At the V-Series Blackwing reveal last night, Cadillac’s fastest pairing shed their race-inspired camouflage and showed their true lines to the world. After an evening of reflection, six particular endearments set up the CT4-V and CT5-V for the perfect launch.

The first manuals will be auctioned off for charity.

Though early adopters can reserve one of the first 250 cars with a refundable $1000 deposit, GM is saving the very first manual VINs for a higher cause. The reservation site states that “GM intends to auction the first manual transmission VINs for the CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing and donate the proceeds to a worthy cause.” Keep an eye on the high-profile auctions this summer, just in case.

668 horsepower. In a sedan.

Not a crossover. Not a truck. As Cadillac makes the necessary transformation to an electric vehicle brand, the Blackwing is a 200-mph last hurrah for both petrol-powered motive and the classic sedan silhouette.

Screaming supercharger or turbo spool?

You pick. Big brother CT5-V sports the classic supercharger whine pioneered by the CTS-V, while the new-school CT4-V relies on sophisticated twin-turbos and a compact V6 engine architecture. Both are bound to provide visceral engagement through two distinct formulas of sound and feel.

AKG audio always bumps.

We haven’t had a chance to sit in the CT4-V Blackwing yet, but we’ve had a lot of experience with Harman premium audio systems in the past. Harman’s bespoke systems are fine-tuned by career audiologists in Farmington, Michigan, and the end quality is always amazing. AKG earbuds are some of our favorites, so we’re interested to spin our Detroit playlist in the Blackwing series when they hit the street.

Easter eggs will keep this car fresh for years.

Cadillac designers refer to their iconic intersecting rectangle livery as “the Mondrian pattern”, named after the famed Dutch painter who used stark black lines to divide panels of color. Cadillac’s interpretation can be found throughout the car, from the 3D-printed shift knob trim to the car’s aero-sculpted undertray. Designers teased in the launch video that they hid nods to Cadillac history throughout the vehicle, and owners will likely continue to discover these secret surprises years down the road.

The price.

German supersedans, none of which can be fitted with a manual in the US now, tend to look dated as soon as the newest successor debuts. But the Cadillac CTS-V series has aged more than gracefully, with the final CTS-V wagon still attracting admiration some six years after the end of production. Fast Cadillacs have a staying power that the German brands just don’t, and with a starting price tens of thousands of dollars below the competition, the Blackwing series represents a victory for car culture at large — especially with a standard six-speed manual transmission.

@highmileage is a world-traveling automotive historian. follow adam barrera on instagram.