Cadillac’s CT5-V Blackwing will remain America’s only production sedan combining a V8 engine, rear-wheel drive and a manual transmission for the 2026 model year, but the current model is due to end after MY2026.
The CT5-V Blackwing pairs a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 with either a six-speed manual or a 10-speed automatic transmission. Cadillac rates the engine at 668 hp and 659 lb-ft of torque, preserving a configuration that has largely disappeared from the American new-car market.
For 2026, the manual version starts at $100,695 including delivery. According to the source’s check of Cadillac’s official inventory, 64 manual CT5-V Blackwings were listed across the United States, with prices ranging from $105,542 to $152,777. The automatic costs $6,275 more than the six-speed manual.
Cadillac has confirmed that the current CT5 will reach the end of production after the 2026 model year. That decision places the Blackwing’s combination of a supercharged V8 and a manual gearbox at risk, because the company has not confirmed a direct successor with the same mechanical layout.
Reports cited by the source indicate that another CT5-V Blackwing may be planned for the next generation. Cadillac, however, has not confirmed that model, and there is no assurance that a future version would retain either the supercharged V8 or the six-speed manual transmission.
If the current Blackwing leaves production without a like-for-like replacement, the Ford Mustang GT would become the only American production car still pairing a V8 with a manual transmission. Dodge is expected to add Hellcat V8 power to the new Charger, but the source says a manual gearbox is not believed to be included in that plan.
The broader market is also losing manual options. Models that offered stick shifts at the start of the 2026 model year but are not expected to do so for 2027 include the Volkswagen Jetta GLI, Honda Civic Si and Acura Integra A-Spec. The Toyota Supra and its related BMW Z4 have also disappeared, further reducing the number of new performance cars available with three pedals.
One possible route for the Blackwing formula depends on Chevrolet. GM is expected to revive the Camaro, reportedly on an evolved Alpha 2 architecture also intended for the next CT5 and potentially a new Buick sedan. GM has also developed a new generation of V8 engines, giving Chevrolet components that could support another rival to the Ford Mustang.
Should Chevrolet combine that architecture with V8 power and a manual transmission in a future Camaro, Cadillac could gain access to the hardware needed for another manual V8 Blackwing. The source stresses that this remains speculative rather than confirmed, leaving the 2026 CT5-V Blackwing as the last assured opportunity to buy such a sedan new.
