Cadillac to make Le Mans come back with Project GTP Hypercar
Cadillac’s new LMDh race car is set to take on competitors from Porsche, BMW, Toyota and more in the WEC and IMSA championships next year.
Using a Dallara chassis – just like the newly revealed BMW M Hybrid V8 – the Project GTP Hypercar will be powered by an all-new 5.5-litre V8 with dual-overhead-camshaft which will work in conjunction with the regulation-spec hybrid system. It uses a 49hp electric motor with batteries built by Williams Advanced Engineering integrated into an Xtrac gearbox.
The styling depicts the firm’s highly successful DPi-V.R prototype, which has been racing in IMSA since 2017. Its vertical headlights and aggressive bumpers link back to the firm’s performance-focused road cars, such as the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing.
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The car is due to start testing later this year, before making its racing debut at the 2023 Rolex 24 at Daytona. Entries will be run by Chip Ganassi Racing and Action Express Racing, both of whom currently use the DPi-V.R.
The race car is built to Le Mans Daytona Hybrid (LMDh) regulations, allowing it to compete in both, the WEC and IMSA’s GTP class. It will take on competitors from Porsche, BMW and Acura next year, with Lamborghini and Alpine set to join in 2024.
IMSA’s GTP category will also allow cars from the World Endurance Championship’s Hypercar class to race, meaning that the Project GTP Hypercar will be racing against the Toyota GR010 Hybrid and Peugeot 9X8 at Daytona in 2023.