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Family sedans with 600 horsepower used to be a rarity, but nowadays, they’re relatively commonplace. However, they typically bear six-figure price tags, meaning they’re not exactly affordable. EVs are more attainable than most and are an easy ticket to big horsepower, but what if we remove EVs and hybrids from the equation? What then is the cheapest way to get a sedan with four doors and 600 horsepower from a combustion engine?

It turns out you don’t have to look too far because the cheapest combustion-only sedan with 600 hp is homegrown, an American-built car from an American brand. That car is the 2025 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, and it gets you over 600 hp for under $100,000.

2025 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing

Base MSRP

$95,595

Engine

6.2L Supercharged V8 Gas

Horsepower

668 hp

Torque

659 lb-ft

Transmission

6-Speed Manual/10-Speed Automatic

Drivetrain

Rear-Wheel Drive

0-60 MPH

3.6 Seconds

Top Speed

200 mph

Expand

A Precision Instrument With American Brawn

668 HP For $95,595

Touted as the last combustion model from Cadillac’s V-series performance lineup – whether that remains the case with the current backtrack on electrification is uncertain – the CT5-V Blackwing is an almighty performance sedan that we’ve loved right from day one. Where other automakers shy away from putting big power through a manual gearbox or RWD, Cadillac does both. In fact, the CT5-V Blackwing is the last RWD, manual, V8-equuipped sedan left on the market. At the center of the CT5-V Blackwing is a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 cranking out 668 hp and 659 lb-ft of torque with a sticker price of just $95,595. Put another way, you pay $143 per horsepower.

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It’s only available with rear-wheel drive, and a six-speed Tremec six-speed manual is the default transmission. You can, however, opt for a ten-speed automatic if you feel that’s too much power to manually shift, but in CarBuzz testing, both transmissions were easy to use and resulted in 0-60 times within a tenth of a second of one another.

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On paper, such outputs may seem intimidating, but the CT5-V Blackwing is remarkable in its ability to be so wieldy; thank the GM Alpha 2 Platform for that. Extremely approachable, despite its power, it’s been a CarBuzz favorite since day one. But Cadillac somehow made it better, facelifting it for 2025 and enhancing little details to refine excellence further.

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Expert Opinion

“The 2025 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing has somehow taken a perfect formula and enhanced it even more. In a world where sedans and manual transmissions feel more antiquated than a paper map or a VHS tape, the Blackwing stands as the last bastion of pure driving enjoyment with four doors.”

Subtle Updates For 2025 Make Big Improvements

As part of a mid-cycle update for the whole CT5 lineup, visual changes were made to the front and rear ends in typical facelift fashion. Nips and tucks rather than completely reinventing the proverbial wheel. Bigger changes are found inside, where a 9K 33-inch diagonal screen interface now spans two thirds of the dashboard. But that’s not what excites CT5-V Blackwing fans. It’s the optional Precision Package that’ll do that, requiring carbon ceramic brakes and adding stiffer springs, revised bushings, a larger front stabilizer bar, new steering knuckles and toe links, more aggressive wheel alignment, and retuned MagneRide suspension. Sticker Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber brings it all together neatly.

The LT4 supercharged V8 remains unchanged, however, delivery massive torque and a whole lot of noise to go along with it.

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Fun Fact

The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing’s name is derived from the defunct Blackwing engine project, which resulted in approximately 1,200 Blackwing V8s being produced. The Blackwing engine was a twin-turbo 4.2-liter V8 that made its way into the CT6 Platinum and CT6-V for a short while before the program was nixed. It now lives on in name only.

The Only Cars To Come Close Need Electric Help

The CT5-V Blackwing is hardly a bargain when you consider the average new car price in the USA is about half the price of the Blackwing itself. But for a car with over 600 hp, it is a bargain. Few cars can compete with the Caddy’s performance credentials, and even fewer are able to do so at an attainable price. Many sedans with 600 hp cost close to twenty, thirty, or even forty thousand dollars more. Take, for example, the Audi RS7, which makes 621 hp and costs $128,600. Or the BMW M8 Gran Coupe, which only has 617 hp but is over $40,000 more expensive than the Caddy at $138,800.

To get 600 hp for less than the CT5-V Blackwing’s MSRP, you have to opt for a sedan with some form of electrification, either in the form of a high-performance plug-in hybrid or a completely electric powertrain.

This once again supports the notion that electric cars are making mega horsepower more attainable than ever.

Cadillac Is Moving With The Times

Other automakers may have changed their tune on going all-electric, with many delaying and shifting focus to hybrids. But Cadillac seems to be resisting the hybrid movement and remains committed to EVs, with five of them now part of its lineup. Only one of these is a sedan, and it’s not cheap. The Celestiq is an ultra-luxury rival to the likes of Rolls-Royce, but it charges over $300,000 for the privilege. Cadillac’s mainstream EVs are far more attainable and are bringing big power to the table for not that big a cash outlay. The Escalade IQ has 750 hp for $129,990, for example.

Cadillac is also hard at work on its first electric V-series model in the form of the Lyriq V. While Cadillac hasn’t confirmed details, we expect it to generate more than 600 hp and be more affordable than the CT5-V Blackwing. Fortunately, the CT5-V Blackwing should remain with us for at least another few years, and with news that Cadillac may keep combustion around until beyond 2030, maybe the CT5-V Blackwing will be given a stay of execution, prolonging the joy it brings us.

Sources:
Cadillac