All-new Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing breaks Yas Marina Circuit record on Middle East debut

US manufacturer's most powerful sedan got a workout from UAE driver Amna Al Qubaisi – and she showed what the vehicle was capable of

Amna Al Qubaisi with the CT5-V at Yas. All photos: Cadillac

The CT5-V tears into the first corner at Yas

Al Qubaisi comes into the final straight at Yas

The CT-4 at top whack while undergoing testing in the US

Head-on view of the CT-5 at a US test circuit

The CT-4's tail fin

The CT-5 gets some speed up

A CT-4 from above

The display on the CT-5

The driver's seat in a CT-4

The passenger seat in a CT-5

The CT-4 slows for a corner

Michelin supplied Pilot Sport 4S tyres

The CT-4's bonnet

A CT-5 from above

The assertive stance of a CT-4

The CT-5 flat out

The front wing on a CT-4

Smoke from a CT-5 on a tight corner

Cadillac has launched their most powerful sedans ever in the Middle East, and, to underline the dynamism of the new arrivals, UAE driver Amna Al Qubaisi got in one and crushed a Yas Marina Circuit lap record.

The Emirati managed a time of 2.2098 minutes in the US manufacturer’s CT5-V Blackwing, describing the vehicle afterwards as being a “beast” on the track. This makes the new arrival the fastest production sedan ever to round the circuit.

Al Qubaisi, 21, is recognised as a rising star in the UAE motorsport industry, becoming the first woman to claim victory in the Formula 4 UAE race. Now, she will be the first Arab woman to join the European Formula 3 circuit.

What of the car, though? A casual observer of a motoring bent might be inclined to conclude the figures behind Cadillac’s latest model make the specs on most other vehicles in its segment seem pedestrian by comparison.

The CT5-V has a 6.2-litre supercharged V8 engine that has a top speed of more than 320 kilometres per hour. It pumps out 668 horsepower and generates 893Nm of torque.

Should you want to test it, Cadillac says it’ll get you to 100 kilometres per hour from a standing start in 3.1 seconds. This time was achieved in a slightly upgraded version of the CT5-V that was used for the record attempt at Yas, admittedly, but a standard model will still get to the same speed in 3.6 seconds.

When the CT5-V arrives, it will be accompanied by its brand sibling the CT4-V, which, while a slightly less powerful vehicle, will still get from 0-100kph in 4.1 seconds.

The aerodynamics on both vehicles have been maximised with the likes of front splitters and rear spoilers, while the Cadillac look is maintained through the traditional snowplough-like front grille.

It’s not all about raw power, though, as both models have been fitted with an AKG sound system, 8-inch and 10-inch touchscreens, and plenty of driver aids, including pedestrian braking, parking assist, collision alert and reverse automatic braking. You could indeed drive it to the supermarket and not look completely out of place.

The CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwings will be available from Cadillac dealers across the Middle East in the near future, but only a limited number will be available. Prices will range from Dh290,000 ($78,965) to Dh390,000 for the CT4-V, and Dh360,000 to Dh475,000 for the CT5-V.