The Cadillac V-LMDh race car is set to make its debut at The Rolex 24 At Daytona on January 17, but the company opted to provide a sneak peek at the different liveries that will come equipped with the car and also showed us the elements of final design. for the racing car too.
Add a pinch of luxury to the racetrack
When we last saw the Cadillac Project GTP race car at GM’s design leadership, it was clear that Cadillac was taking the challenge of motorsports very seriously with the concept car that blends the best of modern Cadillac design with enough race-focused functionality to make it a potent force. on the race track. It looks like the V-LMDh race car will continue this revived approach to podium victories, albeit in its own unique way.
Cadillac took the opportunity to showcase the three liveries the cars will wear with the gold #01 Cadillac Racing and #31 Whelen Engineering V-LMDhs competing in events here in the US as part of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The Blue #02 Cadillac Racing car will be reserved exclusively for international competition and will participate in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The common thread with all three is the black tail, as well as the characteristic colors of the V insignia running along the length of the caudal fin.
“Cadillac is ready to compete against the best in North America and internationally, including one of the toughest races in the world, the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” said Cadillac Global Vice President Rory Harvey.
Small block performance aiming for big profits
All three race cars are powered by a naturally aspirated 5.5-litre V8 engine that differs from the forced induction engines used by rivals such as Porsche and Ferrari. While mated to a class-mandatory hybrid system, the engine (called the LMC55R) is still a very powerful piece with the block producing 670hp and sending all its drive to the rear wheels via a seven-speed sequential transmission. The 5.5-liter will also be the largest in its class, with an engine that outperforms the 2.4-liter twin-turbo V6 used by Acura, as well as the 4.0-liter and 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8s used by Ferrari and BMW.
In addition to the move to the LMDh class, Cadillac also recently confirmed that the brand will enter Formula One with Andretti Global as a partner. However, Cadillac was quick to point out that the business side of F1 will be separate from the main motorsports programme, suggesting that resources from one program will not be sacrificed to maintain the other.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. He first started out as a freelance photographer before transitioning to writing during college, his work has been featured on numerous automotive forums, as well as on websites like Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a huge fan of British vehicles and most of his devotion goes to the Morgan Motor Company, as well as offerings from Lotus, MG and Caterham. When he’s not writing about cars, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Detroit metropolitan area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.