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Cadillac's CT5 V Blackwing delivers style and substance Not Your Daddy's Caddy A couple of decades ago, I worked with a fellow enthusiast in the automotive leasing business who financed classic and special interest cars. e company's owner had discovered that vehicles that appreciated in value versus depreciated was a good business plan. We would often have an interesting car for sale in our showroom and I vividly recall a special Mercedes SL. is was a tan over dark blue European model, powered by a twin-cam six connected to a five-speed manual transmission. It was a stunning, lightweight sports roadster that we were sure an enthusiast would cherish. A young, well-heeled car guy fell in love with the SL and quickly posted a deposit. e next day he returned with his wife who was also smitten until she discovered the gear shift lever and clutch pedal. I'm sure her exclamation "a Mercedes with a stick shift!" could be heard all the way to the street. And I knew that deal was toast. I recount this tale because something very similar must happen in one of today's Cadillac stores when the wrong prospect encounters the CT5 V Blackwing, a rare luxury sports sedan with a Tremec six-speed gearbox along with a clutch pedal. After all, General Motors pioneered the automatic transmission 85 years ago, later followed by luxuries like air conditioning and climate control. So if you're after a big, luxury sports sedan that engages both your right hand and left foot, this Cadillac is your choice. Of course, if you prefer the Caddy to do the shifting, a precision ten-speed is also available. Our test Blackwing is just what red-blooded enthusiasts would wish for in a $124,000 price tag. A hand-built 6.2-liter 668 HP V8 signed by builder Mike Ward is nestled under the Typhoon Green Metallic hood. e snarling petrol powerplant is bolted securely to a wonderful six-speed manual transmission, driving the rear wheels just as the God of Speed intended. detour transportation PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF CADILLAC BY BRIAN DOUGLAS ranchandcoast.com 80 MAY 2025 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE