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Cadillac Blackwing: Replacing V-Series As We’ve Known It

The Watering Down Of The V-Series Leaves Room For A New Overproof Offering

When the presentation of the 2020 Cadillac CT4-V and 2020 Cadillac CT5-V concluded, GM President Mark Reuss was immediately swarmed with questions. Particularly, any kind of clarification as to why the V-Series badge is now bestowed on what could be considered a trim level, and not the high-octane performance powerhouses we were expecting.

The short answer, was that there will be “two versions” of V-Series. However, coming from a company that recently approved of preposterous naming schemes such as Bolt/Volt, now Blazer/Trailblazer, and Cadillac badging its vehicles based on Newton meters (which consumers don’t understand here), this answer didn’t help.

“We got rid of all the V-sports, and in the case of the CT6 we have one V-Series, that’s the Blackwing,” Reuss pointed out. For all intents and purposes, it now appears that V-Series as we’ve known it is the new V-Sport, as we’ve briefly known it.

Reading between the lines, Mr. Reuss kept referencing to the “Blackwing” engine of the 2020 Cadillac CT6-V in the media scrum. We believe this to be more than a clue, and expect Blackwing to be the range-topping performance badge that V-Series was up to this point.

Multiple sources within GM confirmed to Muscle Cars & Trucks that this is the case.

To refresh, V-Sport was a sort of mid-range level between the standard models and the full-on Cadillac V-Series products. The best example was the third-generation CTS V-Sport, which featured a 420 hp, 430 lb-ft twin-turbo LF3 V6 engine. It slotted above the 335 hp CTS 3.6 and the 640 hp CTS-V. Despite its logical placement in the lineup, the CTS V-Sport sold abysmally.

When asked if Cadillac Blackwing would be the designation of the high-end performance models going forward, Reuss smiled, and as if rhetorically, asked “what do you guys think of that?”

With just about everybody nodding their heads that it should, Reuss simply said “that’s good input.” And certainly having a Cadillac Blackwing badge on a model would help distinguish these alleged “two-versions” of V-Series. Reuss confirmed the higher-end version, which was not announced yet, will be more in line with expectations.

Should Cadillac go in this direction, it would mean that Blackwing would be more than just an engine in the 2020 Cadillac CT6-V. It would mean that it would outright replace V-Series in the Cadillac family of vehicles, to which Reuss described as “the hammer.”

Cadillac CT4-V Interior

Written by Manoli Katakis

Muscle Cars & Trucks was founded by Manoli Katakis - an automotive media veteran that has been covering the latest car news since 2009. His journalism has uncovered dozens of major product changes, updates, plans, and cancellations long before automakers were ready to make things official.

Some highlights over the years of his reporting include the uncovering of the Zora trademark before anybody else reported on the coming of a mid-engine Corvette, as well as the dead-accurate reporting of the coming of the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, two years before it hit the market, and even before the debut of the concept vehicle. This type of reporting has immediately continued here, with reports of the original seventh-generation Camaro plans being shelved, as well as what's in store for the Chevrolet Silverado.

Some of his work can be found on massive automotive media outlets, such as Motor1. He also has been a guest on the 910AM Radio Station with Detroit News auto critic Henry Payne, as well as the enthusiast-oriented Camaro Show podcast.

Over the years, Manoli has interviewed various automotive industry titans, leaders, and people that make things happen otherwise. These include figureheads such as GM CEO Mary Barra, GM President Mark Reuss, automotive aftermarket icon Ken Lingenfelter, Dodge firebrand Tim Kuniskis, along with various chief engineers of vehicles such as the Ford F-150 & Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro & Corvette, and many more.

At MC&T, Manoli is taking his journalism expertise, deeply planted sources, driving abilities, and automotive industry knowledge to new levels, covering more vehicles and brands than ever before. This is the place where you will continue to read groundbreaking stories about American performance vehicles, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles. Here is where you’ll also read insights and quotes from various automotive subject matter experts on the latest relevant products, as well as some of the latest official news from their manufacturers.

Fun facts: he also once beat Corvette Racing driver Tommy Milner in an autocross with a Chevrolet Bolt EV. The biggest vehicle he’s ever driven is a John Deere mining truck. Besides a go-kart, the smallest vehicle he’s driven has been a Hyundai i10. He’s also spent time in the cockpit of various American performance vehicle icons, including the fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, Dodge Challenger Demon, and Ford Mustang GT350R. He has reviewed dozens of trucks, SUVs, and performance vehicles over the years.

One of his favorite new vehicles on the market today happens to be the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison. He is also a card carrying member of the Sports Car Club of America, and regularly participates in Detroit Region autocross events.

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