CADILLAC CT5-V BLACKWING FUEL ECONOMY DOESN’T SACRIFICE MPG FOR MORE POWER

The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is the most potent sports sedan to ever come from General Motors. A successor to the much-loved CTS-V, the new Blackwing model carries a ton of performance hardware aimed at track work. That includes a modified version of the 6.2L LT4 V8 engine, which provides the sporty Cadillac with 668 horsepower and 659 lb-ft of torque. That is a higher output than any other LT4-powered product we’ve seen, and it’s enough to propel the CT5-V Blackwing to speeds over 200 mph. Of course a massively powerful supercharged V8 does come with a few drawbacks, particularly as it relates to fuel consumption. Thanks to the EPA, we now have Cadillac’s CT5-V Blackwing fuel economy figures. Here’s what you can expect and how they compare to similar sports sedans.

Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Fuel Economy:

In order to make more power from the LT4 V8, General Motors outfitted the engine with Rotocast A356T6 aluminum cylinder heads, a ready wet-sump oiling and vent system, a higher flow air-intake, titanium intake valves, and a revised exhaust system. The changes brought on significant output gains, but it does appear that they’ve cost the V8 some efficiency as well. With the six-speed manual gearbox, the CT5-V Blackwing will return 13 MPG city and 21 MPG highway, for a combined rating of just 15 MPG. Spec the 10-speed automatic and those numbers shift to 13 MPG city and 22 MPG highway, combining for a rating of 16 MPG. The outgoing Cadillac CTS-V by comparison cranked out ratings of 14 MPG city, 21 MPG Highway, and 16 MPG combined with its 8-speed automatic.

Stacking Up With BMW’s M5 CS

So the CT5-V Blackwing’s fuel economy numbers aren’t great by any means, but they aren’t necessarily as outrageous as one might think. In fact, a quick look at the BMW M5 CS might alleviate any fuel-related doubts you may have about the Cadillac. The BMW is powered by a 4.4L twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which pumps out 627 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. Both figures are a bit less than what the Cadillac churns out, but the BMW is nearly as thirsty. The EPA notes that the M5 CS returns fuel economy ratings of 15 MPG city, 21 MPG highway, and 17 MPG combined.

Not sure about you, but we’d say an extra 100 lb-ft of torque is worth a single MPG, and it’s kind of an engineering marvel that a single mpg is the tradeoff for it. Did we mention it’s cheaper than the M5, too?

Nobody is going to confuse the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing for a fuel economy superstar, nor will its buyers be prioritizing as much. That is okay however, as this vehicle represents the pinnacle of a gasoline performance era for Cadillac. As the automaker becomes more and more focused on electrification, the Blackwing twins are a unique moment in time product. For that reason alone, this thing could likely still lose a bit of fuel economy before fans would even bat an eye.