Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing vs BMW M3

For six generations, the BMW M3 sedan has long exemplified everyday-friendly high-performance, and for 2025, its current G80 generation possesses a handful of exterior and tech mid-cycle updates to keep the formula fresh. It’s what brand enthusiasts refer to as the LCI model, or life-cycle impulse.

Since 2021, the M3 been offered in either standard or Competition trims, xDrive all-wheel drive (AWD) or rear-wheel drive (RWD), and with either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission. The Bavarian brand maintains its inline-six engine layout, a cornerstone of its history. There’s no hybrid assistance to be found; just two mono-scroll turbochargers to help produce thrilling acceleration all over the rev band.

Verdict: There are few purpose-built-yet-all-purpose vehicles on the road that offer the same thrills as BMW’s most iconic four-door performance badge.

The 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing is a fully modern performance-luxury sedan that undercuts the import cars that have long defined the segment.

In the modern car market, you can seemingly have it all. An efficient SUV that also corners like a sports car? Got it. A luxury pickup with massaging seats and tons of towing capacity? Done. But this cake-and-eat-it-too philosophy may have started with the performance-luxury sedan. A low-slung saloon that can carry five passengers but also negotiate sharp corners and deliver blistering acceleration. This concept may have started with brands like BMW, but others have gotten in on the fun, and the 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing is proof that General Motors understood the assignment.

The Blackwing name is now the highest performance tier for Cadillac, and that’s what the brand does best. Though its luxury credentials are lacking compared to segment-defining cars like the BMW M3, the handling and acceleration exhibited by the CT4-V Blackwing outweigh any shortcomings. But is the trade-off the right mix for you? Read on to find out.