Big engine, rear-wheel-drive, and sedan practicality. That's one of the golden combinations in the automotive world, and even though it used to be the gold standard, it's now dwindled down to just one model in 2026. It's no surprise, though, that it comes from the land of the V8s: the USA. Cadillac is the only brand to offer a car with these three ingredients in one, and it's quite the car.The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is a car that'll instantly grow in value once it goes off sale — and unfortunately, that end is closer than you'd think. But it's not over yet, so let's celebrate it while we can. In this article, we'll go over what makes this car so special in a world of hybrid AWD super sedans that are less about the driver and more about stats.All information has been sourced from the manufacturer, and any prices listed are in MSRP, which does not include additional fees or incentives. The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Puts You In The Driver's Seat CadillacAs the last car of its kind of sale, we're quite lucky that Cadillac decided to go all-out on how it performs, drives, and especially how it makes you feel. Under the hood is a handbuilt 6.2L supercharged V8 with 668 horsepower mated to a standard six-speed manual. The manual is enough of a celebration in itself, but what's more impressive is the fact that it features a V8 in 2026. When you really push it on track, Caddy says it'll do over 200 miles per hour."The German competitors may boast quicker 0–60 mph times thanks to their all-wheel-drive systems and hybridization, but those features cause them to feel heavy compared to the Blackwing. Hopping into the Cadillac feels like a time capsule, a reminder of a time when weight and complexity were the enemies of performance." – Jared Rosenholtz, Editor-at-Large, CarBuzzIt isn't all about raw power, though, as this car is also great on a twisty road. We'd go for the precision package if you're buying this car, as it gives you carbon ceramic brakes, enhanced suspension tweaks, and super-sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires. Oh, and you'll be able to see how you're performing in real-time thanks to a data recorder and lap analysis tool. The lack of hybrid power means it's easier to be fully at one with what the car's doing.Cadillac Let's not forget about the sedan part of this car, though, as it's still a Cadillac. We loved the magnetic dampers in our review, as they do exactly what you want, when you want them to. It's a competent and stiff track car when you want it to be that's soft on the road, too. The sedan shape gives it practicality as well, with almost 38 inches of legroom in the rear and 12 cubic feet of space in the trunk. It's a real jack of all trades. Why Is A RWD V8 Sedan The Perfect Combo? CadillacWhen every brand is going after performance, a V8 RWD sedan feels much more catered towards the driver. A V8 has lots of personality and power, and when it drives the rear wheels, it frees up the fronts to give you more feedback than in an AWD car. When you're on track, a RWD setup also gives you the chance to have some fun when you kick it, but stay grippy when you're going for lap times.Cadillac You can obviously still find V8 coupes for sale, but they sacrifice practicality for looks, and that's not helpful when you need them to be your daily driver. That's what makes this car so special: it has the V8 and sports technology to make you go faster when you kick it, but all the creature comforts and space when you're simply commuting. Having a manual on top of this combo makes it ever sweeter. What Have We Lost Along The Way? 2007 BMW M3 BMWWhile BWM are known for inline-six engines, they went a little mad in the 2000s by sticking a V8 into the M3 and a ludicrous V10 into the M5. The E92 M3 coupe may be the more popular choice, but the M3 sedan was known as one of the most "complete" cars of the time, thanks to the S65 engine being able to do whatever you throw at it. You can step into a manual variant of these cars for around $40,000, but they're much trickier to find than a coupe. 2022 Lexus IS 500 LexusIt's not just the Germans and Americans that love a V8 sedan, as Lexus was the last to sell a V8 compact sedan in the US with the IS 500 until 2024. The engine was made as light as possible with aluminum construction, Yamaha designed the cylinder heads, and titanium inlet-valves were used for ultimate durability and performance. If you haven't heard one of these at full power before, you really should check it out for yourself when you're done reading this. It'll make your day."There are two distinct sides to the Lexus IS 500. It's an excellent premium-featured compact cruiser that can eat up miles with the pace and comfort of a plush Grand Tourer. Flip it into Sport mode and take control of gear changes via the paddles, and it becomes a fun backroad bomber." – Ian Wright, Senior Road Tester, CarBuzz 2008 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Mercedes-BenzIf there's one engine that AMG is known for, it's the M156 6.2L V8. It has one of the most distinctive engine notes of all time, and it shows that muscle cars don't have to come from the Land of the Free. It has an attitude like no other car, and grip can be easily forgotten about once you step on the loud pedal. When Mercedes released its most recent fast C-Class with a four-cylinder engine, it was easy to see why it got that reaction when this car exists. How Long Will This Combo Last? CadillacThis is where the story gets a little sadder. The current generation CT5 sedan is going off sale at the end of 2026, and it's taking the Blackwing along with it. Caddy has said that while the smaller CT4 is probably gone for a while, the CT5 will return with another generation, although there isn't word on how long we'll have to wait. And there's no word on if it'll be hybrid, AWD, or still offer a manual transmission.Cadillac We're hoping that the V8 will stay, but there's no word just yet. The company has mentioned that it will be gas-powered, although it may not wear the same CT5 badge. General Motors is already investing huge sums in next-generation V8 powertrains for the Corvette, so it would be great to see those engines possibly appear in a family sedan like this. It shouldn't rest on one company to bring this back, though, and we're hoping there's competition from Dodge with a V8 Charger or maybe even Lexus.European manufacturers are pretty undetermined when it comes to this layout, but we wouldn't hold out hope for anything special. Yes, Mercedes may be putting a V8 back in some AMG models, but our guess is that it'll be hybridized and all-wheel-drive. Emissions and electrification rules are much stricter in Europe, too. It's a real shame — who doesn't love a loud V8 towing your family along and then being able to rip a Ferrari to shreds on track?Sources: Cadillac, BMW, Mercedes, Lexus
