A number of months in the past, I used to be given the chance (whereas exhibiting a automotive and judging on the Radnor Hunt Concours) to spend just a few days behind the wheel of the 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing. I had heard concerning the automotive earlier than selecting it up and had pretty excessive expectations as I knew it was designed to be immediately aimed on the BMW M3. I’ve plenty of seat time in each model of the present, in addition to previous, M3 vehicles, so if the Cadillac was actually this good, I might discover out fairly rapidly.

I received to the parking facility at Philadelphia Worldwide Airport and noticed my vibrant orange (the manufacturing unit named Blaze Orange) Cadillac ready for me. My first impression was that the styling may be very DTM like and, but, nonetheless has the Cadillac styling cues in place. The look is aggressive, racecar like, but additionally refined as one would anticipate from America’s luxurious model. I instantly observed the vast wheels, flared fenders, hood bulge and large Brembo brakes. If the automotive drove as good because it appeared, it may nicely be the primary automotive that actually can compete with the M3.

I opened the door and was greeted by an important wanting racecar impressed inside with two tone black leather-based with tan microfiber insert seats with carbon fiber trim, a pleasant fats rimmed steering wheel, and a 6-speed handbook gearbox. I received in and began the automotive. The sound of the twin-turbocharged DOHC 24-valve aluminum V6 was glorious, once more nearly pretty much as good as efficiency choices from the Europeans. I had about 2 hours to kill so I headed off to the Simeone Auto Museum to see what was new there.

I familiarized myself with the Blackwing on the best way to the museum, shifting by menus that management efficiency ranges and located a contented medium of efficiency and luxury. The adaptive suspension on the Blackwing is superb and simply offers with the horrible streets within the Philly space. It will probably change to full race settings if the automotive senses you might be driving it arduous. The gearbox is faultless, pedal placement was additionally good, as had been all of the ergonomics. This automotive is certainly a high tier sports activities sedan and sure the very best one ever constructed on this nation.

I picked up my good friend and coworker, Allan Davis, on the airport. He had are available to indicate a 1958 Cadillac Viewmaster on the Radnor Concours, after which we headed to the primary occasion of the weekend. Simply to maintain every part within the GM household, we had been exhibiting the 1958 Cadillac Viewmaster station wagon, a coachbuilt woody wagon that’s a part of the gathering I handle on the Maine Traditional Automotive Museum. Allan was blown away by the automotive and took a right away liking to it.

We arrived on the Radnor Hunt Membership and within the parking zone ran in to legendary Cadillac designer Kip Wasenko, who went over the Blackwing with me intimately. It was the primary one he had seen on the highway, he requested how I favored it. I advised him that the automotive gave the impression to be a robust competitor with the BMW M3 and that to this point, I had solely reward for it. We mentioned the outside styling and the brilliant orange automotive rapidly attracted a crowd of automotive folks all with questions. Kip and I answered these and let a variety of folks get within the automotive to see what it was like inside. I personally suppose that the inside styling was as good as the outside styling. From behind the wheel it felt like a really particular automotive, with racecar impressed sports activities seats in very high-quality quilted leather-based that not solely look cool however are additionally one way or the other very comfy. Different options features a nice steering wheel, upmarket buttons, and an Alcantara headliner. A word to different producers, in case you are constructing a high-quality luxurious or efficiency automotive please make an Alcantara headliner a typical characteristic. It elevates the inside fairly a bit and feels fantastic to the contact. That is a cheap characteristic within the grand scheme of issues, nonetheless it makes an amazing distinction to the inside of any automotive. Cadillac did this proper and sure, it’s an possibility, however I might by no means think about not including to a automotive of this caliber.

All of us headed into the Membership for the Friday BBQ that may be a Radnor custom, and after a fun-filled night headed again to my lodge for the evening. On the best way again to the lodge I finished for gasoline at a Wawa, inserted my bank card and headed within the retailer for some snacks. Once I went again out I observed that the parking zone was stuffed with European and Japanese tuner vehicles, and that there was a mob of twentysomething guys and ladies across the automotive. As I walked as much as the Cadillac somebody yelled, “Is that this the Blackwing?”

“Sure” I answered.

He then smugly introduced to his pals, “See I advised you it was the Blackwing. This automotive is unhealthy a##.”

I spent round 20 minutes with the group letting them get into it. Cadillac has hit it proper on the nostril with the Blackwing vehicles, as these newcomer fans had been blown away by the automotive and each single remark was optimistic. 

I lastly received within the automotive they usually needed me to rev the engine (which I in fact did) and made a really aggressive exit from the parking high in full sport mode. I left to the sound of their cheers.

The following morning, I received again into the Blackwing and headed over to the beginning level of the Radnor Hunt Concours tour. Upon arriving my good friend, the top choose for my class, John Lawless requested if I had any room within the automotive for visitors. I mentioned in fact and he introduced over former bike racer and filmmaker Peter Starr along with his son-in-law who can be my companions on the trip. We went by the tour route, solely making two or three incorrect turns. However because of the site visitors it was subsequent to not possible to indicate Peter what the automotive was able to. 

After the ultimate tour spot earlier than lunch, I lastly received some open highway and was in a position to open the automotive up a bit. “Holy crap,” mentioned Peter “this automotive is superb. “ 

I agreed as we continued to speed up down the highway. 

As I continued to speed up in Sport Mode on an extended straight little bit of highway, Peter then spoke the phrases that made my heartrate instantly climb, “Andy, did you see the cop we simply handed?”

I had not seen the police officer and rapidly slowed all the way down to a legalish pace, and it ought to be mentioned that Brembo brakes of the Blackwing are superb. Fortunately, the lunch spot was in sight, so I parked the automotive and hoped to not see any flashing lights within the parking zone. Someway the automotive and I escaped unscathed.

After lunch I headed again to the lodge earlier than dinner at Radnor head choose Tim McNair’s home. I had a good time with many good pals after which headed again for the night.

Sunday, I arrived early on the Membership to safe good parking, as at the present time I used to be judging bikes on the occasion. 

Sadly, the day began with rain which continued on and off. Regardless of the climate the turnout for the Concours was spectacular and the spectators appeared to not thoughts standing within the rain all day, with many even staying for the awards ceremony.

Our 1948 Cadillac got here away with the Chairman’s award, so the rain didn’t have a adverse impact on us!

I received into the 1948 Cadillac to drive it to the transporter however it will not begin. Solely three hours earlier than it labored superb for judges, and all was nicely however it doesn’t matter what we tried the automotive wouldn’t run.

Fortunately, that is the collector automotive interest which is stuffed with collector automotive folks, and my good friend Harrison Platz noticed the difficulty I used to be having. He graciously pulled us to the transporter along with his Jeep. That is a part of what makes the interest as nice as it’s: there are at all times superb individuals who perceive the problems with previous vehicles and will help. 

After this ordeal, I used to be totally soaked. I received into the Blackwing was completely happy that it had heated seats to assist dry me off. The heater helped fairly a bit too. Fashionable vehicles completely have their benefits.

On my drive in direction of the airport, I mirrored on what I considered the Blackwing. My first thought was that if Cadillac has aimed this at a youthful market, then they’ve nailed it. The automotive runs pretty much as good because it seems and the ability at hand, mixed with a 6-speed handbook gearbox, superb adjustable suspension, and razor-sharp steering with nice really feel makes it really feel like a DTM racecar in road garments. The truth that once you change it to consolation mode you might be instantly transported to an opulent Cadillac makes it virtually two vehicles in a single. The match and end is the very best I’ve seen in a GM automotive and the standard of supplies is sort of pretty much as good as the very best the Europeans are providing. 

The one grievance I had was a little bit of the inside appeared to not slot in with the luxurious really feel. The door pockets had been made from the standard GM low-cost plastic, with a pointy mould mark on the sting and had been the only factor I discovered that introduced down the standard from in all places else. It’s a small factor however one which they might repair for $20 per automotive by overlaying the silly plastic door pocket with vinyl. Placing this plastic half, which looks like it got here from a base mannequin Chevy Malibu, on a automotive just like the Blackwing is a silly choice. Nonetheless, this was my solely grievance concerning the CT4 V-Collection Blackwing. It’s actually a competitor to European sports activities sedans and presents a novel tackle design throughout the section. It is a Cadillac that delivers on all fronts within the high-performance sedan world. It’s not fairly the automotive the 2023 M3 is however it’s shut, very shut.

2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing

Car sort: 4-passenger 4 door sedan, rear-wheel drive

Base value: $60,495 Worth as examined: $71,535

Engine: twin turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3,564cc  inline-6, 472 hp @ 5750 RMP and 445 lb-ft of torque @ 3500 rpm

0-60: 4.0 seconds

¼ mile: 12.4 seconds

Prime Velocity: 189 MPH

Transmission: 6-speed handbook

Wheelbase: 109.3 inches 

Total size/width: 187.6 inches / 71.5 inches

Curb weight: 3,851 kilos

EPA mileage estimates: 15 metropolis / 23 freeway / 18 mixed

Assembled in: Lansing, Michigan, United States