Most drag races we recently covered involved a muscle car of some sort, either old or new, and it usually faced rides from different classes. However, it's not time to take a look at two premium models that engaged in a good old quarter-mile battle.
The contenders were the Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400 and the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing. We know what you are probably thinking, that the latter holds the higher ground in this case, as it boasts more power and is way quicker in a straight-line sprint. However, the former has been tuned to the teeth, and it is punchier.
Without any outside intervention, the Q50 Red Sport 400's powertrain produces 400 hp (406 ps/299 kW) and 350 lb-ft (375 Nm) of torque. The twin-turbo 3.0L V6 engine allows the sports sedan to accelerate to sixty mph (97 kph) in 4.5 seconds from zero. Thus, it pales compared to its ad-hoc rival from Cadillac, the larger CT5-V Blackwing. Or does it?
As mentioned above, this Infiniti has received a lot of extra elbow grease to the point where it can challenge some previous-gen blue-blooded models to a straight-line battle. It currently unleashes no fewer than 760 hp (771 ps/567 kW) and 600 pound-foot (813 Nm) of torque. That's at the wheels, not at the crank, which is why it has become a serious dragster dressed as a premium compact sports sedan.
Photo: Screenshot Youtube | Dank_Q
You can tell where this is going, right? First, let's mention that the video embedded below, which was filmed using an action camera attached to the Q50 Red Sport 400's trunk lid, was recorded a few months back in Crofton, MD, at the Capitol Raceway. Thus, it may have had a bit less oomph back then than its current self.
Second, the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing was reportedly bone-stock. Nevertheless, it still enjoys a massive 668 hp (678 ps/498 kW) and 659 pound-feet (893 Nm) of torque at the crank. Under the hood rests a 6.2L supercharged V8 motor that lets it accelerate to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds with the manual gearbox or 3.4 seconds with the ten-speed auto.
To make the run more exciting, the Infiniti's driver lifted off the throttle at the 1/8-mile mark, allowing the Caddy to catch up. But was that enough to make the supposedly stock CT5-V Blackwing prevail over the tuned Q50 Red Sport 400? The answer lies in the video down below, and since it is just a little over one minute long, you won't have to take a short break to watch it.
So, which one do you think crossed the finish line first? Now, head on down and click the play button to see if you've nailed it.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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