The Cadillac V-LMDh race car is poised to make its debut at The Rolex 24 At Daytona on January 17th but the company chose to provide a sneak peek of the different liveries that will come equipped to the car while also showing us the final design elements for the race car as well.
Adding A Dash of Luxury To The Racetrack
When we last saw the Cadillac Project GTP racecar at GM’s design dome, it was evident that Cadillac was taking the challenge of motorsports very seriously with the prototype combining the best of modern Cadillac design with enough race-centric functionality to make it a potent force out on the race track. It appears that the V-LMDh race car will continue this revived focus on podium victories, albeit in its own unique way.
Cadillac used the opportunity to show off the three liveries that the cars will use with the gold hued #01 Cadillac Racing and #31 Whelen Engineering V-LMDhs competing in events here in the U.S. as part of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The Blue #02 Cadillac Racing car will be reserved exclusively for international competition and will take part in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The common thread with all three is the black tail as well as the trademark colors of the V-Badge that run along the tailfin.
“Cadillac is ready to compete against the very best in North America and internationally — including one of the world’s toughest races, the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” said Global Vice President of Cadillac Rory Harvey.
Small Block Performance Aiming For Big Wins
Powering all three racecars is a naturally aspirated 5.5 liter V8 that diverges off from the forced induction powerplants that rivals like Porsche and Ferrari used. While it is mated to a class mandated hybrid system, the engine (dubbed LMC55R) is still a very potent piece with the block producing 670 hp and it sends all of its motivation to the rear wheels through a seven-speed sequential transmission. The 5.5 liter will also be the biggest in its class too with the engine outsizing the 2.4-liter twin-turbocharged V6 Acura uses as well as the 4.0-liter and 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8s that Ferrari and BMW use.
In addition to the move into the LMDh class, Cadillac also recently confirmed that the brand is entering Formula One with Andretti Global serving as their partner. Cadillac was quick to point out though that the F1 side of the business will be separate from the main motorsports program which seems to indicate that there will be no resources sacrificed from one program to maintain the other.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.