Cadillac CT4-V And CT5-V Blackwing Models On The Way With Manual Gearboxes

With the new Cadillac CT4-V and CT5-V dropping a whole heap of power compared to their respective predecessors, we were left assuming there was more to come. Turns out there is - the General Motors subsidiary has just announced that ‘Blackwing’ versions of the sports saloons are on the way.

Not only that, but the CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing will both have the option of a manual gearbox, “a feature most luxury brands no longer offer but continues to be a strong desire for many performance driving enthusiasts,” Cadillac says. Preach.

As the successor to the ATS-V, the CT4-V Blackwing is expected to use a twin-turbo V6, offering a big increase in power compared to the 315bhp inline-four found in the standard CT4-V.

Weirdly, the CT5-V isn’t expected to get Cadillac’s ‘Blackwing’ V8. Instead, a few outlets including Car & Driver are reporting that the super saloon will receive a fettled version of the 6.2-litre supercharged ‘LT4’ V8 used by its predecessor, the CTS-V.

Cadillac says the models will represent “the apex of Cadillac performance and driver engagement,” something it will achieve via specific chassis tuning along with the shouty powerplants. Production will be limited, ensuring a greater level of exclusivity compared to the non-Blackwing V cars.

Blackwing prototypes have been undergoing testing at various circuits across the USA already, each lapping multiple seconds faster than their predecessors at Virginia International Raceway.

We should hopefully see the cars in full before the year is out.