Both The Cadillac CT5-V And CT4-V Will Debut This Month
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Cadillac isn’t messing around with its new sedans. The brand said in an emailed invitation that it will debut both the Cadillac CT5-V and CT4-V at a May 30th event.
While we expected hot V versions of both sedans, their arrival is somewhat surprising. Cadillac unveiled the CT5 at the 2019 New York International Auto Show last month and we haven’t received an official debut date for the standard CT4 sedan. With the CT4-V just over two weeks away, we have to imagine the standard car is close behind.
Cadillac CT4 prototypes testing
The CT5 takes over duty from the ATS and CTS sedans to compete with the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, while the CT4 should be sized smaller to tackle rivals such as the Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz CLA and A-Class, and the BMW 2 Series.
Our spy photographers haven’t identified any CT4 prototypes as specific CT4-V models, so it’s very possible what we’ve identified as V-Sport mules could very well be full-blown CT4-Vs roaming around. As for the compact sedan’s powerplant, we’re left out in the dark. We can’t imagine a V8 engine fitting in a car supposedly smaller than the ATS, so a turbocharged V6 engine seems like a good bet.
Potential Cadillac CT5-V prototype
The CT5-V, on the other hand, has a far simpler lineage to honor. The CTS-V has always been a raucous sedan with a burly V8 engine. Cadillac would make a serious misstep if it left out a V8 engine from the CT5-V in favor of some V6 engine. We have a feeling the brand’s 4.2-liter Blackwing V8 engine will suit the CT5-V well since we doubt Cadillac would stuff the supercharged 6.2-liter LT4 V8 under the hood.
Potential Cadillac CT5-V prototype
Just how much power the CT5-V will make it also a curious point to ponder. The Corvette-sourced LT4 engine gave the previous CTS-V 650 horsepower, while the Blackwing V8 engine currently makes 550 horses in the CT6-V. But that’s not to say Cadillac couldn’t tweak the engine for more power.
Stay tuned as we learn more about both cars leading up to the debut at the end of this month.
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Im so pumped about this literally saw this last night and I couldn’t stop smiling and jumping for joy. I’d say what’s interesting is will this 4 gen of V cars go without a supercharger? Every group of V cars had a supercharger. I mean it’s not like they need it, for as big as the CT6-V is it’s hella light for it’s class, and power to weigh is exceptional. Besides the engine that’s going into the CT5-V what engine is going to debut in the CT4-V and will there be a coupe? (CT4 is equal in size to the ATS)
The original CTS-V was a n/a ls6 not supercharged
But the first generation of V Cars which also include the STS-V and XLR-V which was supercharged. What I meant was that every succession of V Cars at least one car carried a supercharger, but it appears that the 4th gen might be an all turbocharged lineup.
Gen1 CTS-V, STS-V, XLR-V
Gen2 CTS-V Sedan, Wagon, Coupe
Gen3 CTS-V, ATS-V Sedan and Coupe
Gen4 CT4-V, CT5-V, CT6-V
Also every group of V-Cars, excluding Gen3, came in groups of threes. So I’m wondering if we will get a coupe. Cadillac has had a coupe for the last 10 year continuously, and I don’t think that profits would be a problem considering they are going to be selling it with higher or equal profit margins compared to other coupes and sedans that are on this platform (Alpha 1 and 2). I hope we do and hope they bring us a V.
Also saw this reported last night and I thought it was April fools day! Wow I am excited, its like a Christmas in July only 2 months sooner.
Glad we don’t have to wait as long as we did after the CTS and ATS debuts to see the Vs. Caddy has been on a tear this year and I expect the Escalade to be something gorgeous (and have a V version as well)
I’m stunned but so pumped for this reveal! I was expecting to wait months for the V versions. As a current V owner with a lease up about a year from now it would be terrific if these would come to market in time for me to make a smooth transition. Just a shame there’s no coupe. My current car is an ATS-V coupe and I’m not a 4 door fan. I understand the math that makes a coupe hard for Cadillac to justify, but it pushes a customer like myself back toward BMW or Merc.
As I recall the m3 had better lateral rigidity than the m4 owing to the b-pillar.
IMO, if you have 5 seats, you should be able to access them. Coupes look nicer, but if making just one flavor of the car keeps development costs down and tames the price, I’m all onboard.
Example: new supra gr. Same parts as the z4, but $15k cheaper because toyota didnt bother to customize anything. passing cost savings on to the consumer.
Wow, so cool. I hope this will become a tradition. I mean, showing the V versions right after the regular cars.
V6 for the CT4-V
V8 Blackwing for the CT5-V.
This is my guess.
I’d take the CT5-V over the M3/C63/RS4/ anyday.
And CT4 over the CLA.
With your name at long as it doesn’t come in black or have Spanish leather…….
Hahah. Im ok with that lol
Nice username. smh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_IXzU-lnLU lol
I hope AWD is standard like the CT6-V
Doesn’t BMW and Mercedes build really nice large luxury cars as well? Wouldn’t it be nice if Cadillac would chase after that side of the Germans? I know there’s a lot of people on here who are fans of the sport side of Cadillac. Great. I’m glad this makes you happy. Now how about catering to those of us who don’t care about hard seats, low profile tires on huge rims and racing around a track. You do know that the Germans offer very nice and real luxury cars, don’t you Cadillac?
I’m also finding it difficult to read articles like this about the CTS/CT5. It’s so difficult to tell the two “names” apart! I have to go back and read the article carefully in order to know which is which.
This is a niche market.
You don’t seem to understand that this type of market is low volume. FYI, Cadillac still makes real luxury cars!
@Johnls_39:
I can only assume that you are referring strictly to the “V-series” cars as a “niche” market. And if so, it would mean that it’s low volume without the ability to bring in big money. Truth be told, if GM was making the amount of profit they should on the V-series, then they would cost a lot more than they do. So what I don’t think you seem to understand is that this “niche” market is driving Cadillac’s direction (or has been trying to) and thus leaves many people such as myself out of the showroom. Last time I had my Buick in for service, the dealer (Cadillac, GMC and Buick) had the Cadillac area loaded with V-series and Sport packaged vehicles. Not a single one I’d be interested in.
So when you say Cadillac still makes a real luxury car, please expand on that. Cadillac makes nothing even close to the S-class MB or the 7 Series BMW. And when you say luxury, what are you referring to? Leather seats? Sunroof? Big rims and rubber bands for tires does not a luxury car make.
Sounds like you missed it, but Cadillac launched the Luxury and Premium Luxury CT5 here http://gmauthority.com/blog/2019/04/2020-cadillac-ct5-the-complete-details/
@N400:
Yes, I read that article. I think what you are looking at (Cadillac’s Y-strategy of a “luxury” and “sport” models of the car) is totally different from what I’m speaking about. I certainly don’t look at the new CT5 and see luxury beyond what many could say is a fancier Chevrolet. Leather, sunroof, big rims, hard and overly bolstered seats and a few features isn’t what I’m referring to as luxury. Is the CT5 a luxury car by definition? I’m sure it is. will they offer the luxury and sport packages? Yes they will. But the luxury model is mostly just more chrome vs. black trim. From what I’ve read, there will be very little difference in anything else. Thus, the car is really geared toward the sportier side and those of us who don’t want that type of car will be forced to go with what they offer or go someplace else.
Real luxury in which I’m referring can be found by looking at the upper level BMW 7 series and MB S-class. My point was simply asking why Cadillac seems to only be chasing those two brands on the sportier side and not the higher end luxury side.
At the NY auto show I saw the Blackwing V8 (hand-assembled) and the LT1 V8 cutaway display units. The LT1 has bigger displacement but a surprisingly small footprint. While I would LOVE to see an AWD Blackwing V8 CT5-V, I suspect it will be equally likely we see a RWD LT1 as it’s likely it’ll fit better into the engine bay and lowers cost, while maintaining performance.
Either would be a serious contender for my garage!
As a V-sport owner (and a very happy one), I’m utterly baffled by the purposeful alphabet soup nomenclature. Damn if I can’t tell the difference between a 5 and an S on the rear of a vehicle, making the XTS and the XT5 emblems next to impossible to differentiate. Now, to make matters worse, Cadillac in its infinite wisdom has a CT5 replacing a CTS. Point being – can no one at Cadillac marketing devise an English name worthy of a Cadillac car? CT4 or what have you is not aspirational. Why are we still copying BMW, Mercedes, and Audi bingo-game naming schemes? Now Blackwing is a name. People love it. You yearn to own one. Start calling American cars cool names. That’s what Bunkie Knudsen did when he took over Pontiac. “Bunkie Knudsen?” the Cadillac marketing folks ask. “Who’s that?” “Pontiac?” That’s a town in Michigan, right?”
@Chris:
Thank you! If you have read any of my previous posts, you will know I am so sick of the XT…./CT…./ELR…..ST…..DT…..whatever crap. And you hit the nail on the head with the XTS/XT5 and CTS/CT5. As I said above, I am having trouble following the article just because of that very thing.
Blackwing……..yes, a name (for an engine no less!!) that people like. Go figure.
The CTS and XTS will no longer exist, so there won’t be any more confusion going forward. Cadillac will have the XT4, XT5, XT6, Escalade for SUVs, and CT4, CT5, CT6, (and hopefully Escala as the flagship). I recognize that this last point is probably just wishful thinking on my part.
Cadillac decided it needed their new Blackwing V8 so it didn’t need to continue borrowing the LT4 supercharged 6.2L V8 from Chevrolet; but unless Cadillac begins to offer the Blackwing V8 in more vehicles, there won’t be much distinction from owning a Cadillac and a Chevrolet.
I can’t help thinking that GM had not originally planned to launch CT5-V this early. But with CT6 V-Series being sold out and CT6 going on a hiatus of unknown duration while GM locates a plant to build it in ( Lansing ), an application needed to be pulled forward to keep the Blackwing fresh and relevant. CT5-V was probably pulled ahead to make that happen.
This makes me curious as to why CT4 V-Series would be announced and shown on the same day? I can’t recall GM ever launching the top tier version of any product FIRST. Especially in conjunction with a new trim level of an existing vehicle. Unless GM is planning to tell a Blackwing = V-Series story. On first look, a 500 hp or especially a 550 hp Blackwing in a CT4 might seem like overkill. That is, until you realize that M3 and M4 are going to offer 473 hp, each with an additional 30 hp available in Competition trim. And that’s without the typical BMW understatement of engine output.
Get it through your had already. CT5 is the car that competes with the 3.
CT4 will go against the A class.
That’s what GM says, but I don’t know which 3-series shoppers are going to cross-shop with a CT5 that has less brand cachet, and is 8″ longer but has a smaller trunk (11.9 vs. 16.9 cu. ft. in the 3). The CT5 is within fractions of an inch of the 5-series at ~194″ long, so the CT5 might compete with the 3-series only on price.
Following that strategy, I expect the CT4 to come with the ATS-L’s added 3″ WB and length, which aligns better with the 3-series/C-class, and addresses the ATS’s rear legroom complaints. In both scenarios, I fear that Cadillac’s levels of standard equipment will suffer (drop below what a cheaper Buick already comes with) to ‘justify’ the smaller/cheaper car marketing comparison.
I don’t know guys. I have been following the CT5-V for many years.
It all depends on whether they decide to push the envelope beyond 600 HP
Can anyone post an article for the online unveiling?
I’m eager to see what they have up their sleeve, but count me in with the others who are surprised to see the V versions finalized this early. Considering the amount of aero and suspension testing that’s gone into previous models, I would have expected to see a lot more spy shots of mules running the ‘Ring or on GM’s high-speed testing grounds.
If both cars are so ‘hot’ (I like the Blackwing = V-Series idea!) that they’re almost assured to drive some anticipation or pre-sales (like CT6-V) then this could be a smart move to enhance perceptions. They have lots of time to sort out final suspension and powertrain tuning (especially CT4, I presume), and yet I’m still surprised that designs/bodywork would be finalized in advance of more real-world aero tuning.
Mayyyyybe…with so much Alpha platform development already done, a lot of the V-related work is already done, existing suspension parts/geometries can be carried over, and computers are running the aero simulations.
CT4 is Deville
CT5 is Seville
CT6 is Fleetwood .
Your brain is mini
This could be impressive. I’m holding my breath…
Hot Damm! That was quick! I wasn’t expecting the Vs for at least another year (’20 Detroit or NY). Especially with the fact that they’re yet to reveal the CT4.
Anyway, the CT5 V must have at least 500hp. The Alfa got 503, the C63 got 469-503, & the next M3 will have 480-510. And for the love of God please no 3.6.
As for the CT4, 400hp is the magic “segment appropriate” number. Puts it right between the RS4 and the upcoming AMG 45 cars. Again, please no 3.6
Imo the most important thing is the interior quality and Cadillac must deliver on that front.
Yes it was. Very excited to see the CT4.
Please Lord God in heaven do NOT go from 640 HP to 550 that just makes no sense. I don’t care what market they’re shooting for to bow down to M5s and E63s would just be the biggest mistake ever. As a current 2013 CTS-V owner I can tell you if they put that Blackwing in there I’m buying a Tesla?
Get that tesla now because that blackwing is going in that vehicle and it better. No more same everything from other GM Vehicles. Im guessing they should make their V cars RWD only getting dusted by everyone else that has AWD? Have fun with your purchase on your electric car
Dying to see both the CT4 and CT5 in person. Want to see just how much bigger they are than their competition and to get a handle on why the Trunks are that much Smaller (CT5) than the rest of the field even though it is much bigger on paper.
But very excited nonetheless. I personally have always disagreed with Tweener sized cars, but I wish Cadillac nothing but the best of luck.
So going forward Cadillac will have three Tweener Sedans with NO Flagship Sedan like the rest of the Big boys.
Also very intrigued on the engine lineup for the upcoming CT4 and which engine the V versions of each sedan will get.