The Last Manual V8 Sedan: Why I'm Obsessed with This 900HP Cadillac CT5-V | Jay Leno's Garage

[00:11] I mean, I just get in so much trouble. >> Yeah, it goes 200 miles an hour. >> Yeah, I mean, a couple seconds and it could be yeah. >> [laughter] >> There we go.

[00:30] that's too good. An embarrassment of riches.

[00:42] Garage, the car we're featuring one of my favorites, the Cadillac CT5-V. Uh, this one has been modified by a gentleman you might know. He has a website called Vehicle Virgins, hugely popular. Uh, more popular than ours,

[00:56] actually. I'm going to try and fix that if I can. Parker, come on in. >> and this is your personal car. >> It is, yeah. My daily driver. >> this, from the factory,

[01:08] this had the same engine as my last generation ZR1 Corvette, 668 horsepower. Essentially, a four-seater Corvette, which is what I love about it. Uh, you've modified it. What have you done? >> So, I put a Magnuson 2650 supercharger

[01:25] >> Yeah. >> So, it's a 2.6 L blower. We've got full, in California, and a tune. It makes about 750 to the wheels, which, give or about 750 to the wheels, which, give or take, is about 850 to 900 crank

[01:39] >> So, it didn't need more power, but it's it's a lot more fun. You'll see. >> need more power. You always need more power. And now, it's one of the few cars you can get with a manual transmission. Most of the European exotics, you can't

[01:51] even get a manual transmission. Exactly. So, here you get the real fun and involvement of driving with real handling and real performance. You You know, the days of putting just the racing stripes and the fancy wheels and

[02:03] calling it GT. I mean, we're so far past that. And Cadillac, I think, is one of the few automobile companies that's managed to move their demo downward because people buy these as performance cars. You can still get a a luxury

[02:17] Cadillac if if you want, but to me, this is really the way to go. I mean, it's a nice size, it carries four people. This is what the English used to call a Q-ship. It looks like it looks unassuming unless you know

[02:31] exactly what it is, you know? I think it's an underrated car. You know, a lot of Europeans don't want to compare it to the BMW the M series, but more horsepower, it's faster, bigger more I mean, it's

[02:45] I I think it's a worthwhile competitor to that. Don't you? I think it's an American BMW. And the fact that it's a Cadillac just makes me what Cadillac used to be, you know, the guy with the cigar, the golf course, and

[02:58] brought you to this brand? I mean, you Lamborghinis and all that. I mean, I'm I'm curious. >> Well, you're not wrong on that. So, I was a and still am a big BMW, Mercedes,

[03:11] European car guy. And I had a 2001 E39 M5 as a daily for a long time. actually. Similar curb weight, V8, manual. And speaking about the age

[03:23] demographics, Cadillac as a brand wasn't really on my radar. And then they come out with a car that's almost more of an M5 than BMW's own M5. >> So, this car actually is a second faster than the M5 CS around Virginia

[03:36] International Raceway. So, a lot of people view this as a luxury car that can do burnouts, but they they came in and made it a real track performance >> Yeah, it really is. You know, they always see these SUVs, they pretend

[03:48] they're performance cars, but this really is a performance car. don't give up anything. Uh you know, and the fact that it's a four-door, it's it's funny cuz when I was a kid, the two-door was always the optimal one to have, and the

[04:01] four-door was kind of the your grandparents' car. But, young people more practical. That It doesn't make any difference to them. It's just so funny how that changes. >> I mean, I love I have some two-door cars

[04:13] and a place for those, but I want to kind of the most exciting daily driver >> Right. >> And the car prior to this was a Tesla great point A to point B car, but

[04:26] a whole 'nother experience. F1. That's going >> Yeah, me, too. there'll be some rough patches the first

[04:38] >> But, uh yeah, if they don't underestimate GM, they They really are look at >> You know, it's so funny, Mark Reuss, who's the president, it's like every weekend he's at the Nürburgring. He's

[04:51] He's going He I mean, he drove the new Corvette at 233 mph. Imagine any of the Can you let the president go 233 mph? I mean, it It was unheard of, you know? So, it's it's fun to see real car guys at the helm of these American companies.

[05:06] brakes. What other performance options do we have? >> Yeah, so these are carbon ceramics, which was an option on this car, which four-door sedan, but I've taken this to the racetrack a fair amount, and it

[05:19] slows down really well. No brake fade cuz of the carbon ceramics. I mean, the car sounds good from the factory. It's actually pretty loud for considering today's emission standards, but with the full headers, it it's very very loud.

[05:32] >> There you go. I mean, do those Do those discs glow red >> yeah. I mean, it's it's 4,000 lb, which today for a sedan is light, but it's 4,000 lb is still 4,000 lb.

[05:45] >> Yeah, exactly. >> And with a lot more horsepower. >> It's hard to find fault with these, you know? I always like the English like to have hardly this and this and that, you know, but no, this is it's just great.

[05:59] those Are those factory wheels? >> They're not magnesium, are they? >> They're not, no. Recaros? >> Uh I actually don't know the answer to

[06:11] that. They're a factory uh sport bucket option. >> I like about them is it's the first uh bucket seats I've ever had that can massage you, have heated and ventilation, and they actually hold you

[06:23] in place on the track, and they're also comfortable on road trips. >> Me, too. >> Yeah, yeah. You know, I remember when I Ferrari Lusso and the whole back with that Ooh, it just It just just something

[06:37] made it look rich and expensive. >> 100% I completely agree with you. I >> What else we got? A little spoiler on the back a few performance >> So, we got uh Hoosier Track Attack Pro tires on the rear. With the stock tires,

[06:51] the OEM horsepower at 668 was about at the limit, so it needed some more rubber >> level, it's like it's still drivable. You can still floor it in second gear and and actually get some grip and go forward,

[07:05] certainly if you floor it in first with traction control off, it'll >> Yeah. Yeah, no, it's great. It is terrific. And you You got a real trunk. got kids? >> I don't, but I've done uh quite a lot of

[07:19] road trips with this thing. Um and it's yeah, it's comfortable. It It's got magnetorheological four, which is actually the fastest reacting suspension in the world. It does it every 1 ms, a thousandth of a second. And so, if

[07:32] you're driving to Vegas in comfort mode or tour mode, they call it, super easy, up, and then you can take it to the track. >> Can we open the hood? Let's see. >> Absolutely.

[07:46] Magnuson sells it as a kit for the Blackwing. It's a supercharger that they've put on other platforms. >> and they advertise it as for the >> Yeah, so prior to that, prior to my car, they had one that you could kind of

[08:00] adjustments. And then we worked together. I gave them my car for a month >> Oh, is that right? Oh, that's interesting. Okay. Was it supercharged displacement >> Okay, that's cuz I thought it was

[08:14] supercharged. Is this that much better? >> I think so. >> What is it, maybe about 30, 40 horsepower more? >> It's about 200 200 or 200 plus horsepower more.

[08:27] >> Really? Okay, wow. >> This actually is capable of 1,600 >> Right. >> not blow the motor, but yeah, that that >> not blow the motor, but yeah, that that that blower can do 1,600 at the wheels.

[08:40] days. And boy, they get it in there, don't they? I mean, you can't get a credit card between any of this. >> I mean, even to fill up the oil, it's in such a weird position there. You've got

[08:52] to use a funnel that's 10 ft long. So, they've maximized every inch of the work on. >> Uh that's a reservoir for the supercharger, but >> Everything fits, you know?

[09:05] The last 10 years of engineering is it's just great. All the problems they used to have with you know, gaskets and seals and I mean >> I mean, you can literally just drive this to O'Reilly's and get a bunch of

[09:20] stuff for it in a local shop. It's really not that complex to work on or >> Yeah. And boy, that looks like it belongs there, which obviously it does cuz it was developed for this motor. Obviously, you have no factory warranty

[09:33] >> So, the the kind of cool part is >> Yeah. if I had the supercharger and left it as it is, they can the ECU can actually adjust for the new supercharger

[09:45] and they've gotten it carb compliant and you can maintain your warranty. >> Yeah. >> threw that out the window. >> It's It's more fun this way. You'll You'll see.

[09:57] is our horsepower right now? >> Uh like 850. going for? >> Maybe a 1,050 to the wheels, which is about 1,200. >> And you can get a new Corvette that has

[10:10] >> I know. I'm trying to get that, the ZR1X.

[10:26] rocket ship. >> Yeah. So, you've done top end different? >> That's the next step is to add a cam and >> Right. >> So, right now I've kind of run out of

[10:40] fuel to throw at it on on 91. I do have Cook's headers on the car, so it's more >> Okay. >> New Era Performance tuned the car. And yeah, they put it on the dyno, made about 750 to the wheels

[10:56] on pump gas. So, once I get a new fueling setup and can run it on E85 blend or something like MS109, it'll really bump up the power. >> Now, do you keep it uh you keep the born stroke the same? I mean

[11:09] >> Yeah. Yeah. Same 6.2. >> you you you don't increase the >> No. You can make like 1,500 horsepower keeping the 6.2. >> You have to do heads and cams. >> What kind of compression ratio? Do you

[11:22] >> I don't think so. I want to say somewhere around 11 to 1, but I'd have >> I know. It's just don't want to grenade the motor. >> Yeah. I mean at what point horsepower wise does this overcome over just over

[11:37] saying? >> Right now it feels like the perfect amount to keep it how the car was built. I've taken it to still go through the canyons and I mean it gets to the next corner really fast,

[11:50] but it's still it feels like it was built to handle that level of power. I it's probably it'll be a missile in a straight line. >> So you go a little above that. Exactly.

[12:02] You get many tickets? >> Um, you know, I've got radar detectors in all my cars. Drive strategically. So not really. >> I like them. That's good. That's good. And shocks? Tell about Do you keep

[12:14] suspension everything? >> Yeah, so the suspension is 100% OEM. It's magneto rheological dampers that uses electric current that goes through a fluid that changes the

[12:27] >> viscosity of it. Yeah. >> They did such a good job with that. I I the way to go. >> it is. Yeah, it's just there's almost It's like the old days when you bought a car, first thing you do is replace the

[12:41] stereo with some fancy stereo. There were stereo shops all over LA. There aren't any anymore because OEMs are so good now. You're not going to get a aftermarket system that's better than a lot of the

[12:53] stuff now. Now initially I thought this was was the battery. It looks like a motorcycle size battery, but no, this is just the connect the battery I guess is in the trunk or in the back of me. Yeah, okay. Well, that makes sense. Good use

[13:05] of space here. God, they just get a lot of stuff in here, don't they? everything. >> seats. those massaging seats that are >> I don't know why.

[13:17] I do. I turn them on on the race track. >> they massage. That's why. Let's see. So cam is next and >> Yeah. Uh, it doesn't need pistons until until well above the power level that I'm

[13:30] >> Right. >> But cam and then port injection. Uh, >> Right. >> overhead cam or anything. Um, and then the big thing is that extra port injection. They stick a piece right here

[13:43] right underneath this to add extra fueling. And then uh the same time. >> getting too much gas mileage at this >> No, you we're at like nine and I'd like it to be four.

[13:56] now? >> Uh, 10. That's my only complaint really with this car. I love it, but they put a 16 >> Right. >> And it gets 10 miles to the gallon.

[14:08] That's 160 miles. People talk about electric cars having poor range. You >> But if you drove it normally >> Yeah, it can get 20. If you drive it you buy it new? >> so, yeah.

[14:22] wouldn't be. I thought they got like even Corvette, it's 24, you know. >> This doesn't. >> You're just getting too much gas mileage. Yeah, all right, very good. Well, cool. Let's uh

[14:36] Let's take it for a ride. >> Let's do it.

[14:50] >> Okay, how do I hit V mode with the V mode button?

[15:03] got it. >> I've got a 2012 CTS-V. came out. I said, "I'm going to get one right away cuz they're going to do away with the stick." But they haven't. >> I got to give GM huge props for in 2026

[15:17] still having a a manual >> Oh, yeah. I think it's great. traction control >> Right.

[15:32] >> Right. >> You can do anything from find hilarious, driving this thing in the snow. it's a camera. >> I know. It took me a little bit to get

[15:44] now. >> I feel like I'm watching one of those Jack Nicholson LS D movies from the you know from the '60s where wah-la-la-la. >> Yeah, I mean cuz you look in the rearview go, "What?"

[15:57] go to a normal mirror. >> Oh, okay. >> It's pretty clear until it starts raining and then it fogs up and you can't see anything. >> Yeah.

[16:10] >> Oh, yeah. So stupid. Hilarious. muscle cars are a complete package cuz there was a time in the '60s and it was

[16:22] just horsepower. You you go sideways and everybody took that for speed. The thing would lose control. You know, that kind of not You know, even that F1 McLaren. I up to 210. And I just nail it going second and

[16:37] third and I just start sliding sideways into the want to do anything too quick, you know." So, I just kind of get off the throttle a little bit and bring it around. But it was like No There's no

[16:51] >> Yeah, yeah. >> nothing. Nothing to save you there. It's >> Is the suspension pretty compliant on the F1? >> Yes, it's it's very good. It is very good. You have steel rotors. Carbon

[17:04] brakes yet. At least it wasn't and I'm sure it wasn't invented, but it just was not available. You You forget how old the car is. It's It's more than 30 years >> What year is yours? '94? >> Well, '94. Yeah, the

[17:17] >> Yeah. >> That's so hilarious. travel, then it has that extra right there.

[17:38] The best thing is the stiffness, just no >> You know, you In the old days, you got on the gas and whoa, you know, you're >> I think for electronic steering, it's pretty It has

[17:53] >> Yeah. >> All these cars are getting They want to make it too light and too easy to drive for the average, you know, client, but if you're really into cars, you want the feel and feedback.

[18:06] >> You know, there was a time right before the mid-50s, before power steering, before power, everything was nicely weighted. they're just nicely where you press the brake and it'd be very linear. The

[18:21] harder you push, the more braking you got, you know. Like even like my SLR has the electric kind of braking. You touch it, there's an initial nothing and then a grip. I mean, it's nothing you can measure. It's a measure of time. It's so

[18:33] infinitesimal, but just nothing happens the millisecond and then it happens. you're going 80, 90, you're going to fast. >> Yeah, I like that period in life. And they had to make the steering easy

[18:47] enough to turn, but enough so it felt substantial. It's just a interesting this car is they've kind of brought it back to the basics. I mean, it's just a a simple Tremec manual transmission, rear-wheel drive, big V8. I mean, that's

[19:04] 50, 60 years. >> And you know so funny, all the Europeans would make fun of the American V8 like the Corvette, but >> the center gravity is lower because you had the

[19:18] the block. >> And when you got four cams spinning up >> there's a gyroscopic effect you don't even realize until you drive a car that has it and you go, "Oh, that doesn't feel as stable as a Corvette would."

[19:31] >> And with the single cam and basically very simple V8 you can push >> bunch of mods. >> Yeah. >> harder to

[19:44] >> You know, but I always say the last days of old technology are better than the >> Yeah. >> And that's kind of true. We saw that just bulletproof. You're not going to break this motor.

[19:57] >> 100%. And one thing that's cool is it has no So, if you're in second you floor it, you don't even have to let off the accelerator. All you do is push in the clutch and put it in the third and it'll

[20:10] >> it'll keep flying, which is a weird sensation because it's not like you don't typically do that driving a manual car. First time it kind of scared me. >> It's kind of sad this is basically the last of its kind.

[20:24] >> Well, they're teasing they might do another Blackwing, which would be incredible, but it's the last V8 manual sedan you can buy. I feel like car companies are starting to realize people want the more old

[20:38] school simple formula, but is there actually enough consumers? Plenty of I'll buy it. I'll buy the manual." But are there enough actual people that want Cuz you're you're so protected about it cuz you got to like the Camaro the

[20:52] civilest way up here and the window looks like a slit and you know, but it's the thing you're just you're outside. >> Yeah, it's an easy car to drive for sure. >> And from here I feel like I'm in a BMW

[21:04] >> Yeah, yeah. >> I mean, you you're right there, yeah. It's really nice. And what does the top of the line black wing go for?

[21:18] >> You can make them a lot now. So, if you wanted a 2026, they have this curated program where you can kind of choose whatever colors on the inside and >> Right. >> You can spend 150 to 160.

[21:34] >> I mean, the the manual's free. It's a no cost option. why would you do that? >> Right. >> Right.

[21:46] >> that. Carbon ceramics are 10 grand. There are some expensive options. >> Yeah. What I do find nice is this color, They only charge 600 bucks. I feel like nowadays car companies go, "Oh, you want

[22:00] that color? It's $25,000." >> Yeah, I know. Yeah. >> Yeah, I did uh Lantana purple on my 600LT, which was a MSO color. >> And I think it was somewhere around 16 grand.

[22:15] >> Which is ridiculous. I I'm in the long run now, I'm happy. I love the color. >> But especially at the level of of hypercars, if you're paying 3 million an extra 20 grand >> I know. It's It makes

[22:29] >> Uh-huh. >> uh I bought it second hand. But the factory called got it back and was selling it. He said, "Is the compressor air conditioning?" "Oh, okay." And then he said, "How would you want

[22:41] it?" The guy he said, "Well, if you want good air conditioning, it's another 25 grand." I go, "Why would I want bad air? Why would I want >> Yeah, that's wild. >> He said, "Well, it doesn't work it when

[22:54] would want air conditioning. I mean, [laughter] it's it's a million dollar >> How long ago did you buy that? >> God. >> Long time ago. When I got it,

[23:10] it was 800,000. And I'm talking to a guy on the phone and he says, "We got one left." It's 800,000. That's what it cost new. He goes, "Well, we think they're going

[23:23] what, I'll call you back in 2 weeks. If you haven't sold it, I'll buy it." >> Mhm. >> I called back. "Is it sold?" He I goes, "No, but we had an interested party take No, I don't buy it." And so I'm so glad

[23:38] >> Yeah. No, that's a holy grail of a car. >> I'll tell you a funny story. I buy it. I get it here. I drive it up my street. As I'm coming up my street, three houses down from me, I see another

[23:52] >> "What?" So, I I pull over and I go up and ring And just like a movie, this woman, who looks like a model, wet. She goes, "Can I help you?" I said, "Oh, that that car was Who's car

[24:07] I said, "Yeah, I have one just like it." And she goes, "So?" So, you have I go, "Well, it's a very" she's soaking wet. She's standing there in a towel. Now, I just feel like an

[24:21] cuz I I know she lives there. I just felt like >> That's so funny. I pictured the guy coming out and freaking out. You guys riding off in the sunset together. >> The guy that bought it, Dan Kennedy,

[24:34] he had it like a short time. Then he called me and said, "A guy offered me a to make that kind of profit. I don't want to sell it, but I might as well profit. >> Yeah, yeah.

[24:46] >> Yeah, yeah. >> And that's 300,000 more than he paid.

[25:02] >> Yeah, it goes 200 miles an hour, so you definitely have >> It just feels You know, my complaint with American supercars for years as compared to Europe The European stuff was sophisticated. It whined. It made a

[25:16] a sound that didn't sound like it was going to come apart any minute, you >> It wasn't guttural. It was like like like like even the P1 >> Yeah. >> Every shift is like one of those

[25:30] What do you call them? Benihana shifts? You know, they're just they're just cutting the just like I mean, it was such a joy to drive. And this feels like that. I mean, it feels that tight. I love the way the engine revs.

[25:43] I know it's only revving at 65, but it feels like it's higher than that. >> Yeah. >> You know, it's just well put together. >> You know, it's just well put together. It's really impressive.

[25:58] the power band is pretty linear because of the supercharger. It's not doesn't have twin turbos and really peak torque or anything like that. The steering and when it starts to lose traction, it's predictable. It's a

[26:10] >> And the fact that they can If this was a European sedan, it would be 250 or 300. It'd be three and a quarter easy easy. Even the regular Corvette, I mean, I have that ZR1 X coming. And for 200 and like 40,000 with every

[26:27] option It Yes, it's crazy amount of money. But it's less than the sales tax on some European exotic. >> Well, I mean, it's it's more horsepower than the new Ferrari F80 or the W1.

[26:41] >> And it's 10 times less more than 10 times less. And faster. Yeah. I mean, the fact that they can build it in an American shop paying a union wage

[26:53] >> It's pretty impressive. >> Yeah, it's a testament to the >> Yeah, it's a testament to the engineering and journey could be pretty fruitful. >> Yeah, I think it will do. It just kind

[27:08] of makes me sad it's going to F1 racing people wearing Cadillac jackets, you to see. >> Yeah, I mean it's great. could You could be a married guy with two kids and a young wife and you could

[27:23] >> 100%. >> Until you put You know, it's kind of like the the big motorcycle like the Kawasakis and Suzukis. They're 200 and them like scooters, they're fine. They just go around town. They're not noisy.

[27:39] >> You know, then you get on it and you go, "Oh my god." Like this is the most docile, you know. I I mean, I remember the old days when when you bought a Hemi, it came with a 90-day warranty and that was it.

[27:51] >> The warranty was 90 days on the Hemi. And if they knew you went to a drag strip, your Hemi was your your your your warranty was void. >> If you raced it or abused it, yeah. Now, they say, "Come on there, try and break

[28:04] >> All right, so if having driven this car, >> Mhm. Probably, right? >> No, you know, I'm not good enough to do what this is capable of the doing. I remember one day I I ride motorcycles,

[28:18] I remember one day I I ride motorcycles, too. And I was up at the RockStore and [snorts] some famous flat track guy came up there. And he's driving one of the dealers at a bone stock 883 Harley, which is what, 58 horsepower? Something

[28:33] >> And he goes up to the canyons and he's literally slamming the hand The handlebars are hitting the ground. He's He's leaning so far over and he's beating Kawasakis and guys in, you know, tricked Suzukis that have got 200 and

[28:48] >> 100% it's It's fun to have a lot of horsepower and I enjoy using it all. But I'm not good enough to get it to do what it can what what it's capable of

[29:02] what it can what what it's capable of doing. own personal limits and making sure you stay below it. Cuz when you start >> when you're not a professional training every day and whatnot, that's when you

[29:18] >> Yeah, yeah, I get you. >> do something silly. think they're good at it. Until you talk to women they go, "No, Until you talk to women they go, "No, that's that's not what that could do."

[29:35] jail. >> Yeah, I mean, a couple seconds and it could be yeah, >> You know, one of my favorite cars I've got a '63 Porsche Carrera GT uh GT. >> Yep, awesome car.

[29:49] >> and the fun part of that is you put your foot in it and you can see you put your foot in it and you can see the tach go 4 5 6 7 7. You can enjoy the wait, wait, wait." >> Sure. Wait, why am I in jail? Why am I

[30:03] >> Sure. Wait, why am I in jail? Why am I in handcuffs? What happened? What did >> When you realize this is a faster car around Nürburgring limit for a GT.

[30:16] is. >> Yeah, it's an unbelievable how technology has advanced so much. I drove the Temerario, the new Lamborghini, recently and then back-to-back with a 918 Spyder.

[30:29] >> And and it's faster than a 918 Spyder. And it's, you know, seven times less expensive. It's just technology has advanced. The 918 is more technology has advanced. The 918 is more fun and engaging, but

[30:50] An embarrassment of riches. >> For a car you can drive everyday, it's >> Yeah. It used to be in the old days the penalty you paid for that kind of performance was unreliability and

[31:03] overheating and frequent oil changes and it's I you're just all these things and it's I you're just all these things and they don't exist anymore.

[31:16] too fast. The thing that's most impressive cuz horsepower is is always been around. Cars have always been fast. It's just Cars have always been fast. It's just the way it feels so tight and as

[31:30] just a you know just it's like a solid billet. You just the car the car out of the solid billet. >> It almost feels in a way like a >> It almost feels in a way like a bigger 997 Porsche. Like the 997

[31:42] generation has such nice steering and the manual transmission. the manual transmission. >> There we go.

[31:58] >> No. But no nobody really needs a V8 to >> That's right. >> I I think they did a great job. Pretty much does everything I want it to for for a daily driver and I think

[32:12] it is really the last of this era. There aren't going to be more V8 manual cars. >> Well, you say that but you know they said that when mine came out in 12. same thing. >> Yeah.

[32:25] >> So I mean it it's good to know progress is is good. You know people talk about the 60s the golden age. This is the golden age. Right now you've got not only power but handling, reliability, and warranties. I mean things you didn't

[32:39] have at all well Parker thank you very much Parker this is a great car I am very impressed I I I have a 2012 version of this the first one with the 6-speed and I love it and

[32:53] makes me laugh this is the end of an era that was the end of the era and the fact that it's even gotten better since that is very impressive thank you my friend I you've got >> kind of everything so I wasn't sure

[33:06] >> I think this is great it's a four-door it's a four-door Porsche you call it whatever you want but and I think it probably is faster than the 918 don't you think >> not

[33:18] >> not quite we can pretend we can pretend well we have fun pretending see you guys well we have fun pretending see you guys next week