The Cadillac Blackwing V8 was destined to be the automaker’s new go-to V8 and was designed to take on other DOHC V8-powered cars from rival brands like BMW, Lexus, Audi and others. General Motors eventually shifted its strategy for Cadillac, however, pulling the plug on the Cadillac CT6 and moving much of the luxury brand’s resources to its future electric vehicle programs. As such, the twin-turbocharged V8 only ever found its way into two vehicles: the Cadillac CT6-V and the Cadillac CT6 Platinum.
Due its relative scarcity, it’s easy to look at the Blackwing V8 with rose-tinted glasses and wonder what could have been. Perhaps it was for the best the engine never found its way into very many vehicles, though. A TikTok user going by the username ‘daddyoftwo__’ recently posted a video to his page showing what he purports to be a Cadillac CT6-V undergoing an engine change at a GM dealership. According to the user, the CT6-V in question experienced some kind of unknown engine trouble and now needs to have its 4.2L V8 swapped out for a new one. That’s not what one wants from a virtually brand new, near-$100,000 car, to say the very least.
It should be noted that the only information we have on this story is what is in the video. It’s not clear what kind of engine trouble the car shown in the video experienced, why, or how severe it is. There’s no denying that the video shows a Cadillac CT6-V with the entire engine, subframe and front suspension yanked out of it, though, and we can’t really think of a reason why it would be undergoing such a service if it didn’t need some very major repairs. The engine had also only covered 2,000 miles before it let go, according to the TikTok user.
As a reminder, the Blackwing V8, which carries the production code LTA, makes 500 horsepower and 574 pound-feet of torque in the Cadillac CT6 Platinum. In the more performance-focused Cadillac CT6-V, the engine is good for 550 horsepower and a meaty 640 pound-feet. The engine will not be used in any Cadillac products going forward, with the automaker sticking with its 6.2L L87 V8 in applications where a V8 is appropriate, like the Escalade for example.
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Comments
Could be catastrophic or could have been the service department F’d an oil change.
Did you guys reach out to the person? That would be my first step before even posting this story
GM always wanted the broken or damaged parts or complete engines of a first year engine, sent back to the factory so they could examine it. They even did this is the 1960’s when i worked for the largest GM dealer in Canada. My best guess, with only 2,000 miles on the engine, the owner probably got a little too aggressive with the go pedal. I would never floor a new engine until after the first oil change at about 2500 to 3,000 miles. These engines are hand assembled and the guy who built it, signs his name to a metal tag which is attached to the engine. This way they know the exact day that the engine was assembled and the person who did it. If you want to floor any engine, dump the factory 5W30 and put in a full synthetic of at least a 10W40 or a 15W40, name brand synthetic. You should not worry about saving gas by using a 5W30 oil, when your car costs about $100,000.
That’s way too thick for a turbo motor. I run 0W40 in my turbo bimmers. I would never put 10W or 15W in them. That oil needs to be thin enough when cold to be pumped to the turbos. And yes, before you ask, I do floor them. Most of them even get tracked.
I would put in what the service manual says to use. The manufacturer knows what the engines need.
20wt to 50wt in my twin turbo LS Corvette here in Florida. Different engines, different environments, and temps call for different oils. Track days, we change it up even as well. So saying that is “way to thick for a turbo motor” isn’t the most accurate statement I have read this morning.
Mobil 1 ESP 0W-40 is the oil specified for this engine…as it is for the Corvette with no need to change to a higher viscosity for track use according to GM
And GM is doing exactly what they should be doing, replacing it. I hope the owner goes on to enjoy it.
^^^ This ^^^. GM is making it good. Compare this to VW telling owners of diesels with popped injection systems that they must have put gas in instead of diesel fuel. Or, Toyota weaseling out of making good to tens of thousands of V6 owners with sludging issues due to bad oil gallery designs.
It’s terrible what happens to this guy’s car, but I think one example is not enough to make a case for reliability of the engine. The engines are hand built which raises a strong possibility of human error rather than design of the engine Being the culprit,
I don’t know anything about building engines or how precisely an engine must be put together to avoid a catastrophic failure. But engines are complex things, and this, on paper, is one of the most sophisticated V-8 engines ever built (if we believe the press).
I would assume that due to the complexity of engines (generally) that it wouldn’t take a whole lot in the building process going awry for something to go wrong.
I remember reading an article about how Rolls Royce panel gals aren’t always up to par. And I think that’s a flaw with hand building complex machinery, As Cadillac readies itself for the production of ten hand built über sedan, the Celestiq, to keep in mind.
How many examples do you need? GM’s reputation isn’t exactly glowing when it comes to the reputation of their vehicle’s build quality. Once debacle after another.
I’m beginning to get the feeling that there’s a real back story on the CT6 that GM isn’t telling. The plot twists and turns on this car’s short and tragic life suggests there were corporate battles, internal turmoil, and perhaps mechanical maladies with the Blackwing that won’t get spoken-of publicly for many years to come.
I got a lot of thumbs down on a different comment, however many people don’t seem to know that the BlackWing and CT6, etc. are based on the Chevrolet Impala. The new Chevrolet Impala was very expensive and had drive train problems…
Having to replace a whole engine is very suspicious of defective product or someone driving the vehicle too hard. It’s not a Rimac
I’m pretty sure that was the XTS. The CT6 is on a rear drive platform not the front drive one the Limpalla and XTS were.
Yeah al ot of unanswered questions remain with this lil clip….. you’d think a journalist would do some kind of journalism prior to running a story….but that apparently isn’t part of the job anymore.
A very dumbed down profession from what it once was.
A major consideration why the blacking will not go forward is because it is not going to be used in the 2020 Z06 Corvette. Over a year ago while at an unnamed drivers school in Nevada there was a strange sounding C7 taking laps. After the day was over and a couple beers were consumed I was able to make it over to the “secret “building GM uses to store it’s Test cars. That’s where I saw the blackout wing in the C7 I was told that this was the same one that was currently going into the Cadillacs except it had been modified to easily make 725 hp in the Corvette. Later on I leaned from a good friend of mine who is an influencer with GM at the ZO6 would not be using the blackwing as there was concern about its durability and its cost based upon the usage it would probably get in the ZO6. New Suddenly a few months later the blackwing project gets shelved for Cadillac also.I think this was the last more than a coincidence especially because the blackwing showed such promise and maybe someday will be developed further as current testing still being done with it.
I guess you never heard about the great many first-year C7s that needed engines replaced when the ancient pushrod engine blew up too. Any time an engine is stressed to make high hp (especially a turbocharged one) things are more likely to break. Put it in the hands of an idiot driver who likes to show off to his buddies and it is even more likely to break. The entire tone of this story is shockingly irresponsible, implying that there is some design flaw, while clearly the author has no clue whether the engine was abused or other circumstances of the incident. Quite shameful.
I get annoyed every time I read an article about the black wing, is there anybody out there that’s old like me that doesn’t remember the Cadillac Northstar, this is a coincidence this isn’t that motor redone millions and millions of dollars wasted once again GM seems to be an expert at pissing money away on projects that should have maybe never made it to a certain point to begin with, I remember the North Star I worked for Cadillac then what a great engine until it started to burn oil. So is this that motor with some Band-Aids on it?
This is why everything is going electric. To many moving parts on ice.
@Cadillac Matt, no things are becoming all electric, because we don’t want to become like Europeans are now and pay $10 per gallon of gasoline.
did he follow the break in period?
Follow these recommended guidelines during the first 2 400 km (1,500 mi) of driving this vehicle. Parts have a break-in period and performance will be better in the long run. For the first 2 400 km (1,500 mi):
â– Avoid full throttle starts and abrupt stops.
â– Do not exceed 4000 engine rpm.
â– Avoid driving at any one constant speed, fast or slow.
â– Avoid downshifting to brake or slow the vehicle when the engine speed will exceed 4000 rpm.
â– Do not let the engine labor. Never lug the engine in high gear at low speeds.
â– Do not participate in track events, sport driving schools, or similar activities during this break-in period.
â– Check engine oil with every refueling and add if necessary. Oil and fuel consumption may be higher than normal during the first 2 400 km (1,500 mi).
â– To break in new tires, drive at moderate speeds and avoid hard cornering for the first 300 km (200 mi). New tires do not have maximum traction and may tend to slip.
■New brake linings also need a break–in period. Avoid making hard stops during the first 300 km (200 mi). This is recommended every time brake linings are replaced.
I don’t know if this has ever come up before, but outside of the all too common cost issues that GM always has; wouldn’t it have made more sense to do a second shorter wheelbase of Omega for the CT5? Have two sedans based on that, and then add a crossover, and then make electric on the upgrade of the platform at a later date. Every time I see a CT6 on the road its attractiveness and representation of a Cadillac stands out. The “new” smaller sedans are not indicative of the Cadillac we want. Alpha has run it’s course. They could have done a Malibu, or an Invicta for Buick on Alpha. People are going to still want cars.
I think VSS-R is supposed to solve that issue for ICE cars and BEV2 for the electrics.
Bill,
Well, yeah it would make sense to do a shortened Omega. Not even developing the Blackwing given how few they built would make sense. Spending a sufficient amount of money on new Cadillacs so as to make them competitive and not have to quickly cancel them when they fail would make sense.
GM these days doesn’t do things that make sense. I don’t think senior management can make up their mind about what they want to do. CT6 was Exhibit A. It was canceled; no, it’s not, over my dead body; actually it is canceled; well it was a miscommunication, we never said that, we’re finding a new plant for it; actually, yes it’s dying; it’s dying except UAW negotiations could save it; we’re canceling it in January; actually, no, we’re giving it more time. I think they did finally cancel it but who would buy one once GM started being so erratic.
The best thing to do as a GM fan/observer is to never expect what they do to make sense. On the CT6, there has to be, as I indicated above, an intriguing story behind the nonsensical mess that played out publicly. I just have no idea what it was. I have theories but for now they’re merely that.
Those names don’t sell, but Cadillac does.
I do not believe that is a Blackwing at all. Different Color dipstick as well as to small of brake rotors. GM Authority should no present misleading images and or stories without verification.
Thank You, Tom
I strongly prefer a V8. I was encouraged when Cadillac offered the Blackwing in the CT6 Platinum. It’s the only V8 they have offered for quite some time in a non V-series car. So much for that! I won’t be buying an electric vehicle, so if Cadillac goes exclusively electric, I will have to change brands. I hate that because I’ve bought nothing but Cadillac since 1978. Luckily, I have two older V8 Cadillacs in the garage that I will be quite content to drive full-time.
It’s a freakin’ cosmetically engineered Chevrolet Impala. Give me a break.
I actually saw the TikTok from the GM tech, I asked in the comments what happened and he said it was a stuck injector which hydro-locked the engine with fuel.
Purchased a new 2019 CT6 Blackwing Platinum on 7/29/2020. Had 1,000 miles on odometer.
On 9/11/2020 while sitting in a parking lot using my cell phone, the engine stopped running. Was unable to restart it & transmission was stuck in park. White smoke started coming from the engine bay.
Car is now at Cadillac dealership with 2500 miles on the odometer & Service Rep is telling me most likely going to need a new engine.
CT6 Houston,
Wow. Sorry to hear about that. With all the twists and turns to the Blackwing saga, there must be an inside story we don’t know. Your experience may be uncovering it.
Two months to replace engine at dealership. Never really got an answer of what happened. $37,000 repair covered by warranty. $27,000 for new engine, $5,000 for labor & $5,000 for parts.
WOW!!!
I really appreciate this car and it’s engine. However there’s so little information Ashley about the engines architecture say as opposed to the new 5.5 L Corvette engine that’s been highly publicized recently. Question, was the 4.2 block used as a starting point for the 55 Corvette engine.