Any suggestions for performance exhaust upgrades on the CT5-V Blackwing?

Question

I honestly thought the Blackwing was gonna be louder stock but man its kinda disappointing when youre really on it. I just picked mine up three weeks ago here in Austin and i love the car to death but it just sounds too refined if that makes sense? I came from a straight piped C7 Z06 so maybe my ears are just ruined but i need more growl. Its like GM spent all this time making a 668 horsepower monster and then muffled the soul out of it so it wouldn't upset the neighbors.

I've been looking around online for the last few days and honestly im just getting more frustrated the more i read. I saw the Borla stuff and everyone says the ATAK is the way to go but then i saw a video where it sounded super raspy and high pitched which isnt really what im looking for. I want that deep muscle car thud not a screaming weed wacker. Then i looked at the Corsa cat-back and people say it has zero drone which is great because i do a lot of highway driving to get out to the hill country but some guys on the other forum were saying the fitment is a nightmare on the Blackwings and you have to hack up the heat shields. For a car this expensive i really dont want to be hacking anything.

My budget is around $4,000 all in including install and i really need to get this sorted by late September because im taking it to COTA for a track day and i want to actually hear the downshifts over the wind noise.

Does anyone know if these aftermarket kits actually keep the factory valve functionality?

Is it worth just doing an X-pipe and keeping the stock mufflers or is that a waste of time?

Are there any smaller shops doing custom work that isnt gonna throw a CEL or mess with the warranty?

I just dont want to spend 4 grand and end up with a car that drones at 70mph or sounds like a tin can. Its a $100k car it should sound like one right? Anyone actually running one of these setups yet or are we all just waiting for more options to come out...

jfeynzrmlg · Accepted Answer

Ive been through a few setups on these platforms and honestly, if you want to keep the factory valve logic, you gotta be careful. My buddy and I put the AWE SwitchPath Exhaust for Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing on mine a few months back and it definitely keeps that deep V8 rumble without turning into a raspy mess at high RPMs. It plugs right into the factory actuators so you dont lose the stealth mode for the neighbors. Quick tip... dont bother with just an X-pipe. It adds some volume but doesnt really fix the tone. Also, make sure whatever you buy has direct actuator mounts so you dont throw a code. The AWE SwitchPath Exhaust for Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing handles all that and fits under the heat shields perfectly without any hacking. It stays within your budget and sounds like a proper muscle car.

pjweuxxwiw · Answer

Totally agree with the guy who mentioned the AWE SwitchPath Exhaust for Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing! That setup is honestly amazing and sounds like what you are actually looking for. I looked at a few options before pulling the trigger on mine and heres how they stack up for real world use:

AWE SwitchPath Exhaust for Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing: Best bang for buck. No CEL, keeps the factory valve control perfect, and the fitment is spot on. Its safe and wont mess with your warranty stuff since its a straight bolt-on.

Borla ATAK Cat-Back Exhaust System for CT5-V Blackwing: Way louder but also way more expensive. Personally I think it gets a bit too tinny at high RPMs compared to the deep thud of the AWE.

Corsa Performance Variable Sound Cat-Back for CT5-V Blackwing: Like you said, the fitment is a gamble. I wouldnt risk hacking heat shields on a Blackwing... thats just asking for heat soak or fire issues when you are pushing it at COTA. Seriously, just go AWE and save the extra cash for track tires!

GlomzibboDit · Answer

> Is it worth just doing an X-pipe and keeping the stock mufflers or is that a waste of time? Just catching up on this thread. I actually went down that road about six months ago because I was worried about drone. I started with a mid-section swap while keeping the rest stock. Honestly? It was a letdown. You get maybe ten percent more volume but it doesnt fix that muffled feeling you are describing. My current setup is much more aggressive, but I learned the hard way about the valve actuators. If you go with a kit that uses the factory motors, make sure the internal plates align perfectly. I had a situation where the motor would bind because the plate was slightly off-center. It threw a code and put my Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing into a soft limp mode during a hot lap. Be very cautious about any kit requiring you to hack the heat shields... they are there for a reason. I would suggest checking every clearance point twice before you finish the install.