Cadillac Refreshes CT5-V and Blackwing Sport Sedans

By now, you’ve no doubt heard about the Cadillac V series; and in particular, the CT5-V and CT5-V Blackwing. Both of these American sport sedans have brought us a tasteful mixture of luxury and performance, to which we’ve asked time and time again “more please!”

Well, “more” is exactly what we’re getting, as Cadillac is refreshing this pair of contenders. The biggest changes here are in design language inside and out, although I’m sure you’re wondering if this shakeup includes some extra muscle under the hood.

Unfortunately, no. But you know how you should be thankful for what you have instead of yearning for what you don’t have? That’s exactly the case here, as the CT5-V still delivers serious fun with its 360 horsepower, 405 lb-ft of torque engine: A twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder, paired up to a 10-speed automatic with standard rear-wheel or available all-wheel drive. Stepping up to the Blackwing means even more thrills with a supercharged 6.2-liter V8, conjuring up 668 horsepower and 659 lb-ft of torque, delivered to the pavement through your choice of a 10-speed auto or 6-speed manual transmission, rear-wheel drive only.

With those kinds of numbers, you may just think about putting the CT5-V on track, and we can attest that the Blackwing is a serious piece of hardware. And if you do decide to chase lap times, you should be able to track your performance through an available in-vehicle data logger, and updated Performance Data Recorder. Not only can you see a real-time display of your power, torque and boost, joined by a G-force meter and tire temperature; but, the enhanced recorder will analyze your laps and offer relative data to help improve your times.

This, among infotainment features that will likely be used far more often, is brought up on a new 33-inch LED touchscreen display. It features built-in Google Assistant, Maps and Play, and the whole screen integrates well into the dash as one continuous display. This, naturally, means a few things have been shifted around, but the overall theme of the cabin has stayed largely the same.

The exterior receives a bit more love, leaning more into the “sport” part of the “sport sedan” qualifier. Starting with the CT5-V (though there’s a lot of cross pollination between that and the Blackwing), it appears lower and wider, thanks in-part to the redesigned front fascia and grille, accented by a new spoiler, rocker extensions and other ground effects. You’ll see some differences between the two, the Blackwing sporting large nostrils on either end of the lower grille, for example; but defining features, like the vertical LED lighting elements, carry over, as do smaller details, like the quad-tip trapezoidal exhaust. Both can be lacquered in three new colors: Drift Metallic, Deep Space Metallic, and Typhoon Metallic.

Both models will pack a whole bunch of performance goodies on top of those already mentioned, like the standard Magnetic Ride Control and Launch Control (with Line Lock on the Blackwing). And if you’re lucky enough to enter the gates of the Rolex 24 at Daytona on January 27th and 28th, you can see this pair for yourself. Both can be viewed at the Cadillac midway display, and the Blackwing will serve as the official Safety Car for the event.

If you’ve already made up your mind that the 2025 Cadillac CT5-V or CT5-V Blackwing is the sport sedan for you, expect delivery to begin later this year, as production is currently slated for summer 2024. Pricing details are yet to be announced, but a 2024 CT5-V starts just north of $50,000, with the Blackwing flying a bit higher at just over $90K. We expect 2025 prices to follow suit.