Quick U-turns and acceleration played a crucial role in deciding the winner of the race
2 hours ago
- The Ford Mustang Dark Horse uses a 5.0-liter V8 with 500 horsepower.
- Cadillac’s CT4-V Blackwing runs a twin-turbo V6 producing 472 horses.
- Both cars completed the quarter-mile in the low 12-second range.
While there probably aren’t many people in the US who cross-shop a Ford Mustang Dark Horse and a Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing, these two offer similar thrills for around the same price.
Sure, the CT4-V Blackwing has four doors compared to the Mustang’s two, as well as two fewer cylinders, but both are among the best performance cars currently on sale. Which is quicker?
Read: New Cadillac CT4-V And CT5-V Blackwing Special Editions Pay Homage To Le Mans
To find out, Edmunds arranged one of its customary U-drag races at an airfield, involving a sprint down the quarter-mile, a high-speed U-turn, and then racing back to the start/finish line. The CT4-V Blackwing used was the standard model with the available 10-speed automatic transmission, while the Dark Horse included the Handling Package and the optional 10-speed auto.
In the first race, the CT4-V pulls out a small lead, despite its twin-turbocharged V6 being capped at 472 hp, whereas the Mustang’s 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 delivers 500 hp. However, as the speeds started to build, the Mustang began to claw back the Cadillac.
Both cars entered the braking zone neck and neck, but the Mustang completed the U-turn much quicker and was able to sprint back down the straight, leaving the Blackwing for dead.
Second Run, Same Story
The drivers switched for the second race, and once again, the CT4-V got the better launch. The duo again hit the U-turn area alongside each other, but once again, the Mustang proved a little quicker. As the two cars sped towards the finish line, the Mustang pulled ahead thanks to its extra power.
Interestingly, the Mustang also came ahead when looking back at the numbers. It ran to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 4.3 seconds compared to the 4.5 seconds needed by the Cadillac. It also completed the quarter-mile in 12.5 seconds, whereas the CT4-V’s best time was 12.8 seconds. The Ford ultimately finished the U-drag race in 34.9 seconds compared to the 35.7-second time of the Cadillac.
One asterisk worth noting: tires. The Dark Horse wears Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS rubber, which offers noticeably more grip than the CT4-V Blackwing Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, even if those Michelins are nothing to scoff at. Still, when it came to the stopwatch, the Mustang had the edge – grip, power, and all.