While Cadillac is hurtling toward its electric-only future with five EVs either in-production or announced, the V-series of ICE performance vehicles — celebrating its 20^th anniversary — has been an outsized success for the brand. For 2025, the CT5-V and CT5-V Blackwing sedans arrive with refreshed appearances and significant performance-related interior tech.

Cadillac revealed the refreshed performance luxury sedans on January 24. SAE Media was present for an online pre-reveal briefing.

John Roth, Cadillac global vice president, said the CT5 is a success story for Cadillac that bucks the global industry trend of increased SUV sales at the expense of sedans. Globally, the CT5 is the brand’s best-selling model line and sales of the V-series portfolio are up 55%. “That doesn’t happen without a quality product that reallly delivers on what the customer is looking for,” he said.

Lighting, exterior changes
Alex MacDonald, chief engineer for the CT5 lineup, said the exterior design refreshes for 2025 were, in part, to further differentiate the CT5-V from the Blackwing.

The front lighting treatment is the most notable change from 2024. There is a vertical LED/DRL strip at the extreme outer edges of the front fascia, with stacked LED headlights inboard from that. Apart from that, Cadillac was touting lighting “choreography” activated when a driver walks toward or away from the vehicle. “It’s a really cool feature when you see it live,” MacDonald said. Candace Willett, a Cadillac design manager, said the two headlamps on either side are only 20 mm (0.8 inches) tall and 30 mm (1.2 inches) wide.

Willett added that the walk-up and walk-away lighting display features the vertical LEDs and the turn signals. “Cadillac has this thing about elevated arrival. We want to make sure you feel celebrated,” she said.

The front of the CT5-V has a wider, lower appearance, while the Blackwing has added aero ground effects and revised front fenders. The Blackwing can be optioned with a carbon-fiber package that includes a splitter. At the rear, both models feature quad trapezoidal exhaust tips.

Both models are available in three new colors: Drift Metallic, Deep Space Metallic and Typhoon Metallic.

Wide touchscreen
“The one thing we really want to talk about,” MacDonald said, “Is the (interior’s) new 33-inch (838-mm) diagonal LED color touchscreen display. This is the main focus when you open the door and get inside. It’s truly world-class.”

Of greatest interest to true performance drivers, though, will be the available enhanced in-vehicle performance data recorder. MacDonald said this was produced from input by “race-obsessed” engineers and designers. It is accessed directly on the touch-screen display and features:

• A lap-analytics tool that provides analysis previously only possible once data was downloaded to a laptop, such as speed tracing.
• New features to help drivers improve their on-track performance.
• A tool that automatically highlights the most significant lap-time improvement opportunities.
• A live data screen in the center stack with lap time details including lap delta and gauges Cadillac said are designed to help a coach seated in the passenger seat.

Both performance models include Super Cruise driver-assistance tech with new Driver Attention Assist. The package is standard on automatic-transmission-equipped cars for three years. They also include Google Assistant and Maps and Play, as well as available OnStar.

Powertrains untouched
The powertrains of both sedans carry over. The 2025 CT5-V is powered by a 3.0-L twin-turbo V-6 making 360 hp (269 kW) and 405 lb-ft (549 Nm), routed to a 10-speed automatic. The CT5-V Blackwing has a 6.2-L supercharged V-8 that makes 668 hp (498 kW) and 659 lb-ft (893 Nm). It comes with the 10-speed, but a 6-speed manual is optional. Roth said that more than 50% of Blackwing buyers opt for the manual, “so the manual hasn’t faded among our performance customers.”

Both engines have direct injection and GM’s fuel-saving Active Fuel Management cylinder deactivation. The CT5-V includes automatic (but defeatable) engine stop-start. The Blackwing does not offer the feature.

The CT5-V is available with all-wheel drive and comes standard with Magnetic Ride Control, electronic limited-slip differential and launch control. The Blackwing adds standard Brembo front and rear brakes and launch control with line lock. Both models come with standard performance traction management, 19-inch alloy or aluminum wheels and summer performance tires.

Pricing will be announced closer to an on-sale date officials said would land in summer of this year. Both the 2025 CT5-V and CT5-V Blackwing will be manufactured at General Motors’ Grand River Assembly plant.