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2021 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Will Feature Six Speed Manual Gearbox

I apologise in advance, this one is a bit confusing – so in order to make this as clear as possible I’m going to give you the basic facts in bullet point form – you can thank me later:

  • The Cadillac CTS is going to be replaced by the CT5.
  • There will be a higher performance CT5-V, however, this is not a new CTS-V, it is actually the successor to the CTS Vsport.
  • The next CTS-V is going to be called the CT5-V Blackwing.
  • Some of you may think that the Blackwing is an engine, and you would be correct, but it is also the new name of the full power V-series vehicles.
  • Now for the bewildering part – just because your vehicle is called a Blackwing, doesn’t mean it contains a Blackwing engine.

Now you’ve had your orientation to the new Cadillac models, let’s crack on. As confusing as this all is, it is clear that the CT5-V Blackwing is going to be one of the most blazing, track-ready sedans about. There is also going to be a CT4-V Blackwing, which is believed to have a turbocharged V-6 under the hood. It seems Cadillac is expecting the new CT5-V Blackwing to be up there challenging the high-end models of the Mercedes AMG (AMG E63 S), BMW M Series (M5) and Audi RS (RS6/7) vehicles. The list of competitors doesn’t stop there with the CT5 Blackwing also able to challenge the likes of the Porsche Panamera Turbo S, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and even the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. In terms of prices, it certainly isn’t cheap but compared to similar models on the market, it isn’t too bad, starting at around $85,000.

Now, this is where it gets interesting, firstly the Blackwing vehicle will contain an updated version of the CTS-V 6.2 litre supercharged V8, not the 550 hp twin-turbo 4.2 litre Blackwing V8, which given the name of the car – comes as a bit of a surprise. Here is where it gets even weirder, the new CT5-V will be available in a 10-speed automatic or, and incredibly, in a six-speed manual configuration – something which will make it completely unique within its class. It is also understood that while the majority of its competitor vehicles are all-wheel drive, the CT5-V Blackwing will remain rear-wheel drive.

We can’t wait to get behind the wheel on this one and see for ourselves how this thing handles and performs – until then we will keep you updated with any and all developments.

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