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Cadillac confirms 'Blackwing' name, manual gearboxes for pumped-up CT4-V, CT5-V

Cadillac officially confirmed Tuesday that the high-output variants of its new CT4-V and CT5-V sedans will be dubbed "Blackwing," sharing a nameplate with GM's stillborn twin-turbocharged V8. As an added bonus, company representatives said for certain that both of Cadillac's new super-sedans will be offered with a manual transmission, confirming long-standing rumors to that effect.  "The Blackwing name has come to represent the very best of Cadillac performance engineering, craftsmanship and technology," said Cadillac chief engineer Brandon Vivian. "The new CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing build on the brand’s respected legacy of ultimate-performance driving experiences and elevate them even further." Cadillac says the two Blackwing sedans, which are successors to the critically acclaimed ATS-V and CTS-V, will represent "the apex of Cadillac performance and driver engagement." The company also remained mum on just what to expect in terms of capability, teasing only the fact that both the CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwing posted quicker lap times in testing at Virginia International Raceway earlier this year than their predecessors did.   Rumors have pointed to the CT5-V Blackwing making use of the company's supercharged 6.2-liter V8, which also powered its predecessor. The 6.2 shares its architecture with the company's flagship, naturally aspirated V8, making it an economical choice for powering performance cars. The smaller CT4-V is likely to be motivated by a turbocharged 6-cylinder. They will also be available in limited numbers, though Cadillac's announcement did not elaborate on just how many (or few, as the case may be) will eventually be built, or how many model years to expect. The CT6-V, which carries the 4.2-liter V8 that shares the "Blackwing" name, saw only limited production before being axed.  The V8 itself may find a new home down the road, but for the time being, it's toast.  Cadillac assured us that more information on the new CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwing will be come along soon enough. For now, at least we know what they're going to be called.  Related Video:    

2014 Cadillac ELR whirs into Jay Leno's Garage

While Jerry Seinfeld was gallivanting around LA with Sarah Silverman in a Jaguar XKE, our favorite car-loving comedian, Jay Leno, was checking out the all-new 2014 Cadillac ELR. Set to go on sale later this year, Cadillac brought its ELR to Jay Leno's Garage to show off some of its styling and technology as well as give Leno some seat time in the range-extended EV. Leno owns both a Volt and a CTS-V, and the ELR is a kind combination of the two (sort of).
In this episode, Leno spends some time talking to Frank Saucedo, GM director of advanced design, and ELR chief engineer Chris Thomason before logging a few miles on the sleek coupe. Interestingly, it seems that GM has definitely changed its tune a little since the introduction of the Volt a couple years ago; Saucedo and Leno both refer to the ELR as a hybrid, and Thomason says that it gets the "bulk of its propulsion" from the electric motors. Whatever you want to call it, scroll down to watch the latest episode of JLG with some great information and driving shots of the plug-in Cadillac.

Cadillac planning more Vsport models

There's a new intermediate class of luxury performance cars emerging. Audi has been doing it for years with its S-line bridging the gap, in many cases, between the standard fare and the full-on RS performance range. BMW's getting in on it with the M Sport line slotting in below the full M models. And now Cadillac is joining the fun with its Vsport offerings.
Models like the CTS Vsport and XTS Vsport are packing a new 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6 with 410 or more horsepower (along with bigger wheels and brakes) to slot in between the standard model and any impending V variant. Well, it appears Cadillac isn't about to stop there.
Speaking with The Detroit News, Cadillac product chief Hampden Tener revealed that, based on the response to the XTS Vsport, the brand is planning more Vsport models. He did not, however, indicate which would be the next to get the slightly sportier treatment. With the full ATS-V expected to pack a version of the same engine powering the aforementioned XTS and CTS Vsport models, an ATS Vsport would have to pack a smaller engine to fit in below. That only leaves the SRX crossover, Escalade SUV and the upcoming ELR hybrid. Food for thought.