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This is the Cadillac Project GTP Hypercar, and it’s here to preview the design of the LMDh prototype race car set to compete in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the FIA World Endurance Championship next year. The main event that everybody in the new LMDh class will be gunning for is the overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023 — this year’s running just happens to be this coming weekend.
We got a chance to take a look at this race car in person, and it’s a genuinely stunning work of (very fast) art. Those who are working on this project tell us that it’s very much still a work in progress, so small things might change between now and when the car takes to the track, but what you’re seeing here is Cadillac’s ultimate design vision.
Some elements remind us of Cadillac’s road-going performance cars, such as the fanciful LED vertical lights and bronze-painted wheels — bronze wheels are available optionally on the CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing. It’s also sporting forged carbon fiber just about everywhere that you don’t see the matte gray paint, and it’s gorgeous stuff. Of course, this race car will one day be sporting a livery, so don’t expect it to look as beautifully simple and clean on the racetrack as it does right now.
As for what’s powering this race car, Cadillac tells us that “an all new 5.5-liter DOHC V8” sits amidships. This is then paired to the common hybrid system set to be used for LMDh. We asked if this is related to the Corvette Z06 engine, but Cadillac would only say that it is an “all new” design. Considering that the Z06 also uses a totally new 5.5-liter DOHC V8, it’s hard to imagine that this Cadillac’s engine is completely unrelated, but we’ll need to wait for a final reveal to hear more about the powertrain.
The car’s development and engineering is being shared by Cadillac Design, Cadillac Racing and Dallara. Cadillac says that testing will begin this summer, and the car will see its first racing action at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2023.
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