Most eulogies for the manual V8 sedan are being written, not revised. This rumor wants to revise one. According to a now-deleted Instagram reel reported by The Drive, a verified Cadillac dealer salesperson — handle andrea.sells.cadillac — claimed the next CT5-V will reportedly offer a naturally aspirated V8 with both manual and automatic transmission options, priced somewhere in the $70,000–$80,000 range. The Drive published the story; the reel then disappeared, with The Drive speculating the deletion came “presumably at GM/Cadillac’s request.” Cadillac’s official position: CT5 returns as an internal combustion product. Specs? No comment.
What the Rumor Actually Says
The sole source is a dealer salesperson’s deleted Instagram post — and the speed of its removal is worth noting.
The salesperson is not an engineer or product planner. She is a verified Cadillac dealer representative who said, on camera, as transcribed by The Drive: “My sources confirmed this, and I haven’t heard it anywhere else. The CT5-V is going to have a naturally aspirated V8 engine available in a manual transmission and automatic.” The Drive also framed the next CT5-V as potentially a Cadillac-badged version of GM’s rumored four-door Camaro successor — a platform connection that remains speculative and unconfirmed by GM.
Current specs and the rumor, side by side:
| Model | Engine | Power | Transmission | Base Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT5-V (current) | 3.0L twin-turbo V6 | ~360 hp | 10-speed automatic only | — |
| CT5-V Blackwing (current) | 6.2L supercharged V8 | 668 hp | 6-speed manual (standard), 10-speed automatic (optional) | ~$98,900 |
| Next CT5-V (rumored) | Naturally aspirated V8 | — | Manual and automatic | $70,000–$80,000 |
If accurate, the next CT5-V would mark the first GM naturally aspirated V8 manual sedan since the Chevrolet SS was discontinued.
“Naturally aspirated” is the detail that surprises. Earlier CT5-V V8 speculation centered on forced induction — the supercharged LT4 from the Camaro ZL1, or the twin-turbo Blackwing 4.2L. An NA V8 would represent a deliberate philosophical departure from that formula. The rumored next CT5-V would reportedly add a naturally aspirated V8 at a price range that sits cleanly between the base CT5 (around $58,000) and the Blackwing near $99,000 — making it worth waiting for if the rumor holds.
A Cadillac spokesperson told The Drive: “We don’t comment on future product speculation, and we have nothing new to announce at this time. That said, Cadillac has confirmed that the CT5 will return as an internal combustion product in the future.”
Why This Matters Beyond a Deleted Instagram Post
The CT5-V Blackwing is widely regarded as America’s last manual V8 sedan — and what comes next is far from settled.
If this rumor proves accurate, GM would not be closing that chapter but opening a new one with a different powertrain philosophy: naturally aspirated rather than supercharged. Motor1 has reported that GM has explored larger-displacement NA V-8s for future applications, though any sedan use remains unconfirmed.
Enthusiasts have rehearsed this goodbye more than once before. One deleted Instagram reel confirms nothing — but for a rumor this specific, from a source this close to the brand, Cadillac’s measured non-comment leaves the door conspicuously ajar.
