It was a bittersweet moment when Cadillac unveiled the CT4-V and CT5-V at the end of May last year as although the news of two hot sedans appealed to enthusiasts, some had hoped for more power. After all, the bigger of the two cars has just 355 horsepower whereas the CTS-V it replaces packed a mighty 640-hp punch. It’s a similar story with its smaller brother considering the CT4-V is rated at 320 hp, a far cry from the 464 hp of the old ATS-V.
GM’s luxury marque only waited a couple of days to address that issue with the announcement of even hotter versions to sit above the normal V models. Fast forward to today, the countless rumors about the two high-performance cars getting the “Blackwing” suffix and a manual gearbox have been validated by Cadillac.
Gallery: Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing
The company isn’t willing to share technical details for the time being, but we do know that during recent testing, the CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing managed to shave off seconds from the lap times achieved by the ATS-V and CTS-V at the Virginia International Raceway. More info will be disclosed in due course, with Cadillac saying these full-fat V models will be available in limited numbers with “specially tuned chassis, vehicle control technologies, and engines.”
Update:
If we were to rely on the rumor mill, it is believed the Blackwing cars will also be offered with a ten-speed automatic transmission. The meaner CT4-V is said to get a twin-turbo 3.6-liter V6 whereas the CT5-V in flagship spec will reportedly rely on a supercharged 6.2-liter V8, with both being sourced from the ATS-V and CTS-V, respectively.
In other words, the range-topping versions of the CT4 and CT5 are likely not going to use the actual Blackwing engine found underneath the hood of the short-lived CT6-V where the twin-turbo 4.2-liter V8 made a healthy 550 hp. While Cadillac has gone back and forth about the fate of the Blackwing, a company spokesperson told us at the beginning of the month there are currently no plans to install the engine in other cars.
Here's How Much The Fully Loaded CT4-V And CT5-V Cost:
Leading with the CT4-V and CT5-V, the luxury brand mentions all of its Blackwing-badged cars are going to represent “the pinnacle of Cadillac performance, craftsmanship and technology.”
Source: Cadillac
Ultra-Performance Cadillacs Dubbed CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing
- The Blackwing designation represents the pinnacle of Cadillac performance, craftsmanship and technology
- The track-capable, ultra-high-performance models will both offer a manual transmission
DETROIT – Cadillac today announced that the fourth generation of its V-Series sub-brand, currently spearheaded by the 2020 CT4-V and CT5-V, will eventually include ultra-performance variants that carry the Blackwing name. The future, track-capable vehicles will be called CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing, representing the apex of Cadillac performance and driver engagement.
“The Blackwing name has come to represent the very best of Cadillac performance engineering, craftsmanship and technology,” said Brandon Vivian, executive chief engineer, Cadillac. “The new CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing build on the brand’s respected legacy of ultimate-performance driving experiences and elevate them even further.”
The V-Series Blackwing models[1] will feature specially tuned chassis, vehicle control technologies and engines. Each model will also be offered with a manual transmission – a feature most luxury brands no longer offer but continues to be a strong desire for many performance driving enthusiasts.
The CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing have been undergoing testing that includes sessions at tracks and road courses around the country. Earlier this year, at Virginia International Raceway, each car set lap times seconds faster than the legendary ATS-V and CTS-V.
Information about the current V-Series vehicles, the 2020 CT5-V and CT4-V, can be found on Cadillac.com, and more V-Series Blackwing information will be made available at a later date.
[1] V-Series Blackwing models will have limited availability