When the Cadillac ATS and CTS were still in production, higher performance variants of the model rolled off the assembly line with “-V” after their name. The ATS-V and CTS-V came to be known as somewhat stealthy sleeper cars with raw power and drive dynamics that squarely put the sedans in the sports car category.
Cadillac has redesigned their entire sedan lineup in recent years, dropping the ATS and CTS, and leaving a hole, especially in the sports sedan market (not that it’s that big anymore). Enter: Blackwing.
New badging will be featured on the cars showing their high-performance designation.Photo courtesy of Cadillac
Though not ready to roll off the line yet, when they do, track-capable Cadillac sedans will be called the CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing.
“The Blackwing name has come to represent the very best of Cadillac performance engineering, craftsmanship and technology,” said Brandon Vivian, Cadillac executive chief engineer. “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.”
Each V-Series Blackwing model will feature a specially tuned chassis, vehicle control technologies, and engines. The models will be offered with a manual transmission.
Industry rumors are running rampant that the models will also be offered with a 10-speed automatic transmission. Speculation also suggests that the CT4-V Blackwing will have a twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter V6 under its hood while the larger CT5-V Blackwing would be powered by a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 (those are the engines previously found in the AST-V and CTS-V).
Some say that the Blackwing engine, a twin-turbo V8, might also make its way back into the lineup. Cadillac isn’t officially commenting on any of these rumors.
Photographers caught the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing testing at Virginia International Raceway.Photo courtesy of Cadillac
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 ATS-V and CTS-V.
