These Hand-Built CT5-V Blackwings Are Cadillac's Best
Since the debut of the all-electric Celestiq, Cadillac has not been shy about its goals to continue moving up market. With the V-Series lineup celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the automaker had the perfect opportunity to show off its commitment to that goal with a limited run of hand-built Blackwings. Known as the CT5-V Blackwing 20th Anniversary V-Series Edition, these are the nicest Cadillacs of the modern era.
The arrival of the first-generation CTS-V in 2004 completely changed the trajectory of Cadillac. Determined to change its “grandpa’s car” status, the brand invested heavily in building a rival for BMW M and Mercedes-AMG. While the offerings have never had the sales success of their German counterparts, Cadillac has built some of the best sports sedans you could buy over the last two decades. The current CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwing models are right at the front of that pack, with the latter being a well-deserving model for an anniversary tribute. This new Anniversary model is the latest example of the Cadillac Collectors Series, which has also included models like the 2023 CT5-V Blackwing 120th Anniversary Edition, as well as the CT4-V Blackwing Track Edition.
Only 21 examples of the CT5-V Blackwing 20th Anniversary V-Series Edition are slated for production, with the final few examples currently in process. Each car receives a serialized VIN denoting one of the model years featured in the V-Series run. Don’t get your hopes up about getting one however, as all of the cars were pre-sold ahead of production. Cadillac worked with its dealers to locate potential customers, specifically those (well-heeled) customers looking for something exclusive. Many customers had never owned a Cadillac before, while others had never even owned an American performance car. This particular model is a great introduction to that world, as each example is almost entirely bespoke.
Every Anniversary model starts its life at the series production body shop, where black-painted bodies are pulled off the line and shipped over to the brand’s special vehicle center in Milford, Michigan. From there the body panels were inspected for quality and re-gapped before being scuffed up once more. Customers were then given the option to choose from over 20 unique colors developed with PPG, which you will not find on a series production Blackwing. Each car was sprayed by hand, requiring a total of around 200 hours in the body shop. Once painted, the cars were shipped over to the Artisan Innovation Center, which is tucked away at the Tech Center in Warren, Michigan. This locale is home to General Motors’ best general assembly specialists, who are usually tasked with building series production concepts. Each employee is familiar with the entire build process of the car, and do their work in stations like you might see at hypercar manufacturers. Including final safety, electrical, and quality checks, the cars spend another 250 to 300 hours at the Artisan Innovation Center according to plant manager Karsten Garbe.
Each of the 21 cars features a few shared highlights, including a new shifter cap, a serialized sill plate and wheel marker, a 20th Anniversary graphic on the front grille surround, and three interior options borrowed from the earlier Track Edition models. All of the cars also receive a hand-riveted B-pillar plate, highlighting the car’s hand-built nature. The exterior hue is the easiest way to denote one of these models, with selection highlights such as Chartreuse Metallic Matte, Kimono Metallic, and Coppertino Metallic.
While you won’t be able to get your hands on one of these special Blackwings, the brand isn’t done with these sorts of projects. Executive Chief Engineer Brandon Vivian told R&T that the automaker is investigating how to do more of these special builds moving forward, as the process has developed alongside the Celestiq. We won’t be shocked if we hear about another batch of unique Blackwings before the EV transition takes effect.
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