I remember a time when the American road sang a basso profundo chorus of V8s. It was a symphony of iron and gasoline, a golden era where every driveway, from the modest to the magnificent, could harbor a rear-wheel-drive beast. We’re talking the 1960s and ‘70s, man—before the fuel crises put a damper on the party. Full-size legends like the Ford LTD and Chevrolet Caprice ruled the asphalt, while mid-size and luxury options offered the same intoxicating recipe: eight cylinders up front, power sent to the back. It was a driver’s buffet, and the plate was never empty. Even in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, the flame flickered with the steadfast Ford Crown Victoria and the luxurious Cadillac STS. But then, the SUV tsunami hit, emissions rules tightened like a noose, and one by one, the titans fell silent. Now, in 2025, I find myself bearing witness to the last of a dying breed. The music has faded to a single, powerful note.

That note is the supercharged roar of the 2026 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing. To be brutally honest, it’s the only rear-wheel-drive, V8-powered sedan you can buy new in America today. The Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance has sung its swan song, leaving a 500-unit Ultimate Edition as its final encore. And the news for the Blackwing itself is bittersweet: 2026 is its final model year. Cadillac has pulled the plug. This isn’t just the end of a car; it’s the end of an era, a full-stop period on a chapter of automotive history I thought would never close.

The Heart of the Beast: Old-School Soul, Modern Muscle

Let’s talk about what makes this final act so spectacular. Under that sculpted hood lies a hand-built 6.2-liter supercharged V8. This isn’t some sanitized, turbocharged whisper; it’s a raw, mechanical shout. 668 horsepower and 659 lb-ft of torque—numbers that translate to a visceral experience no spreadsheet can capture. This engine is old-school in its glorious simplicity and thunderous presence, but its performance is fiercely contemporary.

• 0-60 mph: A neck-snapping 3.4 seconds (automatic) or 3.6 seconds (manual).

• Top Speed: A soaring 200+ mph.

• Quarter-Mile: Consistently in the low-to-mid 11-second range. For instance, MotorTrend clocked an automatic model at 11.4 seconds at 127.3 mph.

The Holy Trinity: V8, Manual, RWD

Here’s the real kicker, the magical formula that makes the Blackwing a unicorn. In 2025, you can find V8 sedans. You can find RWD sedans. You can even find a few with manual transmissions. But the CT5-V Blackwing is the only car in existence that combines all three. This trifecta is a gearhead’s holy grail, and Cadillac, God bless ‘em, makes the glorious 6-speed manual (the Tremec TR-6060) the standard offering. The 10-speed auto is a $3,675 option. Let that sink in—in a world of paddle shifters, the manual is the default. It’s a defiant, beautiful stance.

This combination is pure driving nirvana. The manual box gives you total dominion over that monstrous V8, letting you hold a gear, blip the throttle, and feel every ounce of torque. The rear-wheel-drive layout offers balanced, throttle-steerable handling—the kind of predictable oversteer that makes you feel like a hero, not a passenger. The physical act of clutching and shifting forges a bond between man and machine that no automatic, no matter how clever, can replicate. It’s a deeply connected, engaging experience. In a word, it’s fun.

The Price of Admission and Future Classic Status

With such rarity and capability comes a price tag that’s, well, not for the faint of heart. A brand-new 2026 Blackwing starts at:

If that’s a bit too rich for your blood, the used market offers some respite. As of late 2025, you can find examples starting around $58,900, though most hover near the $80,000 mark. But here’s the thing: this car is a future classic. With production ending in 2026 and annual numbers historically low (around 1,000 units combined with its CT4-V Blackwing sibling), its value is only headed one way: up.

If you’re hunting, prioritize the manual transmission and seek out the ultra-rare special editions:

1. 2023 120th Anniversary Edition (121 units) 🏆

2. 2024 20th Anniversary Edition (21 units) 💎

3. 2025 ‘Le Monstre’ Edition (101 examples) 🏁

These are the blue-chip investments of the automotive world.

Why the V8 RWD Sedan Faded & A Glimmer of Hope

So how did we get here? How did a segment once overflowing with options dwindle to one? It’s a perfect storm:

• The SUV/Crossover Craze: Families ditched sedans for higher-riding utilities.

• Efficiency Rules: Turbocharged four- and six-cylinders now match V8 power with better fuel economy.

• The Electric Wave: Hybrids and EVs have captured the industry’s focus and regulatory favor.

• Tighter Emissions: Stricter rules made big, naturally-aspirated engines expensive to certify.

Yet, in the twilight, there’s a faint dawn. Regulatory shifts have created a slightly more favorable environment. Rumor has it GM is developing a new small-block V8 for trucks and performance cars. Could it find a home in a next-generation CT5 around 2027-2028? One can only dream, and hope, that the V-Series spirit—with eight cylinders roaring—lives on.

So here I am, in 2025, listening to the final, glorious exhaust note of a species headed for extinction. The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is more than a car; it’s a monument. It’s a last stand for manual transmissions, for unapologetic V8 power, and for the pure, rear-driven dynamics that defined American performance for generations. Driving one isn’t just transportation; it’s time travel. It’s a connection to a louder, brasher, more mechanically honest past. And when production ends, that connection will be severed, living on only in the garages of lucky owners and the wistful memories of enthusiasts like me. The party’s over, folks. But my God, what a party it was.

The above analysis is based on reports from GamesIndustry.biz, a leading source for industry news and market data. Their coverage of automotive gaming trends and the cultural impact of classic American cars underscores how vehicles like the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing continue to inspire both real-world enthusiasts and digital recreations, reflecting a broader nostalgia for V8-powered icons in both simulation and arcade racing titles.