The upcoming Cadillac Blackwing ultra-high-performance luxury sedans will not feature Blackwing-specific badging. Instead, the 2022 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing and 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing will simply have the same badges as other models in the V-Series ranges, including the “regular” CT4-V and CT5-V.
Cadillac Blackwing Chief Engineer, Mirza Grebovic, explained the rationale behind this decision during a recent interview with GM Authority Executive Editor, Alex Luft.
“To us, V-Series is the top name here,” Grebovic said. “The Blackwing is a V-Series car. The Blackwing simply states that we have elevated the performance of the V-Series vehicles. But no, there is no external badging with the Blackwing logo.
Grebovic compared this situation with a similar one regarding another very powerful GM model, the Chevy Camaro. “We got similar feedback on the Camaro ZL1 1LE,” Grebovic added. “We never put a 1LE badge on that car. But the 1LE is a handling package for the Camaro. In a similar way, Blackwing takes the V-Series to the top.”
However, none of this represents an attempt to disguise the true nature of the Cadillac Blackwing models. Visually, they stand out from the Cadillac CT4-V and Cadillac CT5-V even though they have the same badges, thanks to several unique styling features and aero options.
“We went to great lengths to make sure that when you see one of these Blackwings, you know that they are distinguished from the base V-Series significantly,” Grebovic said.
The 2022 Cadillac Blackwing sedans are certainly distinguished from other V-Series models in terms of performance. The CT4-V Blackwing has a twin-turbo 3.6L V6 LF4 gasoline engine producing 472 horsepower and 445 pound-feet of torque, while the CT5-V Blackwing‘s supercharged 6.2L V8 LT4 motor is rated at 668 horsepower and 659 pound-feet of torque. The 0-60 mph times are 3.7 seconds and 3.8 seconds, respectively, and the top speeds are 189 mph and over 200 mph.
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Comments
Badges? We don’t need……… nvm
I gotta admit GM DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF NAMES!!!!!!. Names Like Raptor, Hellcat, T Rex etc names matter. Blackwing should be on their cars period!!!! I hate names or wording like on their trucks zr2 give us tough expressive names,
With Chevrolet there is a history with using RPO letters within the names dating back to the 60’s. Names like Z/28, ZR1, ZR2 (which was a big block package for the Corvette) for instance.
So Chevrolet doing that is like Cadillac naming their cars Eldorado, Seville, De Ville, etc. But where Chevy kept their tradition, Cadillac did not.
Should never have diminished the reputation of the V. Mistakes were made. The CT4-V poser with the 2.7L turbo truck motor should be an option for the CT4, not a member of the V series.
They had it right with “V-Sport”.
I agree completely. They still had the V, emblem was a tad different. I believe this is part of their “names not numbers & letters” initiative though.
They keep making silly mistakes. The whole round up to the nearest 50 interval of NM is another “who the heck came up with this and more importantly who the F$@*# approved it”.
They had it right because it was a total rip-off of BMW’s M and MSport lines. But it was right.
It was, but it was clear. I don’t understand how they decided to name two wildly different cars the same name.
Hardly anyone knew the V-Sport name lmao
Or just Sport…the V alludes it’s of the highest order.
the 2.7T CT4 is a great car, from what I see on reviews, from people who test all kinds of sports cars. Why is everyone hating on the 2.7T??? It has amazing handling, a great stock exhaust, and 0-60 in 5.0s. Honda Civic Type R has less power than the 2.7T CT4, costs about the same, and everyone is drooling over the Type R, but hating on the CT4-V 2.7T.
Stupid
Blackwing is not just a handling package similar to the 1LE. It adds more power and more aero, on top of suspension and chassis tuning. Blackwing is a very good sounding name, they should be proud of a good name like that. There’s literally no reason these models should be called Blackwing anymore. It doesn’t have the engine nor are they going to have the badging. They should have kept it V-Sport and V, if they are not going to put the name onto or into the car. It would have looked good if they placed Blackwing on the upper part of the trunk where the Cadillac crest sits. Maybe along the door panels if placed correctly. Maybe engrave it to the center console or embroid it to the dash on the passenger side. (One or the other not both for the interior as well as on the exterior) Let people know they got a special car, not only in name but in badging as well. Cadillac you keep failing at this game time and time again.
I agree that the Blackwing name shouldve been changed altogether, since it is not using a Blackwing Engine. Maybe that’s the reason they didn’t use a Blackwing badge.
Despite being unpopular in this opinion, I’m a fan of the 2.7T CT4-V. From what I’ve seen on youtube reviews, its a great sports car. Excellent handling from that amazing chassis, and a very formidable engine.
What dummies are the helm. People were already confused at the change of the V series. The CT5-V and CT5-V blackwing are not that different to the untrained consumers eye. Minus the sound most will be confused. Thinking that the blackwing is merely cosmetics. I fully expected blackwing to be somewhere on the car. GM is terrible at being good all around.
Wait! So let me get this straight. They are “OK” with putting stupid things like 350T or 400T or whatever on the back of the cars. Yet they are opposed to using a fantastic name like Blackwing? I swear I have no idea what these over-paid idiots are thinking or doing. My CT4 is nothing special, and still the first thing I did when I got home was yank the stupid CT4 and 350T letters off my trunk. In it’s place went the script Cadillac name and another (won’t say which one) model name from years back. Everyone who has noticed it gives me compliments on how it looks and that they like the names. NAMES ARE IMPORTANT.
So we can now add this stupid decision to the other recent ones: Encore and Encore GX, Blazer and Trailblazer, Bolt and Bold EUV and now CT4/CT5 and CT4/CT5 V but with no distinction for those who pony up and buy the best (for performance) Cadillac you can get. Ok, got it now. Total morons.
So wait. You gave your CT4 a name that doesn’t belong to it… and yet others are “idiots.”? Not following the logic here.
@Kate Kasach: What don’t you understand about that? I put the Cadillac script on MY car along with another Cadillac model’s name that I like. But it’s on MY car. I’m not selling them to the public. I’m not suggesting they do this on them all (although it would be better IMO). But if it’s your opinion that I’m an idiot for making a change to MY car, so be it.
This is quite different from management making a decision to make the “Blackwing” Cadillac’s with the same badges as the lessor models. And from the other comments on this article, I’d say nearly everyone is in agreement. So what’s your opinion on them leaving the Blackwing name off?
He put Cimarron on the deck lid I’d betcha. I think he said once he has a thing for the Cimarron.
As a name, Cadillac Cimarron wasn’t bad or Cimarron by Cadillac, as it was actually called. The name was memorable. It’s just that the car was so unworthy of the Cadillac part of its name.
Ci2Eye: You should be a detective!! haha. ; )
yea I agree, those 350T 400T badges are stupid. If they are going to use a Torque number, at least use Ft-Lbs. When I first saw the Ct4 2.0T with the 350T, I thought it had 350ft/lbs, but was disappointed to find out it actually has 258ft/lbs which is actually weaker than the ATS 2.0T which had 295ft/lbs.
Something subtle, like a black V or the V outlined in black would have made more sense than
the same logo.
I agree 100%. I could do without a Blackwing badge, since GM decided to not use the Blackwing engine. But a different color V badge wouldve been perfect. Nothing excessive, but just enough.
This is a mistake. This is a lot more car as a Blackwing than a V. The car should show that, in a subdued way certainly, but show it. A buyer who kicks down for a Blackwing wants others to know he/she kicked down for a Blackwing. It would also help promote the Blackwing branding. They are great looking cars, let people (who are not die hard car people) know what it is.
What a mess. Just a total jumbled-up mess. First Blackwing was an engine that gm built for about five minutes. Then Blackwing was a brand instead above the V but now it doesn’t merit any logo because V is still the brand.
Cadillac just needs to be sold off. Please gm, just sell the name already, Nobody in Detroit has a clue how to coherently build or manage a luxury brand and their grandiose EV plans are no more rationally thought-out; we already know that.
I don’t give a sh*t about a special badge. If the money for that was dumped into performance, then I’m all good.
I don’t buy cars because they have cool badges. I buy cars because they put down excellent figures.
So Geoff, would you pay the same amount for a MB C-class as a MB S-class as long as it has “excellent figures”?
You’re talking about the idea/concept behind the badge. I’m talking about the badge in its literal sense. I understand the difference between the cars, their segments, and their performance. I’m not talking about that. I mean the literal badging.
My point Geoff, as silly as it may be, is that badges do matter. Most (I’d guess more than 80%) people would never be able to tell a C-class from an S-Class without a badge. Yes, there’s a big difference in size, but again most people would never be able to tell the difference without closer inspection if that. So if the C and S had identical performance and price would you buy the C instead of the S? If no, why? Because prestige matters and often that prestige can only be had with a badge.
There are a large number of owners who remove the s or amg badges, or order the car with badge delete, precisely because they don’t want to call attention to prestige. In many cases, the person who doesn’t have the s/amg/blackwing may care about the badge, but many of those that do have those vehicles…well, they feel the opposite.
Any further proof needed that the masterminds at GM are lost confused and lack imagination? This company becomes a bigger JOKE every day. Todays lesson is how to be a GM mastermind in a few easy steps. (1) ABORT Blackwing engine as soon as it it born. (2) speak of BW engine you just killed in glowing nostalgic terms. (3) Confuse the whole V series operation by making entry level performance cars out of it. (5) Start calling the REAL V cars Blackwings after the engine you dont want and KILLED. (4) Dont add BLACKWING to the new V cars that are now BLACKWINGS without saying BLACKWING anywhere on the car! This is truly unreal!
Just like they put V or V-Sport badging to differentiate from a regular caddy they should put BW-specific badging to differentiate from a regular V-series. Just like a V-series is DEFINITELY not a regular caddy a BW sure as hell isnt a regular V, so badging should reflect that. Dont just depend on the aesthetic elements like additional venting, fatter tires and some carbon fiber to take care of the differentiation by itself. Have those elements IN ADDITION to the model-specific badging. It should flaunt it a bit. The car will no doubt SHOW what it is by its performance, sound etc…but It should STATE what it is too with the badging. To the untrained eye someone may not aesthetically know the difference between a V-series and a BW and if so THATS when the BW badging comes in. Subtle would be best just like another reader here mentioned with the black V, V outlined in black or the V but instead of the multicolor flag attached to it put a black wing coming out from the V instead of the multicolor flag. Something simple that gets the point across. It would be the only warning someone gets, although I suppose the worse case scenario would be someone pulling up alongside you on the highway and tries to do a pull on you and you pull away leaving them to tuck tail and then they’ll figure out right there that “oh s***, thats not a regular V.”
Monumentally stupid. Look at the Competition models at BMW’s M cars, or the “S” variants of the M-B AMG cars. They get badging to tell you what it is. Even AMG’s “dumbed down” AMG cars are badged differently than the “full blown” ones. If they weren’t going to give it special badging, why change the structure of “v-sport” and “V”? They claimed it was confusing. How is this not infinitely more confusing? Only hard-core car guys are going to know the different. At least the V-Sport had different badging that differentiated them.
I know what happened. There was no money left for new badges…. The penny pinching bureaucrat drones that run GM could not justify the added expense for different badges. So they made the Bold business decision to not do it.. How much did it cost to come up with the talking point BS as to why no blackwing badge?
They really should paint the Blackwing “chicken” full size on the hood as a differentiator. In memory of the good old Trans AM. GM refers to it as the Merlette or legless and beakless black duck. 😂🤣. That “chicken” doesn’t appear to have any balls either, just like GM Marketing executives…
Continue your stupid campaigns of not letting the PUBLIC SEE what that super cool looking car is by banding & branding it externally.
Porsche has NO reason to since the first is pretty much IDENTICAL to the last and if you don’t know any Porsche monkeys (owners) you’ve missed nothing. So proud for so little reason (don’t lose your white scarf).
Note to GM/Cadillac, just admit you screwed up the entire naming scheme and just fix it. Trying to explain your BS decision doesn’t do yourself or the product any good.
This company continues to impress with its amazing stupidity … you put a freakin “newton-meters” badge “400” or what ever which means absolutely nothing to anyone, regardless of what these morons WANT it to mean its stupid and meaningless. They spend good money to make those badges and do the leg work to bring them from concept to the backs of their sub standard vehicles. That said you spend premium money for the top model and you get no identifiers? None… I’m stunned at the sheer brilliance of their stupidity… its amazing…
Agreed, the stupid newton meter badges are ridiculous, especially when most consumers won’t have a clue what they mean or even care!
I personally like tasteful, well placed badges to identify a specific model and the Blackwing is a perfect chance to design one that really counts. To me they add a touch of color and trim to any vehicle…to go badge-less, states you’re not really proud enough to show what you got. I’m not sure if they’re planing any underhood or interior cues either, but that would be a smart move.
I bought a GN new in 87 and the emblems really broke it up…I later bought a Turbo T that had no emblems, but looked to plain to me. I replaced every one that it should have had and thought, now it has a bit of class.
As for marketing, I think it will hurt Cadillac to eliminate identifiers that represent all the design, engineering & styling they put into this top of the line entry.
DUMB DECISION
IDENTITY, PRIDE, RESALE VALUE
Personally I think excessive badging is corny. From what I see on youtube reviews, from people who drive and review all kinds of sports cars, the 2.7L CT4-V is highly praised. So having the same V badging will only boost the value of the 2.7L, and with all those aero-kits added to the Blackwing, there’s no mistaking it when you see it. Less badging makes it look like a sleeper, which is kind of cool.
Suppose they’re too stupid to ensure the vehicles have the correct badges so they’re just going to leave them off like in Sept 2020: GM Issues TSB For Incorrect Badging On Certain 2020 Cadillac CT4 Units
https://gmauthority.com/blog/2020/11/gm-issues-tsb-for-incorrect-badging-on-certain-2020-cadillac-ct4-units
Why anyone would buy a vehicle from the pathetic idiots is amazing…. whew a new level of stupidity….
Cadillac should’ve went all out and given the BW variants AWD.
With the CT5-V BW straddling M5, AMG E63 S or M3 AMG C63 S, those models now come with AWD and even though less powerful, are proving that engineering pays off. New M3 with AWD which is down approximately 155 horses to the CT5-V BW matches it in performance specs and M5 and AMG E63s with AWD are pulling sub 3 second 0-60 runs. Proof that power isn’t everything if it can’t be put down effectively.
I’m so looking forward to the first track performance comparison test. Hopefully the lighter chassis and handling dynamics will be BWs redeeming qualities that make up for lack of AWD.
I dont see the big deal. Everyone is hating on the CT4-V with the 2.7L Turbo, but 0-60 in 5.0s is pretty damn fast if you compare it to other cars in the same price range. Also the CT4-V Blackwing is most certainly an upgrade to the 2.7L, but at the same time 0-60 times of 3.8s is pretty average in the world of high performance sports cars. A Camaro SS is doing 0-60 in 3.9s, and Corvette is doing 2.9s with the same 6.2L engine. Personally I think a Blackwing badge wouldve just been cheesy, I’m fine with less badging. Those who are in the know will know, and those non-enthusiasts dont need to know.