The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing has been facelifted, but keeps its manual gearbox option

Sad about the Volkswagen Golf GTI losing its manual gearbox option with its recent facelift? Console yourself with a socking-great 6.2-litre supercharged V8 and a six-speed DIY gearbox. ‘Murica!

Yep, it’s facelift time for the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, and the most important news of all is that you can still pair that 668bhp LT4 V8 with either a manual or 10-speed automatic gearbox. Phew.

So, what changes have actually been made to update the Blackwing and the standard CT5-V? Well, the latter keeps its 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 that’s making 360bhp, but both have been ever-so-slightly redesigned with new front ends and new light signatures. Cadillac reckons it’s now easier to tell the Blackwing (the car in light blue in the images up above) from the standard car (the green car above), but if we’re honest it’s still a tricky game of spot the difference.

Still, both variants of the CT5-V are handsome saloons (sorry, sedans) and in a rather welcome turn of events it was the CT5 that was Caddy’s best-selling vehicle worldwide last year. Perhaps this is the start of the saloon car fightback against all crossovers and SUVs. Fingers crossed.

Anyway, we’re told there are three new colour options for the 2025 CT5-V and CT5-V Blackwing. Those will be known as Drift Metallic, Deep Space Metallic and Typhoon Metallic, but it’s inside where you’ll notice the biggest difference when compared to the pre-facelift car. You see, in there is a ginormous 33-inch LED touchscreen that spans the dash and incorporates both the dial display and the infotainment. What a beast.

You’ve got Google built in to the system, but the best sounding bit of software is Cadillac’s new ‘Performance Data Recorder’. On that giant display you’ll be able to view all of your lap times and performance data, and the CT5-V will even show reference laps for a whole host of circuits, plus it’ll give you tips on where to improve your times. Nerdy. 

All sounds great, doesn’t it? Clearly keeping that manual gearbox was the most important part though. Bravo, Cadillac.