Back in April of this year, GM Authority presented a video showing how the engine in the 2021 Cadillac CT5-V high-performance luxury sedan makes a (really pleasant) popping sound when the vehicle’s GM Hydra-Matic 10-speed automatic gearbox shifts from one gear to the next under hard acceleration.
As we mentioned at the time, this happens only when the throttle is either wide open or close to wide open. If the transmission is allowed to choose when to change gear in that situation, it will do so at maximum revs. Therefore, it’s unlikely that the driver will hear more than a couple of pops before having to back off (due to the speed being gained).
However, the driver can also force the popping sound by manually short shifting while remaining on full throttle. Anyone who really likes the pops will almost certainly take advantage of this.
So that’s all just dandy, but what causes the pops? Cadillac spokesperson Stefan Cross recently explained to GM Authority that they are achieved by cutting the fuel supply very briefly as the next gear is being selected. The process of reacting to information that a shift is about to take place, shutting off the gas and then allowing it to flow again once the shift has been completed is almost too fast for the human mind to contemplate, but it’s an easy job for a modern electronics system.
As pleasant as the pops may be, they are not the primary reason for the shut-off. The more useful effect involves cutting torque while the shift is taking place. The on-off-on sequence of energy going through the drivetrain is therefore less harsh than it otherwise might be, and greatly reduces the chance of failure.
The energy involved is considerable. Although the “regular” Cadillac CT5-V is nowhere near as powerful as the upcoming 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, its twin turbocharged 3.0L V6 LGY gasoline engine still produces a very healthy 360 horsepower and – more importantly in this context – 405 pound-feet of torque (actually slightly less than that at peak revs, but still a lot). Removing as much strain as possible from the drivetrain is a wise move on Cadillac’s part.
The Cadillac CT5-V is built at the GM Lansing Grand River plant in Michigan, and is available with rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive. It’s priced to start at $48,990 in the U.S., including $1,195 delivery charge.
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Comments
“Pop sick swish uh-huh several upshifts.”
Is this a Chicago reference?
Could be 🙂
Yeah but it’s “pop, six, squish, uh-uh, Cicero, Lipschitz”
This all sounds like fun as long as the car is under warranty too many of those pops and I am sure that cadillac tranny will swing back at you and pop your wallet no thanks
Doesn’t work like that..
The pops are from lack of fuel. By shutting off the fuel during shifting there is no torque damaging the transmission.
So as long as its popping there is no damage to the transmission.
You put your foot into it and just before the transmission shifts gears the computer cuts fuel to the motor.
The transmission does a quick shift and the computer turns the fuel back on to the motor.
It protects the transmission.
This is nothing new. Most automatic cars and trucks have been protecting the transmission by retarding the timing to reduce power output during a shift…. No popping when retarding the timing.
Same pops with the 3.0 Premium Luxury 😀
Well that’s ok “Glen.” The car wasn’t made for dorks anyway….so it all works out. 🤓
I concur Max. Cadillac is just trying to mimic their competitors. BMW’s, MB’s, and I’m not sure on the Audis but I’d say so, all do it. Usually depending on your mode. Sport Plus it’s very aggressive in a BMW.
Glad they did it, see what they come up with down the shoot in a few years. They are moving in the right direction.
And it has zero to do with reliability, almost lol, nah it is. They aren’t doing something crazy. It’s been done for years.
Its also known that during WOT 1/4 mile passes one is better off letting the trans shift itself rather than manually shifting as the auto mode shifts only knock some timing from the engine versus fuel shut off in Manual shifting WOT in manual mode during each shift. Ask me , I found the hard way, car will run a tenth or two quicker in the 1/4 mile by leaving it in drive.
CT5 could use an instrument panel upgrade.
Tech package digital gauges look great!
I think the IP is fine. Not too fond of the tacked on look of the center display though. Looks like GM was late to this fading trend. Please put the center display back in the dash and stop pretending it’s an iPad. If I wanted to drive an iPad I’d buy a Tesla.
The CT5-V has a Twin-Turbocharged 3.0L V6 not a 3.6L as the article states. And yes, the 3.0L TT V-6 in the Premium Luxury also makes the same pops or at least mine does.
Thanks for noticing the error. The article has been corrected.
Hey Russell why don’t we go back to 1975 AM/FM 8 track players… My wife’s Buick Enclave has a touch screen in the dash and we love it, the nice thing about GM cars is that they let you control the HVAC controls separately from the screen also Android auto is awsome. By the way the Tesla does not have an ipad SMH 🙄
Pat, you missed the context here. The Buick Enclave’s touch screen IS IN THE DASH as you said, not tacked on top of the dash like an afterthought in the CT5 and so many other cars (although the trend is going away.) Nobody said Tesla has an iPad – the hyperbole is that driving one is akin to driving an iPad since the vast majority of your controls are through a giant touchscreen.
Russel who cares it’s still a Cadillac and in any car I drive I would much rather have a touch screen… Thank you very much. Also I looked it up on Google Telsa does not repeat Tesla does not use Apple products… Get with the twenty first century. Also a Tesla is an EV the giant touch screen goes with that style of vehicle. Wait I got it we will go back to GM Circa 1995 with a Cadillac radio that had a hundred little buttons… Because that doesn’t take your focus away from driving! 🤌
Pat maybe you need to put on your glasses?? Or maybe I tripped you up with the word ‘hyperbole’?? If you read what I wrote I NEVER said Tesla’s screen is an iPad NOR did I say or imply I didn’t like a good touchscreen. My nit is that the CT5’s is tacked ON TOP OF THE DASH like an after thought. An issue many makes created a few years back that they’ve since corrected by putting the screen back IN the dash.
Whatever Russell in or on the dash it’s a personal preference… 🙄 I am done with conversation! I don’t want to argue… Man take chill 💊 pill.
My 2020CT5-V backfires EVERY time I wind it out and let it shift on it’s own, has since new and now at 7500 mls,it has another aggravating problem. Being in the mid midwest, it’s gotten cold, maybe down to 20*F at night and a high of 35*F, so far. I park it with all four tires set at 36 psi. In the morning rear tires have been at 26 lbs, fronts are not much better. After driving, they may come up a few lbs, but never to the 36 psi I left it at. If I top them off, the same thing the next time, dealer says this is normal, that’s bs, I say it’s very unsafe. Where is this air going?? I can do the same thing for a week, and same thing happens, the air isn’t disappearing into thin air ( pun not intended ) somehow?? What’s gonna happen when the temps really hit the cold, below zero and lower?? After having 6 high end Caddy’s the last 8 years, this will be my last. Time for a fresh ride, won’t be a GM product, especially since they cut the free service for the warranty length, what a dumb move that was!!!
Set your tire pressure early in the am after the car sits in the cold overnight at lets say 35 psi. Next morning if the temps are close to the same, you will see your 35 PSI after you drive about a 1/4 mile. On a sunny day and after 10 miles, your tire pressure can easily increase 4lbs. Auto transmission shifts on the 8 speed and 10 speeds all shift with some pops when winding em out and under heavy throttle, normal, normal, normal.