Understandably, there has been a lot of talk recently about the upcoming 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing ultra-high-performance luxury sedan, and in particular its supercharged 6.2L V8 LT4 gasoline engine, the most powerful ever fitted to a production Cadillac.
The Blackwing name was previously applied to the twin-turbo 4.2L V8 LTA engine which powered the short-lived, and now discontinued, Cadillac CT6-V. Outrage has been expressed about GM naming a car after an engine it no longer uses, but this is about the same as complaining that the 2021 Chevy Suburban should be called something else because it shares no parts with the vehicle of the same name which went on sale in 1935.
Jason Fenske does not make this point in the video he uploaded to YouTube on February 3rd, but he does provide a useful comparison of the two motors. Fenske’s Engineering Explained channel was created in June of 2011, and has received over half a billion views since then. Its popularity can be explained by Fenske’s talent for giving a great deal of information in an easily understood form, which he once again does to great effect here.
Fenske can’t resist some light-hearted trolling. Early in the video, he quotes from a General Motors press release of January 28th, which stated that the automaker intends to be carbon neutral by 2040, and goes on to say (while failing to suppress an impish smile) that the specifications of the CT5-V Blackwing – very much not a carbon neutral vehicle – were announced just four days later, on February 1st.
With that out of the way, he embarks on a thorough rundown of the CT5-V Blackwing and CT6-V engines, comparing their power and torque outputs, compression ratios, horsepower per liter, configurations, bore and stroke dimensions and maximum revs. Among other things, he notes that the CT5-V Blackwing’s engine is considerably stronger, producing 668 horsepower and 659 pound-feet of torque against the CT6-V’s 550 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque.
Fenske does not consider this a failing of the LTA. To the contrary, he later says that GM engineers “could probably crank up the boost if they wanted to.”
In fact, Fenske notes that although the LTA is no longer in production, it first appeared for the 2019 model year, long after the LT4 made its debut in the 2015 Chevy Corvette Z06. The basic design of the LTA is also more modern. It has twin overhead camshafts operating four valves per cylinder, while the LT4 is a pushrod unit with only two valves per cylinder, a layout first used in the late 19th century.
Despite that, the LT4 had a rev limit of 6,600 rpm in the Z06 (and 6,500 rpm in the CT5-V Blackwing) compared with the 6,000 rpm of the LTA. This is less of a paradox than it might appear. The 4.2-liter LTA is an undersquare engine with bore and stroke measurements of 3.39 inches (86.0 mm) and 3.55 inches (90.2 mm) respectively. The 6.2-liter LT4 is oversquare, and therefore inherently more capable of higher revs, at 4.06 inches (103.25 mm) and 3.62 inches (92 mm).
Fenske also praises the LTA engine’s efficiency. The CT6-V was marginally more economical than the CT5-V Blackwing even though it was a heavier vehicle with a more complex drivetrain, sending power to all four wheels rather than just the rears.
It is, of course, impossible to question the power of the CT5-V Blackwing, which is superior to that of the obvious European rivals – the Audi RS 7 Sportback, the BMW M5 and M5 Competition, the Maserati Ghibli Trofeo and the Mercedes-AMG E 63 S – all of which have an MSRP at least $19,000 higher.
All the same, Fenske indulges in one more piece of trolling near the end of the video. “The company will also continue to increase fuel efficiency of its traditional internal combustion vehicles,” he quotes, before adding, “Or not. Whatever.” Check out the video here:
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This post was created in collaboration with our sister publication, Cadillac Society.
Comments
Cadillac engine crew was stressing hard over how to make the ct5v stand out over the ctsv…………uhh use the same engine but give it 30 more horse. Done. Pat on the back.
AWD would have been bold
No awd was a huge blunder. Just giving it more hp was the cheap way out.
CORRECT!………and not to mention that the CT6 V was not only AWD but was also AWS……………go figure…
Manual…? Why change engines?
Ugh, such a piss off with GM/Cadillac on this. They had the opportunity to make both a crazy ass, over powered V, AND also do a blackwing. Imagine having a blackwing CT5 with that Engine! An ultra-luxe version of the CT5 and CT4 (well beyond the platinum offerings) withthe blackwing that’s awd, or getting a track ready ct5v or ct4v. #missedconnections
Huh?
Youd prefer 550hp to 668?
Not at all, I’m saying that the missed an opportunity to have both. Get a v with 660hp, turn the current v back into the vsport, and hand a separate blackwing trim with the blackwing engine and an ultra luxe interior and exterior trims.
Why not…when the Blackwing is more efficient and the technological tour de force…. Look,…….I have both, and love them in their respective elements……..
If you wanted crazy ass over powered you should have wished for the LT5 , 755 horsepower straight out of the C7 ZR1, lord knows I prayed for it but I guess I didn’t have enough influence. So we’re just going to have to be happy with a measly 668 horsepower, I am just glad we didn’t get stuck with 666 horsepower then we would have infringed on the hellcat’s demonic nature , but we did get an available 6 spd manual transmission. The God Father of V ( Tony Roma ) was quite influential about that.
Another lost opportunity. 666 would’ve felt so right (and I’m a man of God). This car really is a pissed-off last fighting gasp of a middle finger held up high for all the world – and particularly bobbers of “tech for the sake of tech(‘s)” knob – to see. Legions of mindless, conformist goons don’t deserve it, anyway. There are obviously still real humans with palpable souls taking cover within GM’s skunkworks, but the jig will soon be up. There’s really way too much Anne Frank to this story.
“Each man’s death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.”
I might buy me one of these just for what it represents. Way more than I’d ordinarily care to spend on a car, but this one promises to be far greater than the sum of its parts on so many levels.
It’s a last hurrah for automotive purity. It’s the end of an era. Mine and yours.
Still would’ve been nice to see the LTA live on in the new Escalade! That’s essentially the only piece missing to the otherwise highly desirable and competitive luxo barge! Let Chevy and GMC enjoy the 6.2 LT1, and let Cadillac have something more unique under it’s hood as a standard engine for once; at least before everything goes all electric!!
I can live with the supercharged LT4 in the CT5, as it does better separate it from the German competition.
Although I agreed with you mostly and gave you the thumbs up…..you people have got to stop thinking of the Escalade as a …..”luxury flagship vehicle”………it is a CHEVY truck………..It doesn’t matter what you do to the gorilla….pumps, make-up, lipstick, girdle, wig, more make-up, beautiful dress, etc…..it’s still a gorilla
The one exception might be the Bentley Bentayga…
Yes, the Blackwing engine is competitive to the European rivals……in complexity. The current LT4 engine is very simple to work on and is just as or more efficient as those offered by BMW, Audi, & Mercedes. Why mess with success? Calling the lesser CT5 a V is an insult, that just dilutes the brand – that car should have continued on as a V-Sport and the LT4 equipped CT5 should carry on the V legacy.
HUH!…………
On your 1st point………..isn’t that our competition in the luxury segment and where we should be going. Instead, after spending a billion dollars (That’s a lotta Cadillacs) lets just dump it, along with the BEST Cadillac we’ve created in over 50 years..the CT6
On your 2nd point……NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, put all your eggs in ONE basket…..need I explain….
On your 3rd point…………I agree!
They should have kept the CT6 in production, improved it where they needed to…(soft close doors, more upscale interior, fewer molded plastic and buttons, the addition of the Escala OLED dash, longer warranty, more dealer amenities, free Super Cruise updates, free ONSTAR GUIDANCE plan for 3 years, dump the base and luxury models and go with Premium, and Platinum with a base price on the Premium starting at $85,000 up to the V topping out at $120,000. …ETC…)
Instead of that BIG HOLE between the Blackwing and the Celestiq…….
This would have slotted in nicely between the CT5 Premium and Blackwing
The LT4 and entire family of LS engines will still be around and hallowed for decades to come as will the current “ancient tech” FCA V8s. Simple, highly capable generators of mondo horsepower and torque built in large numbers to serve many tasks and markets. No pedigree required to get this job done, just solid, cost effective engineering. The multiple series and generations of overcomplicated Euro V8 will be long forgotten and mostly consigned to scrapyards by then. Few will have the parts, deep pockets or sufficient interest to keep them alive because the manufacturers themselves couldn’t stick with one tried and true engine design long enough for it to become legendary prior to packing it in and moving on to their next limited production clean sheet even more complicated replacement. Textbook planned obsolescence. The naturally aspirated AMG 6.2 is the one to have if your wet dreams come auf Deutsch. This new CT5-V Blackwing is the choice for those confident enough not to rely upon others to do their thinking for them who could give two sh!ts whether or not it meets anyone else’s approval.
Exactly! He proves all my points. After spending a $1,000,000,000 developing the most technologically advanced engine for a flagship luxury vehicle, lets kill it after only 1500 engines are produced. After spending $5,000,000,000+ on R&D to develop the most advanced flagship luxury automobile to go into production, lets kill it, because we know the future is more pickup trucks, SUV’s, and generic plug in’s…….
I will admit, what I see with the Celestiq is somewhat beautiful but,…………..for $200,000 it needs to be to sell…what I see with the majority of the current plug-ins is the future. And that future = GENERIC
None of these manufacturers can run away from having to design competitive internal combustion engines fast enough. Listen and you’ll hear a collective industry-wide sigh of relief that electric motors will pave the way forward. With the Blackwing engine, GM not only tried to outdo the Europeans, they literally crushed them in one key metric: shortest-lived hot-vee turbocharged tour de force megatech V8 – and that’s saying something because European engine designs don’t stick around long, either. Blackwing appears to have been an exercise in futility which apparently led to the realization that Cadillac didn’t have a suitable (read: competitive) line of cars to put it in and the venerable small block makes more power in a more compact, lighter weight, less costly package with barely any sacrifice in fuel economy. Sometimes, it’s best to leverage your own strengths and stop envying the Europeans who only wish their highfalutin customers weren’t so full of crap enough that they, too could succeed with an engine as honest, reliable and forever young as GMs humble world beating LS V8.
I’m 64 years old amd have driving Cadillac all my life. I retired five years ago, this is the car want to own. I’m a Cadillac Man.
Little bit different perspective here with an owner, and driver of both a LT4 powered 3rd gen CTS-V, and a CT6-V with the LTA 4.2TT. The CT6 was slowing down in sales overall with the vast majority of interest and consumer market going for the SUV. Next the GM plant where the CT6 was produced was converting to all electric vehicles, and it was not feasible (cost effective) to build another CT6 production line with sales continuing to slow. GM actually had other vehicles that were destined for the LTA Blackwing engine, but with the plant converting to Electric production it was not in the cards.
Second, the LTA has it over the LT4 as far as compact power density, as well as smoothness, and low to mid rpm torque output. Conversing with GM powertrain engineers the Blackwing engine puts out more HP and torque than the older (3rd Gen. CTS-V LT4) all the way to 4700 rpm… where they are essentially equal. However, over 4700 rpm the LT4 has the advantage. But as a CT6-V driver I rarely need to rev over 5,500 RPM and this is not a concern with most CT6-V owners as the engine tuned for massive instant torque and this is what the HOT-V design was made for.
Other pros for the Blackwing include lighter weight (over the LT4) and a shorter length due to the smaller bore size, this improves balance and handling as the engine weight is placed further back from the front axle. The Blackwing also exhibits much improved highway mileage, as when I drive conservatively, I am able to get 28-32 mpg highway from my CT6-V but only 21-22 from my CTS-V. Not to mention when track driving, my Blackwing engine does not suffer from any power robbing heat-soak effects the way my LT4 does.
It is too bad most Cadillac drivers will never experience the thrill and brilliance of the Blackwing, but if you get the chance to track a CT6-V Blackwing you will agree it is an improvement over the older pushrod.
Why did Cadillac disconnect the CT 6.