Anyone who thought the Cadillac CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwing sedans were the end of high-performance from GM's luxury brand was sorely mistaken. Cadillac Racing has just announced it plans to compete in the new Le Mans-Daytona Hybrid (LMDh) category with a currently under development fourth-generation V-Series prototype beginning in 2023. The goal is simple: to achieve an overall victory at the world's most grueling 24-hour endurance race, Le Mans.
"For nearly 20 years, Cadillac V-Series has brought winning technologies from the racetrack to our performance cars on the road," said Rory Harvey, global vice president of Cadillac. "We look forward to continuing that heritage by competing in this exciting new chapter at the highest level of international motorsport."
The new LMDh-VR prototype, teased here, is being designed to conform to all specifications required for its category. Like its future rivals, it will be based on a standardized chassis sourced from Italian supplier Dallara and feature an advanced hybrid-combustion engine powertrain combo. It'll also boast unique bodywork.
Based on this single teaser, we can see a car with the brand's signature "Art & Science" design language, meaning plenty of angles, sharp bodywork, and large LED taillights. One thing we noticed is that it lacks a rear spoiler, at least for now. This could very well change by racing day.
The automaker is teaming up with Chip Ganassi Racing and Action Express Racing who currently handle the Cadillac DPi-V.R, which has won the Rolex 24 at Daytona four times in a row beginning in 2017, and several other prestigious events.
"We are looking forward to the new international prototype formula and running the Cadillac LMDh," said Chip Ganassi. "We have had a great relationship across three different racing disciplines with GM and we are looking forward to developing the car with Cadillac and Dallara over the next year-and-a-half."
And remember, high-performance technology typically always begins at the race track and later trickles down to production models. We expect this will remain the case here.