Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing vs Dodge Charger

It doesn’t have a V8, but the 2026 Dodge Charger does have 550 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque from a turbocharged SIXPACK High Output inline-six engine. All-wheel drive is also standard, and additional drive modes mean smoky burnouts, drifting and donuts remain Charger specialties. It’s offered in two- and four-door styles, and there’s plenty of interior room for adult passengers, making it a uniquely powerful and potentially practical American muscle car for the right buyer.

Verdict: Who needs a Hemi? It’s not likely to have broad appeal as a family car, but the 2026 Dodge Charger Scat Pack stands out as a truly modern muscle car.

In the modern car market, you can seemingly have it all. An efficient SUV that also corners like a sports car? Got it. A luxury pickup with massaging seats and tons of towing capacity? Done. But this cake-and-eat-it-too philosophy may have started with the performance-luxury sedan. A low-slung saloon that can carry five passengers but also negotiate sharp corners and deliver blistering acceleration. This concept may have started with brands like BMW, but others have gotten in on the fun, and the 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing is proof that General Motors understood the assignment.

The Blackwing name is now the highest performance tier for Cadillac, and that’s what the brand does best. Though its luxury credentials are lacking compared to segment-defining cars like the BMW M3, the handling and acceleration exhibited by the CT4-V Blackwing outweigh any shortcomings. But is the trade-off the right mix for you? Read on to find out.