The V-Series is Cadillac's performance-focused division for over 17 years. It all started back in 2004 with the first V-badged Cadillac, the CTS-V which helped the automaker to reaffirm themselves as a performance-focused brand. Cadillac marked 15 years of its V-philosophy in 2019 which was also the year when its whole line-up was undergoing extensive rework. It was in 2019 that Cadillac also introduced it's intensely developed 4.2L Blackwing V8 which contrary to all the buzz it managed to create, was retired after being used for just one year in the CT6-V.
General Motor's Cadillac is now bringing back the "Blackwing" nameplate in both Ct4-V and Ct5-V. But the catch here is that the iconic engine of the same name isn't making the comeback. But that's no bummer, as we are supposedly getting a bigger more powerful unit. The attention seeker here is the more powerful CT5-V Blackwing that will get a new supercharged V8 and a stick shift. Yes, you heard that right. This Caddy will come equipped with a six-speed manual and will be a part of the niche bunch of desirable manual-equipped cars.
The CT5-V Blackwing will be the new pinnacle of performance sedans from Cadillac, with over 650 hp and a stick-shift.
What's Unique About The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing?
Blackwing is Cadillac's extreme-performance division and can be compared to what AMG is to Mercedes. They are an in-house team of engineers who have been building and improving existing offerings with more zeal and power. The greatest of their achievements was very recent when they introduced an all-new 4.2L Twin-Turbocharged V8 that was estimated to have over 550 horses but due to reasons unknown was wrapped up in its first year of existence.
But the exclusivity still prevails and the Blackwing badging is coming back after a small break in the Cadillac CT5-V. It won't get the once impressive engine, but will surely get an extensively worked-upon version of the engine that is currently used in the CT5-V. This will once again bring hyper-performance back to the Cadillac sedans and also pose a serious threat to the fast German sedans.
Engine And Performance
The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing will be equipped with an extensively updated version of the 6.2L Supercharged V8 that is expected to pump out 650 horses. It was earlier speculated that the discontinued twin-turbo Blacking V8 will be making a comeback in this revival, but that's not gonna happen. It was a desirable engine nonetheless and to compensate, Cadillac is slapping on a stick shift.
That's a killer combination and if you are not up for such ballsy stuff then there is also a 10-speed automatic transmission. The powertrain setup is the same that is used in the Chevrolet Camero ZL-1 albeit in a different state of tune. But you can get an idea of the performance that is at hand. Despite all its competitors being equipped with AWD layouts, the Alpha platform it underpins will mostly give in for an RWD setup.
Aggressive Exterior
The basic form factor will remain the same but Cadillac will give the CT5-V Blackwing noteworthy upgrades in the form a more aggressive body kit. It will sit much lower than the standard CT5-V courtesy of its stiffer and more focused suspension layout. This is also going to make it stay glued through corners and thus pave way for a very fun driving experience.
It will have integrated front and rear splitters and a much bigger front grille for sucking in all of the air and keeping its 6.2L V8 composed. The wheels will mostly be 19-inches but will be redesigned to be exclusive for the Blackwing badging. Apart from these, other aspects are slated to remain the same and it makes perfect sense as the standard CT5-V is already prepped to handle quite some action.
Interior Is Performance-Oriented
Go-Fast bits will also be included in the cabin as well. But the general layout remains the same as the CT5-V. It will help it have a very comfortable seating layout for 4. Cadillac recently gave us a sneak-peek on the steering wheel of the CT5-V Blackwing which will be the only aspect that brings in some changes. Carbon fiber will be a common trimming in the cabin as the steering wheel also gets weaved in it.
Door panels and even the dashboard will have more carbon fiber to go with the sporty theme. Another notable addition is the exclusive Blackwing toggle neatly integrated on the inner left side of the steering wheel. Structural changes might tweak the second-row seating a bit, but nothing's confirmed yet. The infotainment setup will be the same as the standard model, a 10-inch touchscreen unit.
When Will The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Launch?
Cadillac CT5-V is speculated to launch by the end of 2020 and will most probably carry a price tag of $85,000 and above. But taking into account the performance at disposal, it's going to be one sweet deal. The 6-speed manual gearbox sweetens this deal even further as it will only be the car with three pedals among the aggressive bunch of full-sized sedans.
Its competitors include the Mercedes-AMG E63 S, BMW M5, and Audi RS6. Cadillac has already won in terms of pricing as it has undercut the rivals by a long shot, 650 horses with a stick shift are the definition of fun and that is a triumph card for this Blackwing.
Sources: Media.Cadillac.com, Cadillac.com, Motorauthority.com, Mycarforum.com, Caranddriver.com