1000hp Hennesssy Caddy is 'Hercules in a tuxedo'
Hennessey says its 'H1000' Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is 'the fastest combustion-only luxury sedan on the planet'
It’s amazing what titbits you pick up in a day. I did not know, for instance, that the derivation of the word tuxedo comes from Tuxedo Park, which was a country club in New York where the ‘tux’ was first worn in the late 1800s. And I also didn’t know, until this morning, that a car could wear a Tuxedo – but according to Hennessey it can. It’s just launched the Hennessey ‘H1000’ Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, which, it says, is ‘Hercules in a Tuxedo’.
You can see where it's coming from. Hennessey claims its black-tie-wearing Caddy’s ‘power output and acceleration performance crush its Audi, Bentley, BMW, and Porsche competitors,’ so let’s examine that claim. It’s 6.2-litre GM LT4 V8 is said to have been ramped up to 1,000hp and 966lb ft of the good stuff, so it’s certainly looking like a claim that stands up to scrutiny. That’s helped by the fact that BMW currently doesn’t have skin in the game – the M5 being out of production for now – and the Audi RS6’s 630hp and 627lb ft look a tad puny in comparison.
The RS6 also does do 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds according to the website, while Hennessey says its H1000 upgrade shaves a second of the factory Blackwing’s 3.5 second sprint to 60mph. And even though that’s a 0-60mph time (not 0-62mph), it’s still going to be quicker than the Audi if that’s true. Faster, too, with Hennessey muting a top speed of 205mph. Bentley reckons the Flying Spur Speed W12 does 207mph, but it’s still down on all the other metrics and about to be pensioned off.
The Hennessey team’s created ‘Hercules’ by upgrading the stock Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing with ‘ported cylinder heads, enhanced intake and exhaust valves, improved lifters and pushrods, oversized heat exchangers, and long-tube stainless steel headers.’ For good measure it’s also fitted with a ‘high-flow supercharger’ in place of the standard blower and the uploaded the ‘Hennessey Engine Management Calibration’ that presumably fires not far in twice the amount of fuel during each compression stroke.
Oddly, there’s been nothing done to the brakes or chassis, but that’s because Hennessey implies that Cadillac’s own enhancements on that front – adaptive Magnetic Ride Control and Brembo brakes – are all up to the task. It’s left the standard configurable driving modes and integrated data recorder as well.
The H1000 comes with a two-year or 24,000-mile warranty, and cars will be going into production in August 2023. John Hennessey, the company’s founder and CEO, said: ‘Cadillac’s CT5-V Blackwing, fitted with GM’s supercharged LT4, was a natural candidate for our EXORCIST upgrade as it improves power considerably without affecting drivability. Resurrected as an ‘H1000’, the four-door Cadillac is the fastest combustion-only luxury sedan on the planet. It is a rare high-water mark in a segment that will vanish by the decade's end.’
"Oddly, there’s been nothing done to the brakes or chassis, but that’s because Hennessey implies that Cadillac’s own enhancements on that front – adaptive Magnetic Ride Control and Brembo brakes – are all up to the task. It’s left the standard configurable driving modes and integrated data recorder as well"
Audi tuners have been doing the same with the RS6 for several years and with 2.2 lires less of capacity. Unlike the Caddy, the RS6 will also get rounds corners, stop, is an estate and looks better. The fact that Hennessy is incorp'd into a "production car" is both a gimic and admission that Caddy can't / won't do it themselves.
But hey, gone are the days of the blue rinse caddys.
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