Cadillac will expand its range of high-performance Blackwing models
2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, CT4-V Blackwing Image Credit: Cadillac
There's at least one big exception, however
Cadillac proved the American sport sedan isn't dead when it introduced the Blackwing variants of the CT4-V and the CT5-V (pictured) in February 2021. Launched to denote a short-lived V8 engine, the nameplate will appear on other go-fast members of the company's range in the coming years, but there's at least one model it will steer clear of.
"Blackwing is reserved for really the pinnacle, the purest expression of performance and track capability, and that's what it's going to stand for going forward. [The CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing] won’t be the last Blackwing cars that we do, but you won’t see one on every vehicle. It’s not appropriate. I couldn’t imagine doing an Escalade-V Blackwing," said Cadillac engineering boss Tony Roma in an interview with enthusiast site GM Authority.
His comments are reassuring, because they confirm that Cadillac won't water down the Blackwing badge by putting it on sporty-looking models that are more show than go. What's next remains up in the air. The CT4 and the CT5 are Cadillac's only sedans as of writing, so the next Blackwing-badged model will either be an electric car, a crossover, or both. Regardless, it should arrive as a truly track-capable hot rod developed for hardcore enthusiasts.
For others, Roma also suggested more V-badged cars are in the pipeline, though he stopped short of listing the models the emblem will appear on. Demand for quick crossovers is growing steadily in America, so it's not difficult to imagine an XT4-V, for example. And, an unverified report published in February 2021 claims the Escalade's 6.2-liter V8 will soon receive a 200-horsepower bump thanks to a factory-backed, dealer-installed supercharger. If the rumor is accurate, the 600-plus-horse Escalade could be the V-branded model that Roma alluded to in the interview.
"The V-Series lineup has expanded," he said. "You're going to see more of that in the future. We're going to do more V-Series. It's important to our brand, and you'll see it on other products."
2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, CT4-V Blackwing Image Credit: Cadillac
SOURCE: autoblog