An Easy Performance Upgrade
The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing already boasts an impressive 668 horsepower and 659 pound-feet of torque courtesy of a supercharged 6.2-liter V8, but if that’s not enough, Magnuson Superchargers has a new replacement blower that can push Cadillac’s most powerful sedan into four-digit territory.
The Magnuson TVS2650 is a direct swap with the LT4 engine’s stock supercharger. Magnuson claims that it adds 90 hp and 76 lb-ft of torque, for a total of 758 hp and 735 lb-ft using the stock engine tune, but that changing that tune could make up to 1,000 hp possible.
Bolt-On Parts
Magnuson Superchargers
The kit costs $7,195 and includes all the necessary hardware for installation. The replacement supercharger housing can also be ordered in blue, green, red, orange, or two different black options. Magnuson backs it with a three-year/36,000-mile warranty, and offers an optional three-year/36,000-mile limited warranty for other powertrain components.
The supplementary warranty is probably a good idea. Even adding without messing with the stock engine tune, it’s unclear what effect boosting output by a substantial 90 hp—let alone the 332 hp needed to get the CT5-V Blackwing to the four-digit mark—will have on the engine and other associated components over the long term.
Nonetheless, Magnuson isn’t the only aftermarket company that’s confident the LT4 can handle the extra power. Hennessey Performance Engineering offers its own H1000 upgrade for the CT5-V Blackwing, claimed to deliver 1,000 hp and 966 lb-ft with a different supercharger and engine calibration. But that also includes ported cylinder heads, a valvetrain upgrade, and new stainless steel headers.
Does It Really Need More Power?
Magnuson Superchargers
A nice round number like 1,000 hp might look better on paper, but in real life it’s unnecessary. According to Cadillac, the stock CT5-V Blackwing can already do zero to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds with the 10-speed automatic transmission (3.6 seconds with the six-speed manual transmission) and reach a top speed of over 200 mph. Unlike stereotypical American V8 sedans, that accelerative punch is coupled with a well-sorted chassis, allowing the Blackwing to pull a claimed 1.01g on the skidpad.
The CT5-V Blackwing arrived as a 2022 model and received a facelift for 2025. That means it doesn’t see many changes for 2026, but Cadillac will offer a limited number of customers the option to personalize their cars with options of the menu created for the six-figure Celestiq EV. It’s part of a new program called Curated by Cadillac that aims to use the bespoke-build capacity created for the Celestiq on other models, burnishing Cadillac’s luxury image.
About the author
Stephen Edelstein
Contributing Writer, Autoblog