Every year, Car and Driver conducts its Lightning Lap test, in which it laps all of the fastest cars from that year on track, to not only test their speed but to review their track handling. The BMW M5 CS, being one of the fastest sedans of the year, was obviously in attendance but so too was the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, which will likely be a big thorn in BMW’s side for years to come. Can the M5 CS take it down with C&D at the helm?
On track, the C&D team was thoroughly impressed with the BMW M5 CS. It isn’t drastically more powerful than the rather basic M5 Competition — its 627 horsepower is only ten more than the M5 Comp’s 617 — but it’s a massive improvement on track. Thank its upgraded suspension, 125 lb diet, and sticky Pirelli P Zero Corsa PZC4 tires for that.
At speed, C&D felt that the BMW M5 CS was far more stable and happy than its size and weight would suggest and it was even faster down the straight than the Porsche 911 GT3. However, the CT5-V Blackwing is among the most impressive performance sedans of all time and packs far more power. So was the M5 CS able to best it?
No but there’s a bit of a caveat. BMW didn’t send a second set of tires along with the M5 CS for the test, so C&D couldn’t push it too hard on track for long, so as to not ruin their only set of tires. The best lap time the M5 CS managed was 2:50.3 at VIR (Virginia International Raceway). While the Blackwing did it in 2:49.4. So the M5 CS couldn’t quite match the Blackwing but it was seriously close. Maybe if BMW sent more tires, C&D could have lapped it for longer and gotten a better time out of it. Alas, BMW didn’t so C&D couldn’t, therefor the Caddy won. This is going to be a fun battle for awhile.
[Source: Car and Driver]
