If you’re anything like us, you’re probably foaming at the mouth thinking about the new Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing and Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, the luxury brand’s up-and-coming high-performance four-door models. Unfortunately, buyers in China are out of luck, as GM Authority has learned that both the CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing will not be brought to that particular market.
Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing and Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing teased at the 2019 Detroit Grand Prix.
According to sources familiar with Cadillac product plans, Caddy will in fact not offer any of the new Cadillac V-series models in China, including the “standard” CT4-V and CT5-V, as we covered previously.
Critically, China is now the luxury brand’s largest market by sales volume, posting 213,717 deliveries last year to the 156,246 new vehicle vehicle sales in the U.S. during the same time period. That said, even though China is now Cadillac’s largest market by sales volume, profit and revenue are still higher in the U.S.
Cadillac Sales - 2019 Calendar Year
| MARKET | YTD 19 / YTD 18 | YTD 19 | YTD 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CANADA | +0.21% | 11,918 | 11,893 |
| CHINA | +3.95% | 213,717 | 205,605 |
| MEXICO | -2.12% | 1,110 | 1,134 |
| RUSSIA | -17.09% | 975 | 1,176 |
| SOUTH KOREA | -18.42% | 1,714 | 2,101 |
| USA | +1.00% | 156,246 | 154,702 |
| TOTAL | +2.41% | 385,680 | 376,611 |
Nevertheless, buyers in China hoping to get a slice of the top-shelf Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing and Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing will no doubt be disappointed to learn that the two new models won’t be sold there.
Both models will sport more aggressive styling and dramatic aero enhancements, with wider wheels and tires, bigger Brembo brakes, and sharper suspension. The Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing will feature the twin-turbocharged 3.6L V6 LF4, the same lump previously equipped in the Cadillac ATS-V, where it produced 464 horsepower and 445 pound-feet of torque.
Meanwhile, the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing will mount the supercharged 6.2L V8 LT4, which also powers the current Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, where it produces 650 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque.
Both sedans will offer a standard six-speed manual transmission and optional 10-speed automatic.
Although both the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing and Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing were originally expected to launch in the U.S. later this year, delays resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic have pushed the on-sale dates into the first half of 2021.
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Comments
First the regular Vs now this. Does that silly company called GM want to copy their European operations in China? This cost-cutting looks like European pulling-out. Now we’ll be hearing typical excuses, the old ones – taxes, regulations and the newest as pandemic. And all this in a market where Cadillac is in fact succesful. At the same time competition will continue offering almost all of their hottest products. What’s next? Fake information about their distribution network on their Chinese web sites? – thing that was practised for 20 years in Europe. cadillaceurope.com showed people interested in Cadillac service fake information as service stations that either didn’t exist at all or didn’t handle Cadillacs ‘sorry, we do only Opels, we can only change oil in Your CTS!’
I dedicate this GM China press note to all who gave me a thumb down. They bragged about V-series legacy last year! Now they are killing it in China. Hot-performance models always draw customers to showrooms and they are very significant marketing-wise. It’s a stupidity GM abandons them, especially when competition still offers AMG, RS and M-branded cars.
https://www.gmchina.com/media/me/en/cadillac/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/me/en/2019/cadillac/07-02-v-for-victory.html
Andrew,
POTUS is now fuelling a trade war with China to distract from his incredible incompetence and total indifference to Americans dying by the thousands.
Chinese are hyper-nationalistic and they will stop buying American branded cars. If this goes far enough they may kick out US companies and nationalize their operations.
If you’re so smart and know better, go and apply for a job at GM.
It’s funny to read GM advocates comments. If not offering best products is a good solution and saves money, how about not offering cars in China at all? GM won’t need to sweat, sb else will do job for them!
But reading about politics in a car discussion ain’t funny at all. Chinese are nationalistic? So how would You call Germans? I grew up in Germany. I must say their dumb ‘pride’ works for them. 95% of them will never touch a foreign-made car even if their Audi or BMW catches fire and make them hitchhike. And nowadays I observe on FB how they hate Trump, call him orange racist baboon etc. The same people who personally made racist comments after they drank 2 big beers!
If the orange baboon continues his selfish diversion, GM will be kicked-out of China and their operations nationalized for the CCP’s own use.
If the loons on the left ever get back in power (God help us) we’ll only be allowed to have electric vehicles that our tired out electrical grid won’t be able to supply.
If the right wing nuts re-elect their band of lying criminals who govern for the super-rich, America will be back to the horse and buggy. Is that what they mean by MAGA? 100,000 senseless deaths and food banks is just the beginning…
If the Lying Hillary types and AOC’s and sleepy Joe , and that horrible millionaire Pelosi have their way the US will become a 3rd world nation. Everything will be free , from healthcare to College for illegals as well. You’ll no longer have to work , the government will provide for you. But who pays for all these freebies the left wants to dole out. There’s no such thing as free.
Dougy,
With 25 cities on fire, the Divided States are starting to look like a third world country and if this continues, may be compared to Somalia if the orange man remains there.
To bad, the Blackwing’s look great.
“foaming at the mouth” yea thats about right. I’m looking for ANY news about these 2, more specifically the ct5 BW but still. I’m hoping for some new spy shots of the front end with less camo or some new theoretical renderings or more news about the powerplant or more specifically how much of a power bump they’ll give it because if they have it equal its output in the ZL1 yea thats cool’n all but i think it should be bumped further to around 670-680. 650 is nothing to scoff at but this is the next generation of V’s or perhaps i should say the first generation of Blackwings so they should come out firing with their biggest numbers yet using the LT4 plant which should be a little bigger than its current highest spec (ZL1 @ 650) thats why i think the 670-680 sounds like a sweet spot. You know what i say about ANY new news on the ct5 BW?BRING IT ON! I need my fix…
This makes complete sense to anyone that has been following Regulations for China and Europe. China is going to most likely be first in the World to ONLY sell EV’s. So if that is the case, why should GM spend the extra money to try and sell a Car to a Country that most likely will not sell well in. I totally understand GM’s decision.
I remember reading a while back that the target for 100% sale of electric vehicles is 2030 unless that date has changed.
@Bob White
I believe that is accurate.
I think GM chose to allocate that money to a Different program. The CT4/CT5 V – Blackwing is still at least a year away but most likely even further out. So that would give GM a much shorter Window to sell in China. Remember that the MPG keeps jumping all the way until it will be a complete Shift in 2030.
I would assume GM crunched the Numbers and realized it made no Financial sense in China for these two vehicles.
Momolos,
The CCP has challenged auto manufacturers to be fully electric by 2030. The direction was previously to set it as a mandate but have eased off somewhat. But they don’t want to be too far off that date.
https://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/11405-Can-China-electrify-all-new-passenger-cars-by-2-3-
Chinese customers prefer SUVs. GM obviously concluded that the demand for V series sedans would be extremely limited in China and wasn’t worth the cost to make them there.
Yeah it could be that too. But Tesla is doing just fine in China with their Model 3 which is a Sedan.
Cadillac needs the Lyriq ASAP especially in China. Wish it was out already as The Model Y might be a year away from China sales. Would have given Cadillac the edge.
I’m not sure about that as it still needs to be confirmed. These are crazy fluctuating times. Last month, Tesla sales in China were down 65% to only 3300 units in an EV market up by 10%. 1 month doesn’t make a trend but requires further observations. Yes the plant was fully operational.