What if Cadillac gave us a high-performance hot hatch of their own?
Although the "hot hatch" is a distinctly European invention–perfectly combining the practicality of a functional daily driver with the thrilling performance spark of a performance car–hot hatchbacks are the most logical choice of personal transportation for many car enthusiasts across the globe.
It's not even just the usual suspects that occupy this market segment anymore. Although the Volkswagen GTI, Golf R, MINI Cooper S, and Cooper JCW, are still as relevant and on top of their game as ever, we've seen a resurgence of hot hatchback availability through the likes of Toyota's GR Corolla, Hyundai's Ioniq 5 N, and the somewhat recent addition of Honda's Civic Type R to the North American market.
In international markets, luxury brands have even entered the hot hatch segment, often offering multiple levels of performance within model lineups. For example, Audi sells the S3 and RS3 as "Sportbacks," Mercedes-AMG offers the A35 and A45 hatchbacks, and BMW offers the M135.
Though these models are highly coveted by global car enthusiasts, North America seems to only receive four-door sedan variants of them, other than some rare Canadian-market exceptions, such as the Mercedes-AMG A35 Hatch and C43 Estate.Despite the cries of passionate enthusiasts and frugal adrenaline junkies alike, North America tends to get the short end of the stick when it comes to hot hatchbacks. Thankfully, we are at least granted the Volkswagen GTI and Golf R, Toyota GR Corolla, and the Honda Civic Type R, but we are missing out on an entire performance class of hot hatches that offer far superior power and handling, combined with more luxurious amenities.
Sure, we have access to many of these models in the form of four-door sedans, sometimes marketed as "four-door coupés" like the Mercedes-AMG CLA45 and the BMW M235 xDrive Gran Coupe, but somehow we are deprived of more practical, and perhaps better looking, traditional hatchback body styles that offer the same performance with enhanced functionality.
Cadillac has shown the world that it can make a more exciting sport sedan than what the Germans are currently offering. All-wheel drive, rapid-shifting automatic transmissions, and turbocharging be damned. Cadillac is the only manufacturer that will still sell you a brand new, rear-wheel drive executive sedan with a 6-speed manual transmission and a supercharged, 6.2-liter V8 engine under the hood as the CT5-V Blackwing.
The somewhat less mighty but equally plucky CT4-V Blackwing even gives the BMW M3 a serious run for its money, offering the holy pairing of a manual transmission with rear-wheel drive. By enhancing its reputation for supreme visceral performance engagement, Cadillac has regained mainstream cultural relevance outside of the Escalade model, and the brand's "malaise era" is long gone.Distilling the exciting thrill of Cadillac's Blackwing models into a smaller, somewhat more affordable package could help boost Cadillac's performance reputation even further, while simultaneously making the brand more accessible to younger buyers. Throw in an optional manual transmission, a power figure of around 400 from a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a trick all-wheel drive system, and a few bells and whistles, and I'd surely be sold.
If priced under $60,000, this hypothetical "CT3-V Blackwing" hot hatch could compete, price-wise, with the likes of the Toyota GR Supra and the Ford Mustang GT. Although it would offer a notably different style of vehicle, its performance wouldn't be too far off, and it would surely be the superior daily driver.
Despite our love for hot hatches here at Autoblog, there is obviously a credible reason for North America's general lack of high-performance, premium-brand hot hatch offerings. That's because for whatever reason, many North American buyers prefer the look of a more traditional, three-box style four-door sedan.
A "Sportback" or "Fastback" variant of the model could help to broaden the hypothetical CT3-V Blackwing's appeal by offering a more traditional shape without compromising too much functionality. It's no guarantee that the "Fastback" variant would be the better seller, however. Take a look at the Audi RS6 Avant, for example, which gained massive popularity in North America over the RS7 Sportback, thanks to its "forbidden fruit" status for so many years prior.
Perhaps the RS6 Avant lesson could be applied here, meaning Cadillac could benefit from German rivals' reluctance to offer their high-performance hatches stateside. The CT3-V Blackwing, in hatchback guise, would be the only offering of its kind within its class, meaning it should theoretically win over almost every enthusiast who has been begging for something like this.
It would certainly be interesting to see how a brand like Cadillac pulls off a product like this. Perhaps as a spiritual successor to the beloved cult classic, the Chevrolet Cobalt SS, the CT3-V Blackwing could prove to the world that Cadillac can make a fantastic performance car other than a fast and exciting executive saloon.
Would you like to see Cadillac expand its petrol-powered performance lineup alongside its trendy EV lineup, or do you think its efforts should be focused solely on electrification? Could you be persuaded to buy the hypothetical CT3-V Blackwing at the right price, or would you scoff and instead head to a German dealership? Let us know how you feel in the comments–we love to hear from you!
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