Final Test: The 2026 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Manual Is Still a Badass, and We Hate to Say Goodbye

“Goodness gracious,” or some variation thereof, is what springs to mind when you stamp on the throttle to launch the catapult that is the 2026 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing. Dictionary definitions of that phrase include the words “astonishment” and “surprise”—and indeed when you simply listen to it, feel it, and revel in its avalanche of power and torque, there’s plenty of both on offer here. “Dismay” can also be tied to the phrase, though, and unfortunately it, too, applies here. Not because of anything notably wrong with the car; quite the contrary. But Cadillac previously confirmed that 2026 is the final production year of the current CT4 and CT5 saloons, including the top-dog CT5-V Blackwing. A new-generation CT5 is expected to return eventually, but we’re seriously going to miss this car in the meantime.

We haven’t yet got our hands on the recently announced CT5-V Blackwing F1 Collector Series Edition, and we might never do so given its limited nature (only 26 examples), but the Blackwing Precision package is the next best thing.

We previously tested the CT5-V Blackwing with the new-for-last-year, $18,000 Precision package that adds carbon-ceramic brakes, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tyres, and upgrades like a beefier front anti-roll bar and suspension bushings, new steering knuckles and rear-suspension toe links, plus revised tuning for the MagneRide suspension dampers, spring rates, steering, and electronic limited-slip differential.

However, that car featured the optional 10-speed automatic transmission, whereas Cadillac’s press fleet operations now offered us a chance to run the numbers on the six-speed manual version as a sort of last hurrah for the most badass Cadillac sport saloon of all time.

With the supercharged 6.2-litre V-8 engine roaring, belching, and blasting out 668 horsepower and 659 lb-ft of torque, the automatic-equipped Blackwing tipped our scales at 4,109 pounds and accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, with the quarter mile passing in 11.4 seconds at 127.3 mph. The marginally lighter (4,076-pound), launch-control- and no-lift-shift-equipped manual car posted times of 3.6 seconds and 11.7 seconds at 124.7 mph, right on the money with our expectations when predicting the time required to shift gears ourselves.

As for our other key testing metrics, there was a big factor at play compared to the automatic car we tested three months ago: the tyres. The automatic Blackwing came to our dance riding on the Precision Package’s Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R track-oriented rubber, but this here manual model had the available Pilot Sport 4 S tyres. The latter may be better for a wider variety of real-world weather conditions, but if you’ve ever wondered how much outright performance difference might lie between these different tyre models, well, here are our data points: The automatic car on the Rs stopped from 60 mph in 97 feet, crushing the manual car’s 106-foot distance. We also noted a somewhat soft-feeling brake pedal, and we wished for more bite from the 19-inch Michelins. It’s worth pointing out that even during our test of the automatic car with the stickier shoes, we experienced inconsistent hard stopping performance.

In our more dynamic evaluations, the newer 2026 Blackwing pulled 1.00 g of lateral acceleration on our skidpad and lapped the figure-eight handling course in 23.9 seconds at an average of 0.88 g. The 2025 automatic version bested those figures to the tune of 1.13 g around the skidpad and a figure-eight time of 22.6 seconds at 0.95 g average.

Regardless of the braking- and handling-test numbers, it’s important to stress the overall driving experience with the manual 2026 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Precision package on the 4 S Michelins remains top-notch. With the car’s Performance Traction Management system set to Race 1 or Race 2, it was immediately apparent Cadillac has worked on its launch control compared to our previous experience. One of our drivers called the difference “night and day,” as the system’s consistency is now on par with Porsche’s manual, a huge accomplishment. In fact, we went back and looked at our notes from our test of an even older CT5-V Blackwing manual we evaluated pre–Precision package in 2022 and tried its best launch settings (4,000 rpm, 10 percent slip), and it was a complete mess that didn’t work well. That older car was incredibly tricky to launch consistently no matter what we tried, whereas this new one was a piece of cake and produced repeatable performances off the line.

Meanwhile, in our handling tests, the heavy clutch pedal and notchy shifter feel like magic during aggressive driving, allowing you to almost simply jab at the clutch in between shifts, resulting in smooth, quick gear changes that never cease to bring a smirk to your face. We began with PTM set to Race 2, but the system cut too much power on the figure-eight exits and through the skidpad, as well. So we turned off all the nannies—and promptly spun out on the first go. But this approach ended up being quicker on the subsequent laps; the toughest part was simply being patient enough with throttle application.

As noted, the available-but-not-equipped grippier rubber and more brake consistency would up the Blackwing’s performance—already stupendous and stupendously fun in this configuration—causing at least one of our drivers to comment that the engine and shifter are the greatest things about this car. That’s not to say whatsoever that the handling isn’t incredibly rewarding and confidence inspiring, but on the street the unwavering power and weight/tactility of the clutch and shifter are indeed the things you feel the most.

Some of our drivers, particularly younger ones without benefit of years-ago experience when more performance cars featured such heavy actuation, initially found the experience mildly off-putting until they got used to it and realised the quick-shifting benefits it brings and that it doesn’t take as much physical effort as it seems to at first.

To wit, at least one MotorTrend staffer found by the end of our time with the car that this is their new favourite OEM clutch on the market today. That’s a compliment of the highest order when assessing the success or failure of a manual-gearbox version of a performance car that’s also available with a solid automatic transmission. Our only concern now, in the CT5’s twilight, is that the next generation of Blackwing, whenever it arrives, not only upholds this one’s internal combustion character (Cadillac thankfully has said it will do so) but also its stick-and-clutch excellence, numbers notwithstanding. That will go a long way toward keeping this nameplate easily in our good graces.