- Cadillac’s 2026 CT5-V Blackwing remains America’s final manual V8 production sedan.
- Production ends after MY26, potentially killing an incredible engine-transmission combo.
- The Chevy Camaro reboot could give Cadillac’s three-pedal V8 formula another chance.
Want a new sedan combining a V8, rear-wheel drive and three pedals? You’d better move quickly. Cadillac’s CT5-V Blackwing is the only game in town, and the current model disappears after 2026, potentially taking one of America’s greatest performance-car recipes with it.
Related: Report Says A New CT5-V Blackwing Coming, But Not If It Keeps The Manual V8
The Blackwing is gloriously old-school beneath its luxury-sedan wrapper. The supercharged 6.2-liter V8 makes 668 hp and 659 lb-ft of torque, and buyers can pick between a 10-speed automatic and a six-speed manual.
The 2026 CT5-V Blackwing starts at $100,695 with delivery for the six-speed manual, or $6,275 less than the automatic. A quick look through Cadillac’s official inventory right now shows just 64 manual Blackwings in stock across the entire US, priced from $105,542 to $152,777. But Cadillac has already confirmed the current CT5 reaches the end of the road after MY2026.
Reports suggest another CT5-V Blackwing is planned for the next generation, though Cadillac hasn’t confirmed that. More importantly, there’s no guarantee a successor would retain either the supercharged V8 or manual transmission.
Lose both and something bigger disappears. Once the Blackwing bows out, the Ford Mustang GT will be America’s only manual V8 production car. Dodge is expected to put Hellcat V8 power into the new Charger, but a manual transmission isn’t believed to be part of the plan.
Three pedals are disappearing everywhere else, too. Several cars offering stick shifts at the start of MY26 won’t offer a stick option for 2027, including the Volkswagen Jetta GLI, Honda Civic Si and Acura Integra A-Spec, while the Toyota Supra and closely related BMW Z4 have disappeared altogether.
Could Blackwing Come Back?
There is, however, one reason not to start writing the manual Blackwing’s obituary just yet. GM is expected to revive the Camaro very soon, reportedly using the same evolved Alpha 2 architecture destined for the next CT5 and potentially a new Buick sedan. The automaker has also developed a new generation of V8 engines giving Chevrolet some promising ingredients for another Mustang fighter.
Future Cars: Chevy’s Camaro Always Had Two Doors, But Its Revival Might Have Four
If Chevrolet combines those pieces and gives a future Camaro V8 power and a manual transmission, Cadillac would have access to hardware capable of preserving the Blackwing formula. That’s far from confirmation it actually will, of course, but there is at least a glimmer of hope.
