2026 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Manual Final Test: One Last Go With the Super CT5
Key takeaways
- We run the numbers on Cadillac’s 668-hp, six-speed manual hot rod before it disappears.
- Not because of anything notably wrong with the car; quite the contrary.
- As for our other key testing metrics, there was a big factor at play compared to the automatic car we tested three months ago: the tires.
Why this matters: an automotive development that could shape industry direction or buying decisions.
We run the numbers on Cadillac’s 668-hp, six-speed manual hot rod before it disappears.
Pros Super power Great dynamics Excellent clutch and shifter Cons Inhales fuel Brakes could be better on the track Get it before it’s gone“Goodness gracious,” or some version of it, is what you think when you step on the throttle to fire the catapult that is the 2026 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing. Dictionary definitions of that saying include the words “astonishment” and “surprise”—and indeed when you just listen to it, feel it, and revel in its avalanche of power and torque, there’s plenty of both on offer here. “Dismay” can also be tied to the saying, though, and unfortunately it, too, applies here. Not because of anything notably wrong with the car; quite the contrary. But Cadillac previously confirmed that 2026 is the final production year of the present CT4 and CT5 sedans, including the top-dog CT5-V Blackwing. A new-generation CT5 is expected to return eventually, but we’re seriously going to miss this car in the meantime.
A Proper SendoffWe haven’t yet got our hands on the recently announced CT5-V Blackwing F1 Collector Series Edition, and we might never do so given its limited nature (only 26 examples), but the Blackwing Precision package is the next best thing.