Bargain or Downgrade? Cadillac Prices Its CT5-V

The new CT5-V arriving for 2020 is not the departing CTS-V, that much is clear.

Cadillac’s one-time wildest offering has morphed into a similar-sized sedan with less than half the displacement and significantly less potency, though we can now report that it’s way cheaper than the outgoing midsize V.

Announced just in time to be discussed over Thanksgiving dinners across the country, Cadillac’s CT5-V carries a starting price of $48,695 after destination. For that sum, buyers get a rear-drive sedan outfitted with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, good for some 360 horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque.

That output happens to be a 5 hp and 5 lb-ft bump over what GM’s luxury division estimated during the model’s launch, which maybe counts for something? You be the judge. At the time, many pundits were too engrossed in the model’s questionable rear-end styling and base 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder.

If the idea of tackling weather and twisties without all-wheel grip leaves you anxious, adding AWD to the CT5-V pushes its price to $51,290.

Not surprisingly, Cadillac’s midsize V offering isn’t that much dearer than an optioned-up CT5 Premium Luxury model, which starts at $45,190 when equipped with the available twin-turbo V6. That engine is simply a detuned version of the one found in the CT5-V. While it lacks the sport trappings of the V, this model represents a more affordable way to get six-cylinder punch and added content.

And it’s because of the close positioning of the CT5 Premium Luxury V6 and the CT5-V that makes this V designation feel far less special than the CTS-V. While the CTS-V boasted an eye-popping price tag of $87,990 after destination, the 640 horses and 630 lb-ft of torque generated by its supercharged 6.2-liter V8 represented a major leap from lesser trims, rather than just another step up the ladder. It was something special.

It’s now up to consumers to decide whether the (admittedly far more attainable) CT5-V fits that bill. Sales commence early next year.

[Images: General Motors]