A new video from Hennessey Performance showcases its new HPE1000 upgrade for the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing. The super sedan from the Texas tuner was announced back in June, and production is now underway. To demonstrate its performance prowess, Hennessey lined up the sedan against a stock Chevrolet Corvette Z06 for a series of drag races.
The Corvette Z06 is no slouch with its naturally aspirated 5.5-liter V8 engine. The powertrain produces 670 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, propelling the mid-engine supercar to 60 miles per hour in 2.6 seconds. Those are impressive numbers, but they are diminished by Hennessey’s H1000 upgrade package to the Cadillac.
Gallery: Hennessey H1000 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
The CT5-V Blackwing typically tiptoes just under the Z06. The sedan’s supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine makes 668 hp and 659 lb-ft of torque from the factory, but the tuner’s upgrade kit cranks the car’s output to 1,000 hp and 966 lb-ft of twist.
It should come as no surprise the Corvette lost both races. The Cadillac easily pulled away from the Chevy in both bouts even though the sedan weighs more – 4,123 pounds to 3,686 lbs.
The Cadillac’s engine received numerous upgrades from Hennessey. The aftermarket specialist added ported cylinder heads and an HPE camshaft. It also installed new valves, lifters, and pushrods, plopping a larger supercharger on top.
The upgrade kit includes a high-flow air intake, larger heat exchangers, and long-tube stainless-steel headers. Hennessey gets all the upgrades working together with its engine management software.
According to the tuner, the upgrades allow the Cadillac to reach 60 mph in 2.5 seconds, 0.1 seconds quicker than the Corvette and a full second better than the stock CT5-V Blackwing. The tuned family car can crush the quarter-mile in a claimed 10.1 seconds while on its way to a 205-mph top speed.
Cadillac recently updated the CT5 sedan for the 2025 model year, giving it a subtle styling update without changing the powertrains. Customers can select the standard turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 237 hp or the 335-hp twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6. Details about the updated CT5-V and CT5-V will arrive later, which should receive a similar level of revision.
Hennessey didn’t disclose the package’s price during the announcement in June. The CT5-V Blackwing starts at$93,390 (price includes the $1,395 destination charge), and the upgrade likely pushes the car over the six-figure mark. The kit comes with a two-year, 24,000-mile warranty, too.
