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Cadillac revealed one of the ultimate sports sedans to start the month, that being the CT5-V Blackwing F1 Collector Series. Built to celebrate the automaker’s Formula 1 debut in 2026, the F1 Collector Series packs more power and even hotter looks than the normal CT5-V Blackwing. What we didn’t know until now was how much it would cost, especially since it’s limited to just 26 units. Well, that all-important figure has been shared by GM Authority, and it’s a jaw-dropping $260,000 before destination. That makes it more expensive than any other new Cadillac besides the Celestiq.

Related: Cadillac Quietly Made the F1 Blackwing More Powerful Than Before

Regular CT5-V Blackwing Looks Like a Bargain

The standard CT5-V Blackwing starts at $98,900 in manual guise, making the F1 Collector Series roughly 163% more expensive. While Cadillac hasn’t officially announced the $260k price tag yet, GM Authority didn’t announce it speculatively, so it’s safe to assume this is the correct figure.

At $260k, the Cadillac sedan is more expensive than everything in this special group of sports cars and ultra-luxury sedans: Porsche 911 GT3, Bentley Flying Spur, the V12-powered Mercedes-Maybach S680, and the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X. Looked at another way, you could buy two BMW M5s for less than one of these Caddy Blackwings.

We’ve seen this recipe before, which entails releasing a special-edition model with beefed-up looks, a bump up in power, a limited production run—and a drastically inflated price. BMW charged about 40% more for the M3 CSL back in 2003, although many would argue the elevated driving experience made it worthwhile. Late last year, Porsche unveiled the 911 GT3 90 F.A. Porsche, priced at $387,000, about 64% more than the GT3 upon which it’s based.

Related: Inside the Factory Where Cadillac Builds the Last Manual V8 Sport Sedan

Is The CT5-V Blackwing F1 Collector Series Worth It?

For the well-heeled collector, this Cadillac sedan is worth every penny. But looking at the raw numbers and the scope of the upgrades, it’s impossible to make a rational case for it over the regular Blackwing model. Both use a 6.2-liter supercharged V8, with the F1 model producing 685 horsepower and 673 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers make it the most powerful Blackwing ever, but it’s not far ahead of the normal version’s 668 hp/659 lb-ft.

A six-speed manual is the exclusive transmission choice for the F1 model, which also gets the following enhancements:

• Upgraded supercharger
• CNC-machined supercharger cover
• Endorsed F1 and FIA logos throughout
• Carbon Flash wheels
• Lower carbon-fiber bodywork
• Gloss Black exterior badging and monochrome Cadillac crests

Most of these changes are purely cosmetic, and while the sedan looks fantastic, these extras aren’t worth a 163% price jump. You can spec the normal Blackwing with the Deep Ocean Appearance Pack, Precision Pack (including carbon ceramic brakes) and Super Cruise, all for $100,000 less.

Of course, none of the 26 buyers of the F1 Collector Series will care. It’s a deeply satisfying sports sedan and the most potent Blackwing ever, but also one with unmatched exclusivity. In the years ahead, it has every chance of appreciating in value, especially since larger-capacity V8s may not be around forever.

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The 7 Gets An Update

The seventh-generation 7 Series receives its first facelift, what BMW calls an LCI (Lifecycle Impulse) for the 2027 model year, benefiting from Neue Klasse technology and design language from the company’s iX3 and i3 models. This is a heavier refresh than we typically see from an LCI model, and it fixes on of the biggest complaints many online critics had with the pre-facelift model: its ugly face.

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This isn’t a ground-up redesign, but BMW moved around the main headlights and reshaped the crystal headlights, which now look thinner and more stately. The new design is smoother rand more cohesive than before.

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Both the gas-powered 7 Series and electric i7 models still have large kidney grilles, which are illuminated with BMW’s Iconic Glow feature, but the radars, sensors, and washer nozzles are now hidden better.

3

Buyers can opt for a hand-finished BMW Individual Dual Finish paint that takes more than 75 hours to apply.

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The interior benefits from the latest Neue Klasse technology suite, including BMW Panoramic iDrive with BMW Operating System X. The pillar-to-pillar projection from the iX3 and i3 has been transplanted, but the 7 Series also adds new passenger screen.

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The rear seat delivers peak luxury with an available Executive Lounge specification and optional BMW Theater Screen. BMW has added Zoom video conferencing to the Theater Screen, which measures over 31 inches.

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The gas-powered 740 and 740 xDrive models get an upgrade under the hood; the B58 inline-six now produces 394 horsepower. A 750e PHEV model is coming in 2027 with 483 hp.

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The all-electric i7 now features BMW’s Gen6 cylindrical battery cells, improving the range to over 350 miles in the 50 xDrive and 60 xDrive variants. A new standard NACS port enables charging speeds up to 250 kW, an improvement from the previous 195 kW peak.

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From the March/April 2026 issue of Car and Driver.

Lap Time: 2:55.0

Class: LL3 | Base: $137,175 | As Tested: $145,775
Power and Weight: 717 hp • 5477 lb • 7.6 lb/hp
Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport S5
F: HL285/40ZR- 20 (111Y) ★
R: HL295/35ZR-21 (110Y) ★

There are many Lightning Lap leaderboards that contenders want to be on. Highest curb weight is not one of them. The M5 Touring is within 12 pounds of taking this ignominious laurel, but the record remains with the Audi RS Q8’s 5489-pound mass from Lightning Lap 15 in 2022. Uncheck the boxes for the Audi’s optional tow hitch and the M5 Touring’s optional carbon-ceramic brake rotors ($8500 saved), and the Bimmer would likely become the portliest machine to turn a lap.

Weight aside, the M5 Touring storms the start/finish line like an angry WWE wrestler entering the ring before it maxes out at 156.5 mph on the Front Straight, the sixth fastest of this year’s pack and, more important, 5.4 mph faster than the Audi wagon. Those pricey carbon-ceramics handle the nearly planetary forces involved in slowing for Turn 1 with remarkable grace. The Michelin Pilot Sport S5 rubber even delivers 1.03 g’s through the first turn. From here on, though, it’s a wild ride.

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The tires, which wear the high load (HL) prefix, howl in protest through NASCAR Bend. The speed and mass conspire against the tires, and when they heat up, grip levels fall. Still, we managed to nail Oak Tree corner, which leads to a 150.7-mph speed on the Back Straight.

Get on the brakes early to set up for the hard right-hander at the end of the Back Straight, or you’ll end up sliding this wagon past the turn-in point. Physics wins.

Or does it? We use the 577-hp twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 paired with a 194-hp electric motor delivering a combined 717 horses to rotate the wagon’s rear end. The fun of powersliding out of corners—the rear-biased all-wheel-drive system’s front tires guiding the rears along— almost makes up for the inert steering. The Infield is a test of patience, preserving what’s left in the tires, which are squealing louder than actual swine by the time we’re in Hog Pen.

View Photos

The M5 Touring’s 2:55.0 lap time is good enough to put it at the top of the station-wagon leaderboard, above the Audi RS6 Avant (the only other member). With a little more time and a little less weight, it could widen the gap.

Wagons Ho!

If it weren’t for the M5’s speed advantage on the long straights—Front, leading into the Climbing Esses, and Back—the Audi would be the top wagon in Lightning Lap history. Those wide-open-throttle sections account for nearly two seconds of gained time for the BMW, with the largest being the 1.0-second swing from entering Oak Tree to the apex of Bitch, seen here.

Back to Lightning Lap 2026

David Beard studies and reviews automotive related things and pushes fossil-fuel and electric-powered stuff to their limits. His passion for the Ford Pinto began at his conception, which took place in a Pinto.

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BMW Says No to Long-Wheelbase Cars in America

BMW is drawing a clear line in the sand when it comes to long-wheelbase (LWB) vehicles: they’re not coming to the United States. According to an interview with BMW Blog, the decision is rooted in hard data, not brand philosophy or engineering limitations. Internal research shows that American buyers simply aren’t interested in stretched-wheelbase sedans or SUVs, even as those same models thrive in other parts of the world.

BMW product chief Bernd Körber summed it up succinctly, noting that while some markets prioritize rear-seat comfort, U.S. customers are focused elsewhere. The added legroom and limousine-like experience that define LWB models don’t translate into meaningful value for American buyers. Instead, those features are seen as niche, with limited appeal outside of chauffeur-driven use cases that are far more common overseas.

The U.S. Loves SUVs, But Not Long Wheelbases

The broader market context helps explain BMW’s stance. Over the past decade, American consumers have overwhelmingly shifted toward SUVs and crossovers, effectively sidelining traditional sedans. Buyers aren’t just looking for more space; they want it packaged as cargo capacity, flexibility, and a higher driving position, all of which SUVs deliver better than any stretched sedan could.

That creates an interesting contradiction. BMW already builds a wide range of long-wheelbase vehicles for markets like China, including extended versions of the 3 Series, 5 Series, and even electric models like the iX3. These vehicles are specifically engineered to enhance rear-seat comfort, catering to customers who are more likely to be driven than to drive themselves. But in the U.S., where owner-driving remains the norm, that extra rear legroom becomes largely irrelevant.

The Lowdown

BMW’s decision ultimately comes down to alignment between product and behavior. In markets where rear passengers matter most, long-wheelbase cars are a logical extension of the lineup. In the U.S., they risk overlapping with existing models and solving a problem that doesn’t really exist. Buyers who want more space typically just move up to a larger vehicle or, more often, switch to an SUV altogether.

The contrast with rivals like Mercedes-Benz, which continues to offer long-wheelbase luxury sedans in America, underscores a deeper divide in strategy. BMW is betting that U.S. buyers will continue to prioritize driving dynamics and utility over rear-seat indulgence. For now, the data support that call, and until American preferences shift, long-wheelbase BMWs will remain a global play that stops short of U.S. shores.

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German luxury car maker BWM has unveiled the i3, its first electric sedan under the Neue Klasse (New Class) platform, which will boast a whopping 900 km of range, outdoing the newly announced iX3’s 805 km range spec.

Details were unveiled in Munich this week, where the BMW i3 sedan had its world premiere, and will also be the city where the factory that will produce this model.

The dual-motor BMW i3 50 xDrive will be the first car off the rank under the i3 model name, with an expected arrival in early 2027, around 6 months after the iX3 lands on our shores this year.

This powertrain delivers 345 kW of power and 645 Nm of torque, making it one of the most powerful sedans the company makes.

Like the new iX3, the i3 sedan can charge at up to 400 kW at the right fast charger, adding 400 km of range in just 10 minutes.

Behind this charging speed is BMW’s sixth-generation eDrive tech, which moves to an 800 V architecture and cylindrical battery cells. That not only helps with hitting those charging speeds but also the range the sedan can deliver. 

Although specs on the battery pack were not disclosed for the i3, we can expect a similar capacity to that on the iX3, which stands at 108 kWh.

This battery also forms part of the cell-to-pack setup, which allows for high energy densities at the pack level and a flatter high-voltage battery pack.

Another bit of tech which would be welcomed by future i3 owners is Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability, as well as Vehicle-to-Home and Vehicle-to-Grid. More details on these capabilities will be announced later.

On the i3, there is also the new BMW Panoramic iDrive system, which will bring the traditional iDrive system into quite a modern experience. 

Like the iX3, the BMW i3 50 xDrive is the first variant in the lineup, and we can expect more variants with different specifications to be announced later down the track.

More details, including pricing and specifications, will be announced at a later date, likely closer to its early 2027 launch.

With a 900 km range on a single charge, 400 kW charging speeds, and a modern sports-car look with its tech-focused interior, it could be the best-selling European sedan on the market next year.

Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.

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