Cadillac May Be Going EV, But The 2025 CT5-V Blackwing Keeps Its Beastly V8 Engine
Cadillac may be readying its all-electric future, but internal combustion isn't going out quietly. The 2025 Cadillac CT5-V and CT5-V Blackwing are sticking to the automaker's tried-and-tested formula: luxury sports sedans that don't stint on power or driver engagement. For the new model year, the promise is a pair of performance four-doors that make the luxe that little bit more lavish, and the grunt a little more potent.
Kept are the two current engines. The 2025 CT5-V uses the 3.0TT, with 360 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. A 10-speed transmission is standard, along with Magnetic Ride Control, Performance Traction Management, and an electronic limited slip differential. All-wheel drive is optional.
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More potent still is the 2025 CT5-V Blackwing, with GM's fearsome 6.2-liter supercharged V8. Familiar to any Corvette fan, it packs 668 horsepower and 659 lb-ft of torque. Like the non-Blackwing car, there's Magnetic Ride Control, eLSP, and PTM; however, the Blackwing also gets Custom Launch Control with Line Lock.
Manual or Super Cruise?
Perhaps the most challenging decision is also the most obvious one. For the 2025 CT5-V and CT5-V Blackwing, Cadillac is making its excellent Super Cruise hands-free driver assistance package standard, but only if you opt for the 10-speed automatic transmission. It means that, if you want the ability to drive without touching the wheel on highways, you can't have the standard 6-speed manual gearbox that comes on the Blackwing.
As we found on the GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate recently, Super Cruise works well, but at the same time, the stick shift is really what the CT5-V Blackwing is all about. Current owners apparently agree, too: more than 50% of sales so far have been for cars with the manual, a frankly astonishing figure in an industry where the number of people rowing their own gears has dwindled to a minute amount.
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Also available, regardless of transmission, is the Performance Data Recorder (PDR), which logs engine and driving dynamics along with a camera view of the road (or track) ahead to an SD card. Now, it comes with a Lap Analyzer tool which can be reviewed within the car — rather than demanding a separate laptop — plus a new UI, Speed Tips that highlight potential areas for improvement through the Caddy's own infotainment screens, and an automatic summary of the vehicle configuration.
More rewarding for keen drivers
For the 2025 model year, there's also now live data shown on the center stack and a performance app that can offer up metrics like real-time power, torque, and boost; a live and interactive dyno graph; and other metrics like G-force and tire temperature. A pause button allows a particular moment to be captured for easier review when the driver pulls over.
On the outside, subtle styling tweaks have been applied to both cars. A new grille and front fascia are flanked with reworked stacked LED lights; Cadillac has also added new welcome and walkaway lighting animations. Quad trapezoid exhaust tips are now standard, and there are three new colors: Drift Metallic, Deep Space Metallic, and Typhoon Metallic. Optional Carbon Fiber Packages are available for the Blackwing.
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Inside, the most obvious — and welcome — change is a huge, 33-inch wide display that spans much of the dashboard, replacing the fairly pokey touchscreen and driver display of the current car. It's that extra screen real estate that has allowed Cadillac to show so much more PDR information within the vehicle.
A more luxurious pair of sports sedans
Even when not being flogged hard, though, the cabin experience should be much more refined. There's dual-zone ambient lighting, for example, and the front bucket seats offer standard heating, ventilation, and massage. The steering wheel is heated as standard and outfitted with tactile controls to adjust the various drive modes and other performance settings.
The CT5-V/CT5-V Blackwing infotainment system now uses Google Built-In, meanwhile, with native apps for Google Maps, Google Assistant, and Google Play Store access, while the HVAC controls have also been finessed. Of course, there's also OnStar support, too.
Really, though, for all the aesthetic and usability changes, Cadillac's focus remains on making its sports sedan a legitimate alternative to the usual German Autobahn-bruisers. Pricing for the 2025 Cadillac CT5-V and CT5-V Blackwing will be confirmed closer to the cars' production kicking off, which is expected to happen in Summer 2024. For context, the current 2024 CT5-V starts at $51,495, while the 2024 CT5-V Blackwing starts at $93,495 (both plus destination).