Words: Kyle Cassidy
Published 11 May 2026
Cadillac has revealed the CT5-V Blackwing F1 Collector Series, the most powerful V8-powered production Cadillac ever built. And it comes with a manual transmission.
Cadillac currently has an electric SUV it will sell you here in New Zealand, though uptake has been slow. Just 20 have been registered since going on sale a year ago. More electric SUVs are incoming, but one would assume Cadillac NZ would have an easier time selling these Blackwings. Although they are quite expensive. Read on.
Created in collaboration with GM Motorsports, the special edition turns things up compared with the already potent Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing thanks to upgrades to its supercharged 6.2-litre LT4 V8 engine.
Power climbs to 511kW while torque rises to 912Nm, representing gains of 13kW and 19Nm over the standard CT5-V Blackwing.
The Collector Series keeps things decidedly old-school by pairing the blown V8 exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission. While the regular CT5-V Blackwing can also be ordered with a 10-speed automatic in the United States, buyers of the F1 Collector Series will need to shift gears themselves.
Production will be limited to just 26 examples worldwide, marking the year Cadillac joined the Formula 1 grid.
The Collector Series was developed alongside Formula 1 and the FIA, with the motorsport connection reflected throughout the car’s design. Every example is finished in Midnight Stone Frost paint and fitted with gloss-black badging, Carbon Flash metallic wheels, Harbour Grey metallic brake calipers and extensive carbon-fibre trim accented by a Switchblade Silver pinstripe.
Inside, the cabin is trimmed exclusively in Jet Black and receives numerous Formula 1-themed details, including F1 and FIA logos on the spoiler, sill plates, head restraints, gear shifter and centre console. Each car also receives a numbered plaque, while under the bonnet sits a CNC-machined supercharger cover created by GM Motorsports.
Cadillac has also fitted the optional Precision Package as standard equipment. Normally a costly extra on the regular Blackwing, the package adds retuned suspension, carbon-ceramic brakes with cross-drilled rotors and 19-inch high-performance summer tyres.
While the CT5-V Blackwing F1 Collector Series is the most powerful V8-powered Cadillac ever produced, ironically it’s not the most potent model it offers. The Escalade outputs 560kW and 1064Nm in Velocity Max mode.
Read more – Cadillac confirms NZ pricing for Optiq and Vistiq electric SUVs
Pricing reflects the exclusivity. Overseas reports suggest the special edition commands a massive premium over the standard CT5-V Blackwing, with pricing reportedly jumping from around US$100,000 to approximately US$260,000 before on-road costs.
Production is scheduled to begin in mid-2026, though right-hand-drive markets such as New Zealand won’t see the car (officially that is, though it could be privately imported) as the CT5 range is produced exclusively in left-hand drive.
