These two will join the CT6-V in Cadillac’s revamped sedan lineup.
The Cadillac CTS-V and ATS-V are on their way out, but that is not stopping the company from developing their replacements. Lined up behind the flagship CT6-V, the Cadillac CT5-V and CT4-V will round out the brand’s new sports sedan lineup. And yes, Cadillac seems keen on sticking with performance sedans, if for no other reason than to keep trying to land a few jabs at the Germans. Even while BMW and Mercedes-Benz are going horsepower mad with their crossovers, they and Audi still have well-established performance nameplates. So does Cadillac, so we expected the company to stay in the market with a new range of V models.
Cadillac revealed its plans to show the CT5-V and CT4-V on May 30. The company is celebrating 15 years of the V performance brand, starting with the original CTS-V back in 2004. Now, the performance has moved on quite a bit. Take the 4.2-liter “Blackwing” twin-turbo V8 in the CT6-V. It makes 550 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque, more or less in the same ball park as its AMG and M-powered German rivals. Even the ATS-V, with its twin-turbo 3.6-liter V6, managed 464 horsepower and 445 lb-ft of torque.
It’s unclear at this point whether Cadillac will carryover the CTS-V or the ATS-V’s powertrain in their replacements. It is likely the 2020 Cadillac CT5-V will see a detuned version of the Blackwing V8. However, since it has to fill the old CTS’ shoes, the company may use the full-power version. As for the CT4-V, we will most likely see some form of turbocharged V6 slot its way under the hood.
“This is only the beginning”
There is one strange characteristic about Cadillac’s V lineup that the company may have alluded to in its announcement. Unlike the Germans, the brand has so far resisted the urge to slap a “V” badge on its crossover models. However, I think that is about to change. Cadillac said in its statement, “…this is only the beginning.”
Since the company already announced its new V sedans, it stands to reason we will see a new hot crossover from Cadillac in the near future. Perhaps a Cadillac XT5-V or XT6-V to take on the recently announced M Performance versions of the X5 and X7? Maybe they will introduce an Escalade-V with the next generation, which is coming up soon.
