2021 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is Spiritual Successor To CTS-V

For more than a decade, the Cadillac CTS-V has held the title of America’s sport sedan. When the CTS-V debuted for the 2009 model year with a ludicrous 556-hp 6.2L supercharged LSA V8, the automotive world was simply dumbfounded. Sedans weren’t supposed to be THIS fast, but nobody better tell Cadillac that.

Fast forward to 2019, and the lauded CTS delivered its swan song. Its replacement, the CT5, debuted on the Alpha 2 platform the following year. But a high-performance halo model was still absent from the CT5 lineup.

Fortunately, the wait is almost over. The 2021 CT5-V Blackwing is set to debut in the summer of 2021, and will undoubtedly serve as the highly anticipated successor to the CTS-V.

For those that believed the heir apparent to the CTS-V was already in production, the confusion is understandable. Cadillac revamped their trim nomenclature for the 2020 Cadillac CT5, where the new “V” is positioned one notch below the halo “Blackwing” model. This is similar to how the “V-Sport” bridged the gap between lesser trims and the range-topping “V” in the past CTS model lineup.

With the 2019 CTS-V’s zero to 60 mph time of 3.6 seconds and unheralded top speed of 202 mph, the new CT5-V Blackwing will certainly have lofty expectations to live up to. Though its name may suggest otherwise, the new model won’t actually be powered by the same twin-turbocharged 4.2L Blackwing V8 that’s featured under the hood of the CT6-V Blackwing that churns out 550 hp.

Instead, the CT5-V Blackwing will feature an updated version of the CTS-V’s 6.2L Supercharged V8 engine tweaked to make an estimated 650 horsepower and comparable torque. But the biggest change by far is the availability of a manual transmission.

You heard that right—the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing will be the only car in the segment offering three pedals. The lack of a manual was perhaps the only viable complaint anybody could muster about the 2016-2019 CTS-Vs. After offering the six-speed in the 2009-2014 CTS-Vs, Cadillac inexplicably dropped the Tremec as an option for the third generation model and offered an eight-speed automatic as the only option.  

This oversight was seen as a slight to enthusiasts, who were given the option of rowing their own gears in other LT4-equipped models like the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and C7 Corvette Z06. With the CT5-V Blackwing, all will be restored in the universe with the manual’s inclusion. In an effort not to leave anyone out, a 10-speed automatic will also be available for drivers who prefer the transmission to do the shifting for them. 

Beyond powertrain information, very little has been revealed about the CT5-V Blackwing. Spy images captured last month revealed a prototype wearing staggered multi-spoke satin bronze wheels wrapped in wide 275/35/19 and 305/30/19 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S performance rubber. A taller rear decklid spoiler can also be spotted beneath the camouflage.

Pricing hasn’t been announced, but the CT5-V Blackwing is expected to start around $85,000—undercutting its German competitors like the BMW M5 and Mercedes-AMG E63 S. The lauded 2019 CTS-V started just below $88,000, so you can expect an even more powerful, agile, and customizable 2021 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing to provide an even better value.

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