Top-Level Cadillac V-Series Models to Wear ‘Blackwing’ Nameplate: Report
It looks like the outgoing ATS-V and CTS-V will indeed get worthy replacements, this time sporting the brand’s newest performance badging.
For those concerned that Cadillac's future V-Series models will be watered-down versions of their former selves, the General Motors luxury arm has already hinted that there are more raucous performance vehicles in the works to slot above the comparatively tame CT4-V and CT5-V. Just last month at the Detroit Grand Prix, a pair of hotted-up Cadillac prototypes were teased in cryptic camouflage with sounds of V8 grunt coming from at least one of the vehicles' tailpipes.
And now, a report from Muscle Cars & Trucks claims "on good authority" that the V-Series flagships will be notated as such with "Blackwing" attached to their model names, indicating an ethos similar to that of Cadillac's 4.2-liter, twin-turbo V8 built for speed.
It's understood that the Blackwing name will adorn Cadillac's premium performance cars regardless if they're actually powered by the 550-horsepower, 627-pound-feet V8 or not; such may be the case with the CT4-V Blackwing, thought to be the true successor to the since-ousted ATS-V.
General Motors President Mark Reuss allegedly explained that this repositioning of the sub-brand stems from the fact that buyers were formerly "intimidated" by the high-powered V-Series cars. This is understandable given the CTS-V's 640-horsepower and 200-mile-per-hour top speed.
Regardless, the first pair of Cadillac V models are set to introduce GM's A2XX architecture. Meanwhile, previous reports claim that the Chevrolet Camaro will not continue on to ride atop the new platform, instead being shelved prior to a seventh-generation version of the pony car in 2023.