The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing stands as the last true muscle car in GM’s lineup. A title it earns despite its luxury badge and four-door layout. While it leans more toward the high-performance sport sedan category, make no mistake: with a 668-horsepower supercharged 6.2-liter LT4 V8 under the hood, rear-wheel drive, and your choice of a 6-speed manual or 10-speed automatic transmission, this Caddy is a fire-breathing throwback to Detroit’s golden era of horsepower. It’s unapologetically loud, brutally fast, and refreshingly analog in an age of hybrids and touchscreens.

But the Blackwing isn’t just about brute strength; it’s the crown jewel of Cadillac’s V-Series engineering. It combines track-tested performance with refined luxury and driver-focused tech, making it as comfortable on a cross-country cruise as it is attacking apexes. Still, as capable as GM made it from the factory, there’s always room to push the envelope. To elevate its already impressive handling and grip, we outfitted this Blackwing with a set of lightweight Forgeline VV1R wheels wrapped in ultra-high-performance Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02 tires. The result? Better looks, more grip, sharper handling, and a sedan that handles like a supercar with room for four.

The Cadillac CT5-V Blacking already comes with a commanding presence, but these 20-inch Forgeline VV1R wheels take it to the next level

The Push Towards V

By the time the 2000s rolled around, Cadillac was solely a luxury car brand, just like it was when it was founded in the early 1900s. But GM realized that building soft and boring land-yachts for those in the back-nine of their life was not the best plan for future success. The release of the rear-wheel-drive mid-size CTS sedan with its modern, crisp styling was the push Cadillac was looking to make towards younger buyers and compete with the German luxury brands.

After a couple of years, they gambled on a performance model to capitalize on the market further. The first V series Cadillac was the 2004 Cadillac CTS-V, equipped with the 400-horsepower 5.7-liter LS6 from the C5 Z06, a Tremec T56 six-speed transmission, limited-slip differential, Brembo brakes, and stiffer suspension, which took these Cadillacs to the race track with respectable performance. After a couple of years, the LS6 was replaced with the 6.0-liter LS2, also from the Corvette.

After the success of the first-gen CTS-V, Cadillac made the move to push the V series further. The second-gen CTS-V was available as a coupe, sedan, or wagon with a Tremec TR-6060 six-speed transmission or a 6L90E automatic. But instead of following tradition by borrowing the 430-horsepower LS3 from the Corvette, they kicked it up a notch with the all-new LSA. A 556-horsepower supercharged V8 loosely based on the LS3.

The third and final CTS-V generation was based on the same platform as the sixth-generation Camaro and used the LT4 from the C7 Z06 and ZL1 Camaro, pumping out 640 horsepower through an eight-speed automatic. The leap in power and chassis design solidified the CTS-V as serious competition against its Euro counterparts.

It takes careful consideration to fit 335-wide rubber on the rear of these Cadillacs.

The CT5-V Blackwing is the spiritual successor to the infamous CTS-V performance sedan. It is built on the Alpha II platform, an evolution of the Alpha platform that offers increased rigidity, safety, and reduced road noise. It uses the same 6.2-liter LT4 as before, but now with 668 horsepower and the return of the manual transmission option or a 10-speed automatic.

It’s easy to pick upgrades for a car like this that increase performance but also upset some of GM’s perfected engineering. So care must be taken when looking to improve upon a sedan that’s luxurious, fast, and can carve corners. One modification that can improve acceleration, handling, braking, and road manners is a set of wheels and tires.

Continental’s ExtremeContact Sport 02 tires will provide us with a sticky compound that will improve our track-day experience while still being a daily-driver capable tire.

Forged Monoblock Perfection

When it came to wheels, Forgeline’s VV1R wheels were an obvious choice. Forgeline’s lineup of custom-built forged wheels showcases its deep roots in motorsports and car culture. Whether it’s pro-touring muscle, European exotics, or endurance racing Corvettes, that same passion drives the precision behind every set they make. Unlike mass-produced options, Forgeline offers a wide range of center designs, rim halves, and finishes, which allows customers to tailor their wheels to match both performance goals and personal style.

The VV1R is a ‘forged monoblock’ construction, meaning that the entire wheel is precision-machined from a single aluminum forging. Because the forgings are very strong and dense, this allows us to get more strength from less material. So when we combine this manufacturing method with specialized engineering and FEA [Finite Element Analysis], we’re able to make a wheel that is much stronger and lighter than a comparable cast or roller-formed wheel. — John Comeskey, Forgeline Motorsports —

Forgeline creates the VV1R from a single forging of 6061-T6 aluminum, and the result is a monoblock wheel that can handle serious motorsport applications, both on and off the road course. The VV1R features a sharp Y-spoke design with integrated lug holes at the base of each spoke, striking angles, and a deep concave profile. The monoblock construction combined with the VV1R’s spoke design matches the modern, sharp design of the CT5-V Blackwing, and the satin bronze we chose complements the Summit White paint.

But we didn’t pick the Forgeline VV1R wheels just for looks. Even though we’re more than pleased with the upgrade in styling, we’re looking for a CT5-V Blackwing that performs better than stock. The wheels measure 20×10.5 in the front and 20×12.0 in the rear, which is a big step up from the stock 19×10 and 19×11 sizes. Going to a 20-inch diameter wheel from a 19-inch wheel gives us a lower profile tire for improved steering response, and the wider barrels allow us to run wider tires for improved traction.

But more metal means more weight, right? Well, not quite. The Forgeline VV1R wheels weigh the same as the stock wheels, even though they are wider and bigger in diameter. The raw forgings are sourced here in the USA and weigh approximately 140 pounds before they enter the CNC machines, eventually being cut down to a final product that weighs less than 30 pounds each. This can be attributed to the monoblock 6061-T6 aluminum forging Forgeline uses and their computer-simulated FEA design process, which produces a wheel that is lightweight, stiff, and has excellent fatigue strength. The Forgeline VV1R is engineered with a 2100-plus-pound load rating to handle serious motorsport applications. The result is a wheel made for hardcore track use that can also be used on the street.

Each Forgeline monoblock wheel starts out as a 6061-T6 aluminum forging.

Extreme Contact To The Pavement

To match the aggressive stance and performance potential of the new Forgeline wheels, this CT5-V Blackwing needed a serious upgrade in tire performance. The factory rubber wasn’t going to cut it with the added grip demands, larger diameter, and wider wheel setup. We opted for a set of Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02 tires sized at 285/30ZR20 up front and a supercar massive 335/25ZR20 in the rear. That’s a full 10 millimeters wider up front and 30 millimeters wider out back compared to the factory setup, giving the car a much broader contact patch and more confidence under hard acceleration and aggressive cornering.

Continental’s ExtremeContact Sport 02 is their latest entry into the ultra-high-performance category, engineered to deliver exceptional performance on both the street and track. Built to rival the ever-popular Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, this tire is loaded with Continental’s SportPlus Technology, offering razor-sharp handling, improved wet-weather grip, and impressive tread life. With 668 horsepower on tap, the Blackwing demands a tire that can hold its own in any condition: dry tarmac, pouring rain, or even a last-minute grocery run. The ExtremeContact Sport 02 delivers on all fronts, providing reliable power without compromising comfort or control.

The Fitment Factor

Selecting the right wheels and tires is one of the most critical stages of any performance build, and on a modern performance car like the CT5-V Blackwing, there’s zero room for compromise. The wheels must do more than look good, even though Forgeline makes creating attractive wheels look effortless. They need to work in harmony with the chassis, suspension, and braking system to enhance overall capability. For this project, we sought a setup that delivers a commanding stance without compromising clearance, geometry, or drivability for everyday errands.

I think what makes the VV1R such a great choice for so many applications is that it combines distinctive styling with a 2100 lb. load rating. So it checks all the boxes; it looks great and can handle even serious motorsport applications. And it’s custom made-to-order to an exact vehicle-specific fitment and finished in a very high-quality customer-specified powder coat. — John Comeskey, Forgeline Motorsports —

That means no excessive poke beyond the fender line, no interference with the Blackwing’s massive Brembo calipers, and no rubbing under load or during tight cornering on the suspension or inner wheelwells. The goal was to find the sweet spot where aesthetic appeal meets mechanical precision. Wheels and tires that not only sharpen handling and increase grip, but also maintain full functionality under aggressive driving conditions. Going from the stock 275mm wide front tires to 285mm and adding more than a full inch of tread width by going to a 335 mm-wide Continental tire over the 305mm stockers. This isn’t just about filling the wheel wells; it’s about elevating every aspect of the Blackwing’s road and track performance without introducing compromises.

Forgeline uses and their computer-simulated FEA design process to produce a wheel that is lightweight, stiff, and has excellent fatigue strength.

When Forgeline works with a customer on their needs and desires, they keep these fitment hurdles in mind. What good is a high-end, strong, and lightweight wheel if it can’t clear the calipers or suspension? Anyone can take a tire as wide as a steamroller and poorly cram it under a car, but making that car not only function as good as it did stock, but better, takes engineering and expertise that only companies like Forgeline can accomplish.

The CT5-V Blackwing isn’t just the last of GM’s gas-burning monsters; it’s the high-water mark for American performance sedans. It blends old-school horsepower with modern tech and refinement in a way few cars ever have. But even with all that engineering brilliance straight from GM, there’s always room to fine-tune greatness. With the addition of motorsport-grade Forgeline VV1R wheels and Continental’s cutting-edge ExtremeContact Sport 02 tires, this Blackwing now has the grip, feedback, and aggressive stance to match its supercharged punch.

The CT5-V Blackwing comes with massive Brembo calipers that not any off-the-shelf wheel can clear.

This isn’t just a luxury sedan with big power, it’s a precision instrument that rewards the driver, whether you’re carving corners or lighting up the freeway. Every mod here was chosen with purpose: lighter wheels for quicker response, wider rubber for more traction, and a look that sets it apart from every other Caddy on the road. The result is a machine that honors the V-Series legacy while pushing it even further.