CT4-V Blackwing Twin-Turbo V6 Embarrasses most V8s

Once upon a time, there was no replacement for engine displacement, at least if you were looking to maximize power and performance. For decades, American high-performance cars were defined by their ever-growing V-8 enignes, and because bigger was often more powerful, they quickly became known for their displacement sizes, leading to the lore of engines like the 327, 350, 426, 440, 454, and so on.

Fast forward to today, and that isn’t the case. One of the best replacements for displacement, at least when it comes to retaining eye-watering power output and performance credentials, is turbocharging – and that’s a big reason the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing, such a powerful sport sedan. Michael Hohl Cadillac highlights what makes it so spectacular.

In a nutshell, turbocharging lets an engine burn a larger amount of mixed fuel and air in any given moment – not unlike larger-displacement engines. An amusing analogy is a trash can. Want to dispose of more trash? You could either go purchase put another can at the curb- akin to increasing engine displacement – or you could work to compact the garbage before putting it in the can, allowing a greater volume to fit within the present can dimensions. That’s essentially what turbocharging does. By maximizing the density of the fuel/air mixture entering an engine instead of merely boring out the engine block, the result is also a smaller, lighter engine, helping reduce the curb weight and improve the handling of a car.

The CT4-V Blackwing’s twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter V6 produces 472 horsepower and 445 lb-ft of torque, which exceeds the output of most of those aforementioned V-8s. Each turbocharger helps feed a bank of three cylinders, allowing the us of smaller, lighter turbos that are more responsive and quicker-spooling than a single-turbo arrangement would be.

That power is channeled through one of two available transmissions. If performance metrics are your focus, the available 10-speed automatic helps the CT4-V Blackwing post 0-60 times in 3.8 seconds, two-tenths of a second quicker than the available six-speed manual. If maximizing driver engagement is a key selling point, well, opt for the manual. Either way, the CT4-V Blackwing rips through the quarter-mile trap in 12.1 or 12.4 seconds, respectively.

The CT4-V Blackwing is about more than straight-line speed, and backs up its performance-tuned suspension with an electronic limited-slip differential, Magnetic Ride Control adaptive dampers, Brembo disc brakes with 6-piston front and 4-piston rear calipers, and staggered Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires (275s in the rear).

Inside, the CT4-V Blackwing never lets you forget where you are, with significantly bolstered front buckets, “V” logo-embossed headrests, quilted leather, and red contrast stitching that matches the red seatbelts. This is a svelte sedan that seats four comfortably and five in a pinch. Adults can fit in the back, but perhaps not as comfortably on long trips as they would in the larger CT5 mid-size sedan. Those seeking to maximize passenger volume and performance can always opt to move into the CT5-V Blackwing, which not only benefits from increased displacement but, thanks to a supercharger, forced induction as well.

Topspeed.com sums up its review of the CT4 Blackwing with this: “You’ll be hard-pressed to find a six-cylinder sports sedan with the same personality as the 2026 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing at the same price point,” noting that the similarly sized and powered BMW M3 will cost $15,000 more. It was also Car and Driver’s choice after a 2025 comparison between these two models and the now-discontinued Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio (one does have to credit the BMW for having a short name). They described the Blackwing as: “…simply the best at executing a sports sedan’s often conflicting missions. It’s precise and emotional on a track, involving and livable on the street, and, on top of that, the least expensive… We’d love to own all three of these cars, but we want a Blackwing the most.”

If you think the CT4-V Blackwing may be the sport sedan you want the most, contact Michael Hohl Cadillac.