Best Exhaust for the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing (2022-2025)

The best exhaust for the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is the one that matches how you drive — and on a car with a supercharged 6.2L LT4 V8 making 668 horsepower and 659 lb-ft of torque, that decision matters more than on almost any other sedan on sale. A CT5-V Blackwing exhaust upgrade can do anything from waking up the supercharger whine on an axle-back, to freeing up real horsepower with a full set of long-tube headers and high-flow cats. In this guide we compare the five best exhaust systems for the 2022–2025 CT5-V Blackwing — from Kooks, AWE Tuning, and Stainless Works — by system type, sound, power potential, and price, so you can pick the right one the first time.

Why the CT5-V Blackwing Deserves a Real Exhaust Upgrade

The 2022–2025 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is the most powerful production Cadillac ever built and one of the last supercharged V8 super-sedans you can order with a stick. Its hand-built 6.2L LT4 V8 delivers 668 hp at 6,500 rpm and 659 lb-ft of torque, launches to 60 mph in about 3.4 seconds, and keeps pulling past a 200 mph top speed. It comes standard with a Tremec TR-6060 six-speed manual featuring no-lift shifting and automatic rev-matching, with a 10-speed automatic optional. That is a serious powertrain — and the factory exhaust, tuned to pass strict drive-by noise limits, leaves both sound and airflow on the table.

From our shop in Tampa, FL, the two questions we hear most from Blackwing owners are “how do I make it louder?” and “how do I actually make more power?” The answer depends on where in the exhaust you make the change. Everything downstream of the catalytic converters — axle-back and cat-back systems — is mostly about sound, weight, and tip style. To unlock genuine horsepower on a supercharged engine, you have to address the restriction up front: the exhaust manifolds and cats. That single distinction drives every buying decision in this guide.

Axle-Back vs. Cat-Back vs. Headers: What Kind of Exhaust Do You Need?

A CT5-V Blackwing exhaust system comes in three main flavors, and knowing the difference saves you money and disappointment. Here is how they stack up on the LT4 platform.

Axle-Back Exhaust

An axle-back replaces only the rear-most section — the mufflers and tips behind the rear axle. It is the easiest install (typically under an hour, no tune required), the most affordable entry point, and the lowest-risk way to add volume and a better tip look. Expect a noticeably louder, deeper note and modest weight savings, but essentially no power gain. This is the right call for owners who love the car’s manners but want more character.

Cat-Back Exhaust

A cat-back replaces everything from the catalytic converters back, including the mid-pipe, resonators, mufflers, and tips. You get a bigger jump in sound, more control over drone, and options like AWE’s valve-controlled SwitchPath design that lets you flip between a civil commute and a track roar. Cat-backs bolt on without a tune and are usually 3-inch stainless on the Blackwing. Power gains are still small on a stock-cat car, but the sound and quality upgrade is substantial.

Long-Tube Headers & Connection Pipes

Long-tube headers replace the restrictive factory exhaust manifolds with tuned primary tubes (1-7/8″ or 2″ on the Blackwing) that merge into high-flow catted or off-road connection pipes. This is where the real horsepower lives on a supercharged LT4: by cutting exhaust backpressure at the source, a header package commonly frees up 20–40 horsepower and similar torque, with the biggest gains when paired with a supporting tune. Installation is more involved and a header-back tune is strongly recommended, but nothing else on this list moves the dyno like headers.

The 5 Best Exhaust Systems for the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing

We selected these five systems because they cover every real-world goal — maximum power, street/track versatility, and best-value sound — from three brands we trust on the LT4 platform. All fit the 2022–2025 CT5-V Blackwing (and the 2026 continues unchanged), and all are in stock and ship to your door from NLP Performance.

1. Kooks 1-7/8″ Long-Tube Headers + GREEN Catted Kit — Best Overall for Power

Kooks is the benchmark for GM long-tube headers, and this complete kit is the most effective single upgrade you can bolt to a CT5-V Blackwing. The 1-7/8″ stainless primary tubes and GREEN catted connection pipes replace the choked factory manifolds, and on the supercharged LT4 a package like this typically frees up 20–40 horsepower and torque to the wheels with a supporting tune. “GREEN” catted pipes use high-flow catalytic converters, so you keep cat coverage while opening up flow. It is the pick for owners chasing real numbers, not just noise.

2. AWE Tuning SwitchPath Cat-Back — Best for Street & Track Versatility

If you want one exhaust that can be a well-mannered daily and a track monster on demand, the AWE SwitchPath is it. Its valve system routes exhaust through two paths — a quiet route for cruising and a wide-open route for full-noise driving — controllable on demand. It is a 304 stainless cat-back with hand-polished 4.5″ tips (chrome silver shown; other finishes available), and AWE’s drone-cancelling design keeps the cabin livable at highway speed. For owners who don’t want to commit to headers but demand the best sound and quality, this is the smart money.

3. Stainless Works Cat-Back – Polished Tips — Best Full Cat-Back Value

Stainless Works builds its systems in the USA from premium stainless, and this full cat-back is the value play when you want more than an axle-back but don’t need AWE’s valve hardware. Replacing the entire section from the cats back, it deepens the LT4’s V8 rumble, sharpens throttle response feel, and shaves weight over the factory system. Polished tips give a clean OE-plus look. At just over $2,500, it is a lot of hand-built exhaust for the money and a proven Stainless Works design.

4. Stainless Works Axle-Back – Black Chrome Tips — Easiest Install & Best Entry Price

The easiest way into a better-sounding Blackwing is this Stainless Works axle-back. It swaps only the rear mufflers and tips, so most owners can install it at home in about an hour with hand tools and no tune. You get a louder, deeper note, a lighter rear section, and aggressive black chrome tips that pop against darker paint. If you love how the car drives but want it to announce itself, this is the lowest-cost, lowest-risk upgrade in the guide — and a polished-tip version is available if black isn’t your look.

5. Kooks 2″ Long-Tube Headers + Catted X-Pipe — For Big-Bore Power Builds

Owners planning a bigger pulley, more boost, or a built LT4 should look at the Kooks 2″ long-tube header and GREEN catted X-pipe package ($3,682.02, PN ksh2313F632). The larger 2″ primaries flow more than the 1-7/8″ set, which matters once you push well past stock power, and the X-pipe design blends a smooth, exotic-flavored tone. For a stock-power or mild build, the 1-7/8″ kit is the better all-around match; step up to the 2″ set when your combo is hungry for more exhaust than the 1-7/8″ can feed. Both wear the Kooks limited lifetime warranty and both are our two picks whenever a Blackwing owner is chasing real dyno gains.

CT5-V Blackwing Exhaust Comparison Chart

Here is how the five best CT5-V Blackwing exhaust systems compare at a glance. Click any product name or price to shop it directly.

How Much Power Will an Exhaust Add to a CT5-V Blackwing?

On a supercharged LT4, the power is in the front of the system, not the back. Axle-back and cat-back systems on an otherwise stock-cat Blackwing generally add only a few horsepower — their real value is sound, tip style, and weight savings. The moment you replace the factory manifolds with long-tube headers and high-flow catted (or off-road) connection pipes, the picture changes: a header package like the Kooks kits commonly returns 20–40 horsepower and torque to the wheels once a supporting tune dials in the new airflow. Stack a header-back tune, a smaller supercharger pulley, and a better intake on top, and those numbers climb further because the headers stop being the bottleneck.

Our honest advice from the shop: if peak power is the goal, budget for headers plus a tune rather than spending on a cat-back you’ll later want to pair with headers anyway. If sound and looks are the goal, a quality cat-back or axle-back is money well spent and you can add headers down the road.

Installation, Sound & What to Know Before You Buy

Match the system to your skills and goals. An axle-back is a driveway job — roughly an hour with basic hand tools and no tune. A cat-back is a bit more involved but still bolt-on. Long-tube headers are a lift-and-lower job that most owners hand to a shop, and you should plan for a header-back tune to realize the airflow gains and keep the ECU happy. If you daily-drive the car, favor a design with drone control like AWE’s SwitchPath or a resonated cat-back; wide-open axle-backs and off-road pipes can boom on the highway.

Also decide on cats up front. GREEN (catted) pipes keep high-flow catalytic converters for street and emissions-conscious builds; off-road pipes flow the most but are for closed-course use. Every system in this guide is real hand-built stainless from a name-brand manufacturer, not a generic muffler shop bend. Have questions about fitment, sound, or pairing an exhaust with a tune? Our team in Tampa, FL builds and ships these systems every week — reach out and we’ll help you spec the right setup for your CT5-V Blackwing.