It's been a few weeks since the sheets were pulled off the 2022 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing high-performance sedans. Since then, there's been some discussion that they're the last hurrah for high-powered combustion-engined rear-wheel-drive Cadillacs. Like its parent company, General Motors, Cadillac will become an all-electric luxury brand by 2035. Next year, the Cadillac Lyriq EV crossover will debut and it's even rumored a fully battery-electric Escalade is in the works.
Looking ahead to the near future, those all-powerful Blackwings will be arriving in dealerships across the country by fall, and now Cadillac Society has learned when production will get underway.
They're each set to begin rolling off the assembly line at the Lansing Grand River Plant in Michigan on July 5, 2012, pending no unexpected interruptions. There have been a large number of supplier issues lately affecting nearly every automaker, so it's certainly possible this date could change slightly.
Both sedans were revealed earlier this month and reservations for the first examples sold out within just 24 hours. These so-called launch editions are limited to just 250 examples each, and buyers will receive a number of perks aside from the cars' serialized plaques. A certificate of authenticity will be issued for each, which could prove helpful for long-term value.
These owners will also be gifted a session at the Cadillac V-Performance Academy in Nevada. Those who missed out on one of these 500 cars can still place an order at any Cadillac dealership for a non-launch edition Blackwing.
As a reminder, the CT4-V Blackwing will come powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter V6 with 472 horsepower and 445 lb-ft of torque, while the CT5-V Blackwing has the supercharged 6.2-liter LT4 V8 under its hood, rated at a monstrous 668 hp and 659 lb-ft. Both come with a six-speed manual gearbox or an optional fast-shifting 10-speed automatic, though Cadillac thinks a lot of buyers will opt for the manual. Those hoping for all-wheel-drive variants are out of luck; both will be RWD only because they're enthusiast machines born from motorsports.