From the outside, it’s easy to look at players of video games and assume we’re all quite similar, with the same tastes and preferences for our games. In reality, however, that’s far from the case—for every player who prefers stomping on turtles as an Italian plumber or jumping into a virtual warzone, there’s a player who spends their time on meticulously created racetracks. Racing games are so popular they have become an entire genre unto themselves, with numerous titles released on a regular basis, letting players get behind the wheel of exotic super cars and tricked out domestic models alike.
Before you go looking for a Cadillac CT4-V for sale, you might take a little time to explore how it would be to drive one from the comfort of your couch (or gaming chair). Cadillac recently announced that the 2023 No. 01 Cadillac Racing V-Series.R race car would feature prominently in Forza Motorsport, which just came out in October, along with the CT4-V. Not only can you strap into this absolute beast and let loose on the track, but it even shares the game’s cover with the 2024 Chevy Corvette E-Ray. This is far from the first time a Cadillac has been featured in a video game, so let’s take a look at some of the Caddies you’ll find most often in games.
Cadillac CT4-V—At Least Two Games
What else could I start with but the Cadillac CT4-V, which has been featured in two games released just this year? First, the CT4-V made an appearance in Forza Horizon 5, then again in Forza Motorsport. Although Forza Horizon 5 came out a couple of years ago, the Series 19 update earlier this year featured the CT4-V Blackwing for the last week of April, along with the CT5-V Blackwing for the first week of April. You can also find this beauty in Forza Motorsport, along with the 2023 No. 01 Cadillac Racing V-Series R race car I mentioned a moment ago.
Cadillac Cyclone—At Least Nine Games
Next, we have one of my favorites, and clearly a favorite of game developers and artists—the 1959 Cadillac Cyclone. This was a concept car that was never mass-produced, but its bold, rocket-like design with a pair of nose cones on the front end made a lasting impression on Cadillac fans. You can find this beauty in a wide range of games, from The Crew 2 and Saints Row to the inspiration for a futuristic hover car in The Simpsons: Hit & Run (remake, when?).
Cadillac ATS and ATS-V—At Least 15 Games
One of the most stunning rides Cadillac has ever made—which is saying something—the ATS was an executive sedan available throughout the 2010s. Along with the standard ATS, a performance-focused ATS-V hit the scene for the 2016 model year and you’ll find this option in quite a few games. Titles including Ultimate Racing have included the ATS, while the ATS-V has made appearances in the Forza Horizon series, Need for Speed: Edge, and more.
Cadillac Brougham—At Least 16 Games
Although it was only available for about five years, the full-size and deeply luxurious Brougham made a lot of fans in that time. It’s not surprising since the design of the 1980s Brougham perfectly combined the aesthetic of that decade with an older, classic Cadillac look. You can find the Brougham in a wide range of titles from games like Payback, Payday 2, and Grand Theft Auto, as well as unexpected titles like Left 4 Dead and a guest appearance in Black Mesa.
Cadillac Cien—At Least 17 Games
The absolutely stunning Cadillac Cien is a high-performance concept car that was shown off at the 2002 Detroit Auto Show but never actually went into production. It was part of Cadillac’s 100-year anniversary celebration, and though there were talks to actually make the thing, it never got past the planning stages for production. That didn’t prevent game artists from including it in titles like Gran Turismo 4, Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition, and Burnout Revenge.
Cadillac “Ambulance”—More Than 30 Games
This one feels a bit like cheating, but I have to mention it anyway. I’m talking about a Cadillac from the 1950s with a combination body that allows for its use as either an ambulance or a hearse, though the ambulance body is what’s most important. That’s because a 1959 Cadillac with a Miller-Meteor Sentinel body was used to create the Ecto-1 for Ghostbusters in 1984. This vehicle has been used in a wide range of video games including as an ambulance in titles like Destroy All Humans! 2 and Grand Theft Auto V; though you’ll find it more commonly as the Ecto-1 in everything from Ghostbusters games to cameo appearances in titles like Lego Dimensions and Planet Coaster.
Cadillac Coupe DeVille—More Than 60 Games
Although a wide range of Cadillac DeVille models can be found in games, Coupe DeVille models from the 1960s seem to be the most popular. First released at the end of the 1950s, the first and second generations of the DeVille ran through the early 1960s and left an impression on the American subconscious. You can find Coupe DeVilles in dozens of different games, including The Saints Row series, Payday 2, The Simpsons: Hit & Run, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, and even cars inspired by it in titles like Final Fantasy XV and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Cadillac CTS and CTS-V—More Than 100 Games
Even though the Cadillac CTS has been discontinued, its legacy lives on in gaming history, and it has clearly left a huge impact on artists. Available from the 2003 model year through 2019, the CTS is a gorgeous midsize luxury vehicle that’s been offered as a sedan or coupe; the CTS-V is a performance-focused version that won over even more fans. You can find a variety of models and generations of the CTS in games like Need for Speed: Most Wanted, the Forza Motorsport series, Grand Theft Auto IV, and Gran Turismo 6.
Cadillac Eldorado—More Than 100 Games
The Eldorado is about as iconic as a car can get, not only for Cadillac but for the Golden Age of the American auto industry. Available across numerous generations from the early 1950s through the turn of the century, classic versions of the stunning Eldorado are often found in games due to their striking design. You’ll find the Eldorado in titles like the Crazy Taxi and the Grand Theft Auto series, as well as vehicles inspired by it in futuristic games like Fallout and Cyberpunk 2077.
Cadillac Escalade—More Than 100 Games
A modern legend, the Cadillac Escalade is a full-size SUV that typifies the kind of stunning style, decadent luxury, and bold performance Cadillac is known for. This is one of the most referenced vehicles in pop culture, appearing in music, movies, and video games. The Escalade makes appearances in a huge number of games, from Need for Speed: Underground and Grand Theft Auto IV and V, to Tony Hawk’s Underground, Max Payne 3, and Dirt 5.
Cadillac Series 62—More Than 100 Games
Right up there with models like the Eldorado and Coupe DeVille, the Cadillac Series of vehicles from the 1940s through early 1960s are classic examples of automotive Americana. Series 62 actually introduced the Coupe DeVille and Eldorado as appearance packages before they became models in their own right, so it’s fitting that this legendary vehicle has made appearances in more than 100 games. You can spot it in titles such as Max Payne 2, L.A. Noire, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Perhaps most importantly, it’s featured in the appropriately titled Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, which lives up to its name, I assure you.
Which Cadillac Is Your Favorite When Gaming?
Personally, when a controller’s in my hand, I’m generally more interested in how a car handles in a game rather than any particular make or model. That being said, I’m not immune to the charms of a gorgeous piece of machinery in a game like a classic Cadillac or even a modern V-Series or Blackwing. For many of us, gaming is a way to drive a vehicle that we’ll likely never own in real life; I’m pretty sure I’d be too nervous behind the wheel of a Series 62 from the 1940s or ‘50s to actually enjoy myself, so driving one around the streets of San Andreas is a much better option. Similarly, I’ll never find myself in control of a No. 01 Cadillac Racing V-Series.R race car, but I can still fire up Forza Motorsport and take one for a spin any time I want.
