The 2020 Cadillac CT5-V Officially Debuts May 30

Photo credit: KGP Photography - Car and Driver
Photo credit: KGP Photography - Car and Driver

From Car and Driver

  • Cadillac has announced that a high-performance version of the new 2020 CT5 sedan is happening.

  • The CT5-V could possibly use Cadillac's twin-turbo 4.2-liter V-8, called "Blackwing."

  • The 2020 Cadillac CT5-V makes its official debut May 30 and will likely go on sale later this year.

UPDATE 5/23/19: Cadillac has officially confirmed the CT5-V's existence. The new 2020 Cadillac CT5-V sports sedan will make its debut May 30 at an event in Detroit ahead of the Detroit Grand Prix at Belle Isle.

UPDATE 5/3/19: New spy photos show a prototype of what might be the CT5-V, or at least a higher-performance version of the 2020 CT5 sedan. The key hints include quad exhaust tips out back and extra vents in the front grille that are meant to increase airflow. We're certain that there's some sort of more powerful engine underhood, and we look forward to hearing more about this hotted-up CT5 as Cadillac continues development.

It's all but confirmed that a V version of the new Cadillac CT5 sedan is in the cards. During a media presentation, Cadillac product marketing director Jason Sledziewski alluded to the idea that a high-performance variant of the new sedan is forthcoming. He also said that sedans are an important part of Cadillac's business because they allow it to continue building a reputation for performance-oriented vehicles like the outgoing ATS-V and CTS-V.

Cadillac's V lineup is lacking in terms of product these days: the ATS-V and CTS-V ended production, and the V-8–powered CT6-V, which was originally planned as a V-Sport model, doesn't seem to have gotten the full performance treatment like its forebears.

While Cadillac said that it isn't ready to talk about the potential CT5-V's engine, the company's Blackwing twin-turbo 4.2-liter V-8, which is already in the CT6-V, seems like the most logical choice. In the CT6-V, it makes 550 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque, which would blow vehicles like the 444-hp BMW M3 and the 503-hp Mercedes-AMG C63 S out of the water. It's also possible the CT5-V could use an upgraded version of the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 that's already offered in the standard CT5; it makes just 335 horsepower in the CT5, but this same engine produces 404 horsepower in the CT6, so it's possible that Cadillac could tune it for a high-performance application. We can assume that a CT5-V would also benefit from a stiffer suspension setup, upgraded brakes, and extra visual aggression to set it apart.

We look forward to hearing more from Cadillac about the CT5-V when the company is ready to officially acknowledge its existence in the near future.

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