Secret supercharged V8 Cadillac in Australia

This appears to be the first spotting of the upcoming V8-powered Cadillac CT5-V ‘Blackwing’ in Australia, with yet another of the US-brand’s vehicles seen testing around Victoria.

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Following Wheels’ news last week that the new CT5 sedan had landed in Australia fully unclothed, this top-performance and top-secret model is completely zipped up with camo - but there are some strong pointers that this is the same V8-powered CT5-V that’s already begun testing in the US.

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For starters, it rides on the same shadow chrome grey alloys with a unique side vent on the panel behind the front wheels, and unlike all Cadillacs seen testing in Australia, it has a huge bulging bonnet and sizeable quad exhaust system.

In fact, the bonnet looks bespoke to Australia and local testing, larger than the bulge on US-spec CT5-V mules and with a ventilated scoop upfront like the current 6.2-litre supercharged CTS-V. But this is the new model due next year.

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This could point to Australia testing a dealer-fit option for US-spec CT5-V models as it is unlikely to pass local ADR requirements if Cadillac does enter the Australian market.

It also points to the fact that the engine is likely the supercharged 6.2-litre LT4 V8 found in the current CTS-V and not the speculated twin-turbo 4.2-litre LTA V8 Blackwing, which first gave rise to the CT5-V ‘Blackwing’ name. If so, the updated LT4 is tipped to produce over 480kW and would prove the ‘Blackwing’ moniker to be as good as rumour.

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Other distinctive giveaways are the triple LED headlight arrangement and different side vents in the unique front fascia.

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Cadillac’s new 2020 sedan will be available in the US later this year and test vehicles have been surfacing in Australia since four- and six-cylinder models were unveiled in May, with this the first sighting of the flagship CT5-V.

General Motors-owned Holden is not expanding on its comment about Cadillacs in Australia, a spokesperson telling Wheels numerous times only that it can confirm it is testing models here as part of a global emissions and transmissions calibration program.

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The recent confirmation of the new C8 Corvette for Australia to expand on the Chevrolet Camaro and Silverado available now from Holden dealers suggests that the Lion brand will increase its operations as a retailer for US-badged GM product. With comments from high-up executives suggesting to Wheels that Cadillac could enter the market here, it might only be a matter of time until Holden has another V8 sedan in its line-up.