Best Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Exhaust: 2022-2025 Guide

The best Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing exhaust is a stainless cat-back or long-tube header system that frees up the hand-built 6.2L supercharged LT4 V8, sharpens its throttle response, and unlocks the aggressive character its factory muffling holds back — all while keeping the car’s active exhaust valves and drive modes working exactly as GM intended. The 2022–2025 CT5-V Blackwing makes 668 horsepower and 659 lb-ft of torque, hits 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, and tops out beyond 200 mph, making it the most powerful and fastest Cadillac ever built — and one of the last great manual-transmission super-sedans. At our Tampa, Florida shop we get asked constantly which exhaust to run on the Blackwing, so we pulled together the four systems worth your money, with real specs, sound behavior, power numbers, and legality laid out side by side.

Why Upgrade the CT5-V Blackwing Exhaust?

An aftermarket exhaust on the CT5-V Blackwing does three things: it lets the supercharged LT4 breathe more freely on the top end, it wakes up a sound the factory system deliberately keeps polite, and it can shave weight from the rear of the car. From the factory, the Blackwing already ships with a performance active exhaust — an electronically controlled valved system with quad tips tied to the Stealth, Tour, Sport, and Track drive modes. That’s a good starting point, which is exactly why the systems worth buying are the ones that keep those factory valves and drive modes rather than defeating them.

Set expectations correctly on power. A high-quality cat-back like the AWE SwitchPath is worth about +11 horsepower and +3 lb-ft at the wheels — meaningful, but the cat-back’s real job is sound, weight, and drivability. The serious power lives further upstream: swapping the restrictive factory manifolds for 1-7/8-inch long-tube headers with high-flow cats is the single biggest bolt-on gain for the LT4, with dyno figures commonly cited in the 70–90 rear-wheel-horsepower range once paired with a supporting tune. Below, we break down which system fits which goal.

Best CT5-V Blackwing Exhaust Systems Compared

Here are the four CT5-V Blackwing exhaust systems we stock and recommend, ranked by how most Blackwing owners actually shop — balancing sound, power, legality, and price. All four are built from 304 stainless steel and retain the factory active-exhaust valves and drive modes. The Kooks header kit is the only one that is not 50-state legal.

*Kooks long-tube header power gains are dyno estimates from published retailer testing and depend on cats, tune, and supporting mods; treat as approximate. A supporting calibration is recommended.

AWE Tuning SwitchPath Cat-Back (Top Pick)

The AWE Tuning SwitchPath is a dual 3-inch valved cat-back that gives the Blackwing two distinct exhaust personalities. Built from .065-inch-wall T304L stainless steel with CNC mandrel bends, it uses AWE’s bespoke X-pipe and bullet-style resonators to eliminate the raspy, boomy frequencies that plague cheaper systems. With the valves closed it is refined and near-stock quiet inside the cabin with no highway drone; open the valves and you get a clean, powerful, unmistakably supercharged howl. Crucially, it retains the factory valve motors, so all four drive modes still control the sound, and AWE backs it with a “No CEL” guarantee. It is worth roughly +11 hp and +3 lb-ft at the wheels, and because it keeps the catalytic converters it is emissions-friendly in all 50 states.

Kooks Long-Tube Headers (Maximum Power)

If you want the biggest gain the LT4 will give up on bolt-ons, headers are the answer. The Kooks kit replaces the restrictive cast factory manifolds with 1-7/8-inch equal-length long-tube primaries (part number 2313F432), merged into collectors and TIG-welded to 3/8-inch laser-cut flanges in T304 stainless. The included GREEN connection pipes carry high-flow 400-cell metallic-substrate catalytic converters and bolt to the factory mid-pipe, so you keep a catted, street-usable configuration. Published retailer dyno results point to gains in the neighborhood of 70–90 rear-wheel horsepower and 80–110 lb-ft once tuned — the single most transformative bolt-on for the supercharged 6.2L. The trade-off: because long-tube headers relocate the factory close-coupled cats, the kit is federally compliant but not CARB-certified, which makes it illegal for street use in California and other CARB states.

Stainless Works Cat-Back (Best Value Full System)

The Stainless Works cat-back is the value play for owners who want a complete, free-flowing 3-inch system without header-level cost or legality concerns. It is a full 304 stainless steel cat-back with an X-pipe and high-flow mufflers, and it will bolt to either the factory manifolds or a Stainless Works header if you add one later. Like our top pick, it retains the factory active-exhaust valves and all four drive modes and is engineered so it will not throw a DTC or check-engine light. It finishes in quad 4.5-inch slash-cut tips in polished stainless or black chrome, and it is backed by a limited lifetime warranty. At $2,565.61 it undercuts the AWE system while still delivering a full-system sound upgrade.

Stainless Works Axle-Back (Easiest Install)

The Stainless Works axle-back is the smart entry point: it replaces only the rear-most section behind the axle, cutting and clamping into the factory system while retaining the OEM mid-pipes and cats. That makes it the easiest and cheapest way to change the Blackwing’s sound, and because it is a 3-inch high-flow 304 stainless section it opens up the note without touching emissions hardware — fully 50-state legal. It keeps the active valves and drive modes, ships install-ready, and comes in polished or the black chrome quad tips shown here. Expect a more present, aggressive tone at wide-open throttle with civilized cruising manners. It is sound, not power — but for many owners that is exactly the point.

Axle-Back vs Cat-Back vs Headers: Which Should You Choose?

The right choice comes down to your goal and your state. An axle-back changes only the sound for the least money and the simplest install — the Stainless Works axle-back at $2,211.61 is the pick if you just want more Blackwing character. A cat-back replaces everything from the cats back for a fuller, deeper note and a small breathing gain; the valved AWE SwitchPath at $2,995.00 is the best all-around choice because it adds a genuine quiet mode on top of that. Long-tube headers are the only path to serious power — the Kooks kit’s claimed 70–90 rwhp dwarfs any cat-back — but they cost the most, demand a tune, and forfeit California street legality. If you live in a CARB state and want it street-legal, stop at the AWE or Stainless Works systems.

One more upgrade pairs naturally with any of these: because the Blackwing rides fairly tall from the factory, a set of Eibach Pro-Kit lowering springs drops it roughly 0.7 inches front and rear, tightens body roll, and is engineered to work with the car’s factory Magnetic Ride Control dampers — a clean handling and stance complement to your new exhaust. Browse our full exhaust collection for more options across the Cadillac V-Series lineup.

Installation, Fitment & What Else You Need

Install difficulty scales with the system. An axle-back is a driveway job for most enthusiasts — typically a 1–2 hour bolt-on and cut-and-clamp with basic hand tools and a couple of jack stands. A full cat-back takes longer because you are dropping the entire section from the cats back and re-hanging it, usually 2–4 hours on a lift. Long-tube headers are the deep end: expect the better part of a day, because the LT4’s manifolds sit tight against the chassis, and you should budget for a supporting tune afterward so the ECU accounts for the improved flow. All four systems here retain the factory active-exhaust valve harness and drive modes, so there is no valve-delete wiring to fuss with. If you would rather not do it yourself, our Tampa, FL team can point you to trusted local installers. Confirm your exact fitment before ordering: the AWE and Stainless Works systems cover 2022–2025 (and up), while the Kooks header kit is listed for 2022–2023.