04:30 09-05-2026
The most expensive Blackwing ever: Cadillac builds a 26-car F1 send-off with a manual V8
Cadillac unveils its most expensive CT5-V Blackwing yet — 685 hp, a six-speed manual, and a production run of just 26 cars to mark the brand's F1 debut.
Cadillac has built the most expensive version of the CT5-V Blackwing yet — and this isn't just a sport sedan anymore, it's a collector item. The F1 Collector Series is priced at $260,000, almost $160,000 more than the base CT5-V Blackwing.
The production run explains part of that gap: only 26 cars will be built. Production starts this summer, with assembly remaining at the Lansing Grand River plant in Michigan. According to GM Authority, the cars will be delivered to customers in an enclosed trailer, and that service can add another $1,800–3,400 to the price.
The main technical difference is a reworked supercharger developed using GM Motorsports expertise. Instead of the standard 668 hp and 893 Nm, the limited-run sedan delivers 685 hp and 912 Nm. The gearbox is a manual — and only a manual. For a collector edition that matters more than it sounds: Cadillac is betting on buyers who want not just a fast sedan but a rare, old-school machine with a third pedal.
On the outside, the F1 Collector Series is finished in Midnight Stone Frost. It runs Carbon Flash wheels, Harbor Gray brake calipers, gloss black badging and monochrome Cadillac crests. The lower carbon-fiber bodywork is underlined by thin Switchblade Silver pinstripes.
There are plenty of Formula 1 cues here. A CNC-machined F1 logo sits on the supercharger cover, with a laser-etched FIA mark beside it. The F1 logo also appears on the 3D-printed shifter medallion, while the FIA mark is tucked under the clear coat of the carbon-fiber center console. The builder's plate brings together both logos and the car's individual serial number.
The standard equipment list includes the Precision Package — a set of track-focused upgrades. It features stiffer springs, a larger front anti-roll bar, reinforced bushings, new steering knuckles and toe links. The MagneRide adaptive dampers have been retuned for sharper turn-in, and the electronic differential gets a new calibration for better corner exits.
The package is rounded out by carbon-ceramic brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. So part of the price premium goes not only into badges and rarity but into a genuinely more track-ready setup.
Even so, rationality isn't the point of this version. Nobody buys the CT5-V Blackwing F1 Collector Series because it's the most efficient way to own 685 hp. It's one of the last big American sedans with a V8, a supercharger and a manual, built in a tiny series. And Cadillac clearly knows that for collectors, that formula sometimes matters more than the dry spec sheet.