CT5-V

Make
Cadillac
Segment
Sedan

Ahead of the performance luxury machine's official unveiling, we've been given another chance to hear the awesome Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing on the street, thanks to a new Instagram video. The clip shows a camouflage-clad CT5-V Blackwing as it takes off from a stop light, running through the first couple of gears in its six-speed manual transmission.

The presence of a manual option wasn't always a foregone conclusion; the "standard" CT5-V doesn't have one, and nor did the third-generation CTS-V that went away for 2020. It wasn't until January of this year that we got tentative confirmation the CT5-V Blackwing would come with an available stick-shift, which will make it the only vehicle in its class with a manual.

What you're hearing in the video is a supercharged 6.2L LT-series V8 - basically the same engine that powered the Chevrolet Corvette C7 Z06 and third-generation Cadillac CTS-V, which is still found in the Camaro ZL1. It sounds as excellent as ever, with a deep, full-throated V8 roar to match its jaw-dropping performance, although just as in the CTS-V, there's a lack of supercharger whine. That might be disappointing to some, but supercharger whine isn't a universally beloved sound.

The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is set for launch next summer, and a reveal should be coming any day now. Cadillac has spent the last few months teasing various aspects of the car, like its lightweight magnesium wheels and racing-inspired carbon-fiber seats.

The CT5-V Blackwing is expected to make the same 650 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque as the discontinued CTS-V, which might be enough for a top speed of 200 or more mph. That's not all that surprising, given that the CTS-V boasted the same 200-mph top speed and the C7 Z06 managed 205 mph, but it's awesome nonetheless.

Stay tuned for more on the super-high-performance CT5-V Blackwing as the car prepares to be unveiled for the first time.