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For decades we've looked upon Cadillac as a posh boulevard cruiser with a cushy soft ride suitable for weddings, funerals or a night on the town. While some vestiges remain with large SUVs and sedans, a stable of high-performance sedans is more at home in oval racetracks where it shows off its prowess and then some.
Enter the V Series Blackwing sedans, CT4-V and CT5-V -- available in limited production starting in 2022. Our test car -- a CT5 V boasts a hand-built 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine mated with a 10-speed automatic transmission that develops 668 horsepower with untamed screeching torque at its rear wheels.
Aimed squarely at European super sedans' ala Mercedes AMG E63 and BMW M5, the Caddy has a top speed of 205 miles per hour. Built at the same campus as GM's Corvette, the Cadillac reached 60 miles per hour in 3.4 seconds at our independent track facility, about a second slower than the Vette's E-Ray hybrid.
If you want the super caddy in your driveway -- if you can fine one -- be prepared to shell out just under $100k for the base car and up to $50,000 or more in performance options worth every penny if you are track-inspired.
An $18,000 Precision Package enhances handling through stiffer components, aggressive settings for alignment and high-end carbon ceramic braking that stops the two-ton sedan from 60 miles per hour in an impressive 97 feet. Additional carbon-fiber components are available with additional $12,000 options.
The interior is laden with semi-aniline leather massaging front seats, custom quilting and carbon fiber seatbacks with ample bolstering for a snug fit. Add 18-way adjustable front seats with power lumbar and mammoth rear seats roofed with sueded microfiber outlined by an ultraviolet sunroof. The result is unrivaled luxury leading the pack of high-end performance sedans.
All Blackwings are shoed with 19-inch Michelin Pilot run flat summer paws attached to polished, dark android finish alloys for a spectacular look. The quad tip exhaust emits a controlled roar except under power when it screams.
Handling is aided with adaptive suspension and Cadillac's magnetic ride control keeping the sedan on its intended course albeit with some first gear slippage before electronic limited slip corrects.
Raw power is endless in primary gears while auto seat belts tighten around you. A nearby track would be ideal to engage all the sedan has to offer.
On the open road we achieved 23 mpg in normal driving including some spirited passing maneuvers. Fuel economy drops to around 12 mpg under power.
An extensive driver assist technology package is standard along with an excellent warranty.
Our test car included a new curved 33-inch advanced LED display that is aligned with the driver. Its vast landscape serves up all instrumentation, infotainment and performance data in a colorful and seamless interface.
Don't care for Bose sound? The Blackwing has an upgraded 16-speaker AKG audio system for the pure audiophile.
The new Blackwing comes with comprehensive driver assist features and extensive safety equipment.
(Contact independent automotive columnist Len Ingrassia at editor@ptd.net)
2026 Cadillac CT5 V-Series Blackwing
Engine: 6.2-liter supercharged V8 - 668 horsepower
EPA mileage: 13 city, 20 highway, 15 combined
MSRP/as tested: $97,600/$146,715
Assembled: The Blackwing is assembled in Lansing, Michigan. U.S./Canadian parts content, 35%. Major source of foreign parts content, Mexico -- 23%, China 15%. Country of origin for engine and transmission, U.S.
Crash test ratings: Neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, had completed their evaluation of the Blackwing as of this writing.
Warranty: 4-year/50,000-mile bumper to bumper; 6-year/70,000-mile powertrain; first maintenance visit.