In the latest installment of Edmunds U-Drags, two automotive heavyweights, the BMW M4 Competition and the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, faced off in a highly anticipated down-and-back drag race. This unique racing format, which combines a standing quarter mile, handling challenges, and a rolling start, put both vehicles to the ultimate test, revealing strengths and weaknesses in their design and performance.
The Competitors: European Precision vs. American Muscle
The BMW M4 Competition, a benchmark for many automakers, squared off against the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, the crown jewel of American muscle. Both vehicles come with impressive specifications that underscore their reputations as high-performance machines. Of course, these are quite different: from the engine type to the weight and especially, power and torque.
BMW M4 Competition:
- Engine: 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-6
- Horsepower: 503 hp
- Torque: 479 lb-ft
- Transmission: 8-speed automatic
- 0-60 mph: 3.8 seconds (RWD) / 3.4 seconds (xDrive)
- Top Speed: 180 mph (with M Driver’s Package)
- Weight: 3,880 lbs (xDrive)
Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing:
- Engine: 6.2-liter supercharged V8
- Horsepower: 668 hp
- Torque: 659 lb-ft
- Drivetrain: Rear-wheel drive (RWD)
- Transmission: 6-speed manual or optional 10-speed automatic
- 0-60 mph: 3.6 seconds (automatic)
- Top Speed: 200+ mph
- Weight: 4,123 lbs
In the first race, the BMW M4 Competition launches better than the CT5-V and that made the difference, despite having a lower power and torque output. Of course, the Blackwing is a couple hundred pounds heavier. Race 2 is not that much different. Even with another driver behind the wheel, the M4 Competition once again launches better. They turn similarly around the cones, but the manual shifting in the M4 seem to have made the difference. Race 3 brings the same output: the Blackwing proved to be a lot faster in a straight line, as you’d expect. Let’s take a look!