Cadillac unveiled the CT5-V Blackwing earlier this year as a higher performance variant of the CT5-V, as well as the flagship version of the CT5 range and the spiritual successor of the CTS-V. It’s fast, it looks aggressive, it’s got rear-wheel drive and you can get it with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. In other words, they don’t make them like this anymore.
If we could fast-forward a few decades, you can bet your behind that a low-mileage mint condition CT5-V Blackwing is going to end up costing collectors way over sticker, and there are several reasons why this will probably happen.
First, according to Cadillac, the CT5-V Blackwing, along with its CT4-V Blackwing sibling, will be the very last gasoline-powered V model ever produced, which tends to matter when you’re trying to gauge the value of an old car.
Second, this is a rare breed of sports sedan even by 2021 standards, simply because of its drivetrain configuration: supercharged V8 with rear-wheel drive and a six-speed manual gearbox. That’s the stuff of legend right there.
In terms of performance, the CT5-V Blackwing is an absolute beast in a straight line, able to rocket from zero to 60 mph (97 kph) in about 3.6 seconds. It’s quicker if you opt instead for the available 10-speed automatic, but it might not be as engaging to drive as the manual, and it certainly won’t hold onto its value as well as the latter.
Other features that are worth mentioning include the optional carbon ceramic Brembo brakes, which cost a staggering $9,000, on top of the car’s $85,615 starting MSRP – although you’ll easily push $100,000 just by adding a couple of nice options.
As for what Doug DeMuro thinks about the CT5-V Blackwing, well, he absolutely loved driving it, saying that it’s just as fun to drive as any of its German rivals, if not more so thanks to the manual/RWD factor. Overall though, it’s not quite as refined as a Mercedes-AMG E 63 or a BMW M5, but that was always to be expected.
Sergiu got to experience both American and European car "scenes" at an early age (his father drove a Ford Fiesta XR2 supermini in the 80s). After spending over 15 years at local and international auto publications, he's starting to appreciate comfort behind the wheel more than raw power and acceleration. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News