BY DAVID BEARD | CarAndDriver.Com

Troy Warren for CNT #Cars

Cadillac’s junior Blackwing sedan will go down as one the best driver’s cars of all time.

Stand around our cluttered, oil-soaked office garage and the conversation will eventually turn to tales of BMW’s E90 M3. Sold from 2008 to 2012, the M car’s legend continues to grow because subsequent M3s couldn’t quite re-create the E90’s magic blend of size, power, handling, and feel. In a turn of events unthinkable 20 years ago, Cadillac took up the mantle with the ATS-V and now the CT4-V Blackwing.

The smaller of the two Blackwings, the CT4-V drives, handles, and performs as if Caddy ignored modern benchmarks and went after the E90. The electrically assisted steering builds effort and feeds information in a way that rivals the best modern sports cars. Turn the nose in and hold it to the 1.01-g limit. Using that grip is easy, as the car communicates through the steering and chassis exactly when you’re about the slip the surly bonds of the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. At 3851 pounds, the CT4-V is more playful than the 668-hp CT5-V Blackwing. Size matters when you’re hustling, and the CT4-V’s (like the E90’s) strikes us as ideal.

HIGHS: USDA Prime chassis, honest steering feel, spectacular manual ‘box.

It would have been even lovelier if Cadillac had crammed the Corvette’snaturally aspirated 6.2-liter V-8 into the CT4-V or dipped into the small-block greatest hits with a 7.0-liter LS7. But the responsive twin-turbo 3.6-liter V-6 is improved over the version that powered the ATS-V. While not as silky as BMW’s inline-sixes, it spins willingly thanks to titanium connecting rods exclusive to the manual Blackwing.

Cadillac tells us that the little ‘Wing isn’t intended to be a dragster. Okay, Cadillac. So why does this car have the world’s most adjustable launch-control system? Not only can you dictate the launch rpm in steps of 100 from 2400 to 4000 rpm, but you can also tailor it to available surface traction by dialing in half-percent increments how much slip you want at the tires. The number of permutations is staggering, but there’s an automatic mode for those who just want the computers to figure it out. With the settings carefully set up for our surface, the 472-horse sedan raced to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds. Rip through three no-lift shifts and the quarter-mile arrives in 12.4 seconds at 116 mph.

LOWS: Six isn’t eight; this is the end, my friend.

GM’s latest magnetorheological dampers provide a supple ride in their softest setting. They noticeably stiffen in sportier modes but manage to keep impact harshness from the driver. The CT4-V provides dynamic bliss without sacrificing refinement, making it an ideal daily driver.

Few cars inspire us to consider monthly payments, but the manual CT4-V Blackwing’s $59,990 base price prompted us to crunch the numbers. Years from now, when we’re standing around an EV charging station jawing about the glory days, we’ll tell anyone who’ll listen about this Blackwing.

Specifications

2022 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing
Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

PRICE
Base/As Tested: $59,990/$76,040
Options: Jet Black leather interior with microfiber inserts and performance steering wheel, $4900; Carbon Package 1, $4350; Carbon Package 2, $2650; performance data and video recorder, $1600; Technology package, $725; Electric Blue paint, $625; Satin Graphite wheels, $600; Climate package; $600

ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 218 in3, 3564 cm3
Power: 472 hp @ 5750 rpm
Torque: 445 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm

TRANSMISSION
6-speed manual

CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 15.0-in vented disc/13.4-in vented disc
Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S
F: 255/35R-18 (99Y) TPC
R: 275/35R-18 (99Y) TPC

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 109.3 in
Length: 187.6 in
Width: 71.5 in
Height: 56.0 in
Passenger Volume: 90 ft3
Trunk Volume: 11 ft3
Curb Weight: 3851 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 4.0 sec
100 mph: 9.4 sec
1/4-Mile: 12.4 sec @ 116 mph
130 mph: 16.2 sec
150 mph: 23.4 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 5.3 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 9.6 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 7.2 sec
Top Speed (mfr’s claim): 189 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 153 ft
Braking, 100–0 mph: 309 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 1.01 g

C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 18 mpg

EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 18/15/23 mpg