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Cadillac CT5-V rings in under $50,000 -- and it makes more power than stated

Cheaper than a CTS-V for sure, but hardly the same kind of performance.

Sean Szymkowski
It all started with Gran Turismo. From those early PlayStation days, Sean was drawn to anything with four wheels. Prior to joining the Roadshow team, he was a freelance contributor for Motor Authority, The Car Connection and Green Car Reports. As for what's in the garage, Sean owns a 2016 Chevrolet SS, and yes, it has Holden badges.
Sean Szymkowski
2 min read
2020 Cadillac CT5-V
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2020 Cadillac CT5-V

The CT5-V makes room for a new performance powerhouse that's still in development.

Cadillac

Cadillac is embarking on a different journey with its latest sedans . Instead of making the coveted V badge the creme de la creme of it all, the CTS-replacing CT5-V has been limited in terms of performance to make it a bit less intimidating. That'll hopefully make it more appealing while a "true" CTS-V replacement waits in the wings.

For those wanting to park one of the latest V-badged Cadillac cars in their garage, the CT5-V will also come at a major discount compared with the previous . The brand on Tuesday said the 2020 Cadillac CT5-V will cost $48,690 after a $995 destination charge. Opt for all-wheel drive over standard rear-wheel drive and things are still rather affordable with a $51,290 price tag.

For some comparison, the departed CTS-V started with a far higher price of $86,995. Of course, as I mentioned, there's hardly the same amount of performance per dollar. The last CTS-V stormed into the world with 640 horsepower, courtesy of a Corvette Z06-borrowed 6.2-liter supercharged V8. 

The new V on the block cops a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine this time, though it makes a little more power than once thought. At its debut, Cadillac said this sport sedan would make 355 hp and 400 pound-feet of torque. In updated, SAE-certified figures, the brand said the car will actually ship with 360 hp and 405 pound-feet of torque. Modest increases, for sure.

2020 Cadillac CT5-V has 355 hp and Super Cruise tech

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If you're in camp "that's not a V car," you'll have to wait until Cadillac is ready to show off the high-performance version of the CT5. Do expect a burly V8 engine in that one.

As for the rest of the CT5 lineup, the brand shared the Premium Luxury trim, which rocks an identical, detuned version of the twin-turbo V6, and will start at $45,190. AWD is still an extra-cost option and brings the cost to $48,280. Knowing the 2.0-liter turbo-four prices, that makes the twin-turbo V6 a $3,500 upgrade for the Premium Luxury trim, which starts at $41,690.

At the bottom of the hierarchy, Cadillac already said a base CT5 Luxury will cost buyers $37,890. The brand is pretty confident in the pricing and positioning, since this new CT5 straddles two sedan segments. It's not quite as big as a 5 Series, but offers far more room than a BMW 3 Series. Yet, it's priced like the smaller 3 Series.

The CT5 will start shipping to dealers in mid-2020, and the smaller CT4 sedan will join it.

Watch this: 2020 Cadillac CT5-V and CT4-V pump-up the V-Series performance sedan lineup