. try slim jims or perhaps the one with the indian on the package. don’t buy them when you fill up for gas. they charge too much.
your pal,
steve
The Pontiac Bonneville GXP also used the Northstar engine.
It’s two different times where each name works out.
Blackwing can help layer towards a magic image of tech. People do a lot of grandstanding with their personal electronics anymore. Choosing a car is a very personal thing also. In a different way FCA’s hemi appeals to a “Bro, do you even lift?” mind frame. It sticks out to me how often auto writers are using the word glorious.
Northstar fits that more understated time better. Also, don’t forget the Olds 4.0L V8 and the indy car engine.
Personally I could care less they both sound very good. You started to describe this with “The motor displaces 4.2 liters’ Nowhere else is this called a motor? Please use the ‘MOTOR’ for the electric vehicles in the future as this is the new description from all manufacturers.
Modern young engineers haven’t learned that an engine creates working power from fuel, a motor creates working power from an external power source such as electricity, steam, water etc.
“…a 32-valve DOHC that represented GM’s first engine of the type”
Actually, the 32-valve DOHC 5.7 Liter LT5 V8 was a first for GM, not the Northstar. The LT5 debuted in the 1990 Corvette ZR-1.
Bingo, we have a winner ! Next their going to tell us BMW came up with the slogan The Ultimate Driving Machine.
Cadillac spent tens of millions to develop their new Blackwing engine; but one has to wonder whether it was worth the trouble given that Cadillac has decided only 1-2 cars will be allowed to get the Blackwing 550-hp twin-turbo V8 as an option, if you’re going to spend a ton of money to develop an engine.. you’ve got to make it available, what about a naturally aspirated variant for the XT5 or XT6 if they’re not worthy for the Blackwing.
Guys,
We are having this Blacking discussion every week on a new post with the same people.
Can you give us a teaser on what the CT5 V will look like?
Cheers,
Sean
Black Wing sounds like a AMG Black Edition.
Nortstar so7nd like a blown head gasket.
If you Just build it right, sell it and make it impressive and it matters little what you call it.
Great engines sell themselves not names.
Like the number name acadillac debate. Again build a great car and it will define what ever handle you hang on it.
If you are depending on a name to bail you out then you did something wrong.
New name might help send a signal that change is afoot.
Be nice if they made it available on the ‘Sclade…
“Black” sounds like a rip off of the AMG as previously stated. Call it the Northstar II and let it’s design be it’s rep. No need to try and sound familiar to the AMG even while utilizing it’s TT in the valley tech. “Run with what you brung” and let the tech/engine stand on it’s own. Do we really need to”name” engines anymore and why not just give them a numerical designation, as usual, for technical purposes. Same engine in the C8 Vette will be called what???? This is nonsense so just build it right and let the enthusiasts nickname it. This just seems petty, IMHO.
I too would just wish Cadillac and GM would quit trying to convince people of something. I owned 4 NorthStar. Still have 2, well 1 is my moms. Only had head troubles with hers, 1999 Deville. The 1996 I had, had over 200,000 miles when I sold it and it was still a great vehicle. My uncle also had the same vehicle with over 200,000 miles, he died and still owned it, was a great vehicle. My 2005 STS AWD was a great vehicle and my 2005 SRX AWD was a great vehicle. So my moms had 102,000 when it pulled the aluminum in the block, installed the inserts and head bolts, and its still a great vehicle. So this is just one more example of a KNOWN FAULTY ISSUE that GM has done NOTHING, just cut and run. So if this Black Wing is a good engine great, if not, o well. It doesn’t madder what they call it.
There is no road test available about the Blackwing so comparing it to Northstar is matterless.
I’m sure the Blackwing will be a great reliable durable engine for Cadillac and I ‘m sure that GM did not cheap out on the engine. If they did, they’re idiots.
Why are you sure it will be reliable? BMW’s Hot V V8s have terrible durability issues resulting from the concentrated heat in the V8’s valley. In as little as 40K miles they require rebuilds. Hopefully GM has engineered solutions to the heat issues but I woudn’t bet the farm on it.
Never thought a black sparrow would be a symbol of power which will send all competitors trembling with paralysing fear….
Maybe if you watch the movie Birds in a loop 10 times in a row. Lol
Northstar is meh. Forgettable.
Blackwing sounds badass and advertising for it, especially in V series uses should definitely feature some Top Gun style action. Fighter jet stuff.
Northstar was not the first GM-built modern DOHC engine *eye-roll*. Neither was The 1989-1995 LT5 which was designed by Lotus and built on license for GM by Mercury Marine. The first modern DOHC built by GM and installed in production cars was the 3.4L LQ1 60-degree V6. It debuted on the 1991 Pontiac Grand Prix GT and made 210HP with the 5-speed manual.
The motor was a strong performer and real revver in the day when Trans-Ams and Z-28 Camaros had a 5.0L TPI to make only 20hp more.
Damn typo….try Grand Prix “GTP”. There was also a Richard Petty edition.
I worked at Pontiac GMC dealership back then and there were a handful of pretty cool cars, although little known today, at the turn of 1990s. The Pontiac Grand Prix GTP being one of them, GMC Syclone, 1991 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais with the 190HP 2.3L Quad 4 W41 engine (first 4-cyl GM DOHC), and the 92′ Pontiac Bonneville SSEi with 3.8L Supercharged V6 good for 205hp. The 3800 Turbo v-6 were throwing 275-300HP in the ’87 Buick Grand National, GNX, and the 89′ Turbo TA. There were some fun cars for the performance-oriented person if one was paying attention ; )
Reading is a skill! V8 DOHC!
Yes it is ; )
“The Northstar engine was the first modern GM and Cadillac engine to use the DOHC configuration. “
The real tragedy of the LQ4 (other than GM not directly improve/replacing it or put in rwd application) is not having the proper transmission. The 3.4 made a EPA certified 280hp in 1990, it said to been knocked-down to 210 because of the 4-speed auto by GMs standards couldn’t handle the power, some truth to this as the V8 W-cars had transmission problems with the same 4-speed after 100k mi.
Yes, I also recall the 4-sp trans issues on the Grand Prix GTP
The jewel set-up was the 3.4L & 5-speed though. That car was quick and properly shifted would easily beat the 5.0L TPI Firebirds head-to-head. We might have lined them up on an occasion or two for a friendly “lunch” wager 😛
I am the owner of a 2019 ct6 Platinum with a 4.2 L blackwing twin turbo. This Cadillac is one of the fastest, most comfortable and best sounding four doors sedans I’ve ever driven. I have beat this car for 6,000 MI and it just gets better and better. You have to own one and drive one everyday to understand how good this car really is. It’s all-wheel drive all-wheel steering phenomenal. Dry roads to pouring rain I drive the car exactly the same it doesn’t make a bit of difference the car does whatever I tell it to. it’s an amazing automobile. With only 1500 built in the two-year run and the car to be discontinued for 2021 in my opinion go get one you won’t be disappointed
Blackwing hands down. The Northstar name reminds me of head gasket issues. For how ahead of its time the engine was its a very much dreaded engine. So much so the one thing enthusiasts hated with the XLR was Cadillacs choice of using it instead of the LS1. It was like Franks Red Hot. They put that s*** in everything. I guess they didn’t want to come off like a rebadged Corvette but this would have been one situation where it would have been a better idea to have done so.