Despite an increasing bid to clean up the air, high-output performance and sports cars remain a priority for a lot of manufacturers. Some of these are incorporating electrification to adhere to strengthening global climate legislation, but there are some brands that don’t need to worry about this, seeing as they only focus on operations in the U.S. This means that they can make true ICE performance sedans that can stand the test of time by omitting heavy electrification systems.
- Base Trim Engine
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6.2L V-8 ICE
- Base Trim Transmission
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10-speed automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Rear-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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668 HP @6500 RPM
- Base Trim Torque
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659 lb.-ft. @ 3600 RPM
- Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined)
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13/20/15 MPG
- Base Trim Battery Type
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Lead acid battery
- Make
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Cadillac
- Model
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CT5-V Blackwing
The 2026 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is a prime example of an American performance sedan with a muscle car heart that should carry on for the long run with the right maintenance and repairs conducted. Despite the entirety of the GM group aggressively campaigning for electrification, this passionate luxury performance sedan continues to soldier on with an old-fashioned V-8 and manual transmission for those who still want a driver-engaging automotive experience that doesn’t compromise practicality.
Impressive Reliability Standards
Being a relatively young performance model, there isn’t a lot of data to go on regarding reliability for the 2026 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing. However, the sedan features some tried-and-tested components from the GM parts bin, that already benefit from extensive usage in other models. J.D. Power includes the Blackwing in its evaluation of the entire CT5 range, which scores 79/100 for quality and reliability, together with a 74/100 driving experience, 77/100 resale, and 83/100 dealership experience score, bringing its consumer-verified overall score up to 78/100.
Understanding The Blackwing’s Warranty And Servicing
The 2026 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is backed by a competitive warranty package, including a four-year or 50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty and a six-year or 70,000-mile powertrain limited warranty. Owners also benefit from six years of roadside assistance and a specialized first maintenance visit program, which covers the initial service within the first year of ownership. Following this, the standard maintenance interval is every 7,500 miles, focusing on oil and filter changes, tire rotations, and multi-point inspections. More intensive requirements occur at 22,500 miles, including a cabin air filter change, 45,000 miles covering the engine air filter and driveline inspection, and 97,500 miles for new spark plugs and transmission fluid.
In terms of reliability, the 2026 CT5-V Blackwing enters the market with a clean slate and no active safety recalls specifically targeting its drivetrain or assembly. The high-end performance sedan remains unaffected by noteworthy manufacturing concerns. Previous model years faced isolated recalls regarding transmission software and side-curtain airbags, but these have been addressed in the factory for the 2026 production run.
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GM’s Supercharged Greatness Under The Hood
The 2026 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing remains a pinnacle of American engineering, powered by a hand-built 6.2-liter supercharged LT4 V-8 engine producing 668 horsepower and 659 pound-feet of torque. This system sends power exclusively to the rear wheels through either a six-speed manual transmission or a 10-speed automatic transmission. When equipped with the automatic, the Blackwing accelerates from 0 to 60 MPH in 3.4 seconds, while the manual reduces this time to 3.6 seconds. These times prove that the old-school-powered V-8 American sedans can hold their own against the world’s most elite European super-sedans.
Beyond this, the CT5-V Blackwing will achieve a quarter-mile time of 11.4 seconds at 124 MPH and go on to reach a 200 MPH top speed limit, making it one of the fastest four-door production cars ever built. Standard performance hardware that complements the drivetrain includes Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 and an electronic limited-slip differential.
A True Outlier In The Sports Car World
The 2026 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing remains a celebrated outlier in the modern performance landscape, primarily because it still honors the age-old V-8 ICE and manual transmission configuration sans electrical or hybrid assistance. The hand-built V-8 beneath the hood is GM’s LT4, which has long since been popular thanks to its high-strength Rotocast A356T6 aluminum cylinder heads, lightweight titanium intake valves, and forged powder-metal connecting rods. Cadillac sources the 1.7-liter supercharger from Eaton. The powertrain also features a compact wet-sump oiling system and high-flow cylinder heads, ensuring consistent power delivery under high G-forces.
True to its purist DNA, the Blackwing comes standard with a Tremec six-speed manual transmission, featuring LuK dual-disc clutch technology and Active Rev Matching. If you want to get the most out of the engine, then it’s worth considering the optional 10-speed automatic transmission, featuring magnesium paddle shifters and custom performance calibrations. The system sends power to the rear wheels with some help from an electronic limited-slip rear differential housed in a lightweight aluminum casing.
The aforementioned Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 system acts as the heart of the Blackwing’s handling prowess, as it reads the road surface 1,000 times per second to adjust damping instantly. The suspension configuration utilizes a MacPherson strut front setup with dual lower ball joints and a five-link independent rear suspension, optimizing lateral stiffness.
For stopping power, Cadillac applies a set of uprated Brembo high-performance brakes as standard. These feature six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers gripping 15.7-inch and 14.7-inch rotors, respectively. These are housed within standard 19-inch forged aluminum wheels that the American brand designs to reduce unsprung weight.
Cadillac fits these wheels to a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer-only performance tires, with a wider track at the rear. You also have the choice of upgrading to the optional carbon-ceramic braking system, offering a significant weight reduction and improves brake fade under extreme conditions.
For $37,615 you can specify the Precision Pack, which turns the dial up to 11. This features significantly stiffer spring rates that are 70 percent firmer in the front and 60 percent in the rear. You also get a larger front stabilizer bar and hardened suspension bushings.
Engineers also revised the front steering knuckles and rear toe links to allow for more aggressive track alignments, while recalibrating the Magnetic Ride Control, steering, and electronic limited-slip differential to handle the increased grip. The result is a sedan that offers sharper turn-in, reduced body roll, and a more buttoned-down feel at the limit.
How The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Beats The Audi RS5 In A Duel
American muscle is more than capable of taking on European luxury sports sedans. The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing proves it in more ways than one.
A Cockpit Made With Racers In Mind
Being a Cadillac, the 2026 CT5-V Blackwing doesn’t shy away from its luxury roots without compromising driver-engagement, as expected based on its $100,695 MSRP. As standard, the cabin lays host to an expansive 33-inch diagonal advanced LED display boasting a dazzling 9K resolution and integrated Google built-in services.
This system handles everything from navigation to vehicle telemetry when subjecting it to track day events. Complementing this is a standard 16-speaker AKG Studio audio system. For comfort, the Cadillac equips the cabin with 18-way performance-bolstered front seats with heating, ventilation, and built-in massage functions. All models also feature a standard head-up display, a heated performance steering wheel with a dedicated V-Mode button, dual-zone automatic climate control with a cabin air filter, and 126-color ambient lighting.
The Best Materials Cadillac Has To Offer
Cadillac also includes some high-end materials in the interior, such as carbon fiber trimmings and alloy sport pedals to reinforce the car’s athletic pedigree. If you want additional refinement, you can dive into the optional extras catalog, which allows for deep personalization. This includes the Platinum Package bundles Super Cruise hands-free driver assistance with a suede-microfiber-wrapped interior, which you can upgrade to semi-aniline leather seats with custom carbon-fiber seatbacks.
There’s also the Performance Data Recorder to capture high-definition track footage and real-time lap analysis. Beyond these, the new Curated by Cadillac program offers a bespoke level of customization with over 160 specialized paint hues and exclusive interior colorways like Natural Tan or Sky Cool Gray, allowing the Blackwing to rival the most exclusive European sports sedans. Other visual flourishes include Torch Red seat belts and bronze-finished forged aluminum wheels.
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Mediocre Fuel Consumption Returns Are Expected
15 MPG Combined Is What You’ll Get
Naturally, you can expect that going for a more dependable and old-school drivetrain doesn’t necessarily yield the best fuel consumption figures. The EPA estimates that you can expect this model to consume 13/20/15 MPG on the city/highway/combined cycle, while covering a mere 255 miles from a single 17-gallon tank.
With this in mind, you can expect to spend $11,500 more in fuel over the course of five years compared to the average new vehicle sold in the U.S., while spending $3,900 on fuel every year, $6.48 to drive 25 miles, and $66 to fill the tank up.
Sources: J.D. Power and the EPA