Cadillac Project GTP Hypercar Debuts With New 5.5L DOHC V8
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The Cadillac Project GTP Hypercar that will fight for the overall win at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans has made its official debut, ushering in the third generation of Cadillac Racing prototype race cars.
This new GTP/Hypercar class race car features a carbon fiber tub developed by Cadillac Racing’s longtime partner Dallara, along with a new powertrain consisting of a 5.5L DOHC V8 engine and the new GTP/Hypercar class common hybrid system. The automaker offered very few details on this new DOHC V8, although it seems possible the Cadillac prototype will share the 5.5L LT6-based flat-plane crank V8 with the Corvette C8.R. Other GTP/Hypercar class rivals have opted for twin-turbocharged V8s for their cars, including Porsche and BMW, so forced induction also seems like a possibility in this application. We expect more details on the powertrain to surface once on-track testing begins this summer.
The Cadillac Project GTP will contest the complete 2023 IMSA WeatherTech Championship calendar, as well as the full FIA World Endurance Championship season. That means this will be the first Cadillac-badged prototype to compete for the overall win at Le Mans since the ill-fated Cadillac Northstar LMP in 2002. Given Cadillac’s recent success at the 24 Hours of Daytona with the current DPi-V.R prototype, the American luxury automaker now seems better prepared to compete in the top class on the global endurance racing stage against the likes of Porsche, BMW, Ferrari and Toyota, among others.
“Competing for the overall win at Le Mans with an iconic American brand like Cadillac is an honor,” GM sportscar racing program manager, Laura Wontrop Klauser, said in a prepared statement. “The entire team is excited to continue building Cadillac’s racing legacy by competing against the very best internationally and in the world’s toughest race.”
The Cadillac Project GTP will make its competition debut at the 2023 24 Hours of Daytona next January. More information, including which customer teams will run the car and complete driver lineups, will likely be announced as the 2023 racing season approaches.
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I bet you design elements of the Celestiq are hiding on this GTP-Hypercar.
Will I be able to drive this thing to my job at Chick-fil-A?
no
I know GM doesn’t want to compete with the corvette, they’ve mentioned it every time media outlets asked about a mid engine cadillac, but I feel like with the exclusively of the hand built Celestiq coming to market they could totally excite a new generation of buyers if they went into the hypercar market with something like this. Super sinister, high performance, modern, extremely limited, and expensive! If they were as hard to get as the Ford GTs and cost that much, it wouldn’t compete too much with corvette.
it is not a cadillac, maybe a mclaren but far from a cadillac, lemans something, but see this more a chevrolet
Look this is a race car not a sports car, a street car or anything remotely a production car. It is a Dallara racing chassis with a GM designed body.
The new class is really a full on carbon fiber race car that is a few million dollars and has little ability to master regular daily drives.
On the tracks these run where it may have a man hole the covers are welded shut as it would suck the out of the ground at speed.
Smart move in the 5.5 as it is powerful and proven.
Anyone note the LeMonster emblem under the 9 with a nod to the Briggs Cunninghams effort
In the 50’s with Cadillac.
My hope is they did not go to the point with the styling it compromises the cars performance in anyway.
Should have kept it Cadillac right down to the 4.2 Black wing instead of the LT6.
Offer this as a street legal model to compete against the Ford GT and imported supercars.
Two years ago when they were testing the twin turbo 5.5 liter, it put out about 850 HP. In race trim with 115 octane racing gasoline, expect about 950 HP, plus the electric motors at each wheel to give another 15o to 200 HP. This thing will accelerate from a slow corner like a bat out of hell. Sorry Meatloaf. Hey, just wondering, will this thing show up for testing and practice at the 24 Hours Of Le Mans this weekend?? Wanna bet???
It may be on display but no practice or testing . Could do a parade lap.
Testing on this would be done in private at this point.
The new Cadillac GTP Hypercar has become really pretty and looks very subtle and super cool.
I also think the all new 5.5L V8 possibly N/A is super cool. Since it is probably not identical to the Corvette C8 LT6.R, it will not have a 180° flat-plane crankshaft either? With the low maximum system output (including hybrid) of less than 700 HP (regulation specification), the V8 can only have a maximum of 550 HP. The BoP classification will be decisive, since the competitors usually drive with ancient 4.0L V8 with 180° flat-plane crankshaft and biturbo.
Conclusion:
I am particularly pleased that Cadillac has also developed a new V8 engine. It is possible that the V8 will come as a 5.5L V8 Biturbo, because then you also have huge torque.
Cadillac wants to win LeMans in 2024 and that’s why you will probably need a biturbo or not?
If you look closely at the Cadillac concept, every intelligent person knows that only Cadillac is absolutely premium! Even with the racing cars!
Again I don’t think some of you really understand what these cars are like. There is nothing production based outside the basic engine design.
There is little to no ground clearance, there is a second seat but no one is able to sit in it. Even the drivers seat you need to be fairly thin to fit.
There is no rear window,
Also there is no real way to build this based on a C8 as they are not even close in size.
Years ago someone converted 962 Porsche to a street car. Horrible to drive and they were over a million back then.
The Ford GT was first a street car converted to race. This Cadillac if first a race car and would be difficult to make street legal.
For the combined max power, the max powers of the ICE and electric motor are not added, there has to be regulated electronically.
Looks really cool! Put some of these design features in a Cadillac car for the street.
Hideous……………..
… yes, understood is a runner car, so it serves nothing just another fade car in Indianapolis Oval 500, so we can not go supermarket with it, for me a waste of money but car companies still invest in bs F1, so can nothing do
The GTP Hypercar has some element of Cien to it at certain angles.
I know that some on here would like this to be in production form and I do like the idea but it will be a waste of a project for Cadillac to do so. Lets say if Cadillac decide to do a small volume of 50 models costing around $2.5M-$3.M each. We won’t see it in person and it will be sitting in some rich guy’s garage rarely driven and will be used as a collector’s item to flip to make a profit. It would not help Cadillac any if they put all R&D on this project just to be sitting in a garage full time without hardly any road usage.
I prefer Cadillac built more realistic vehicles like the CELESTIQ and other unknown future expensive projects not as rare. The most realistic sports car they can do is an EV with a look of a mid-engine design with a rear battery pack. But regardless when they do come in production, the CELESTIQ will be rare and some people may never see it in person so building a hypercar will be more rare and unnecessary. Just because an automaker has the resources to do something does not mean they should do it.
Just enjoy the GTP hypercar as a race car for the time being. As Cadillac racing fans, we are lucky that Cadillac is racing than not doing anything at all.
People will see this prototype when they watch a race on TV or directly from the visitors stand at the race track.
… no no … We are in contrary opinion, please do not produce it … think something intelligent
use efforts in something useful, this is just a 5 years old boy toy
Grandpa…there is a nice crossover available for you. Some of us want exotic toys…along side our grocery getter.
I do love the. 60s rear fins interpretation I think it’s brilliant.
Seeing some ’67 Eldorado inspiration.
Look past the vertical light treatments & the styling screams Corvette
Best looking Cadillac I have seen in a very, very long time. Definitely should be road legal version to compete with other hypercars.
Sorry it is just a full on race car and nothing street able here.
It would be cheaper and easier to create a totally new hyper car than convert this.
I would be in if Cadillac would build an exotic based on this with the LT6 or variation. This car is obviously has too nice of details to be raced as is and better fits a high dollar exotic. If Cadillac does that, please don’t make it all electric. We need all the variants possible for the Chevy LT6 engine before it disappears into the EV abyss.
Styling would need to be altered quite a bit for regular production mostly the rear, front and all around actually. Also the cockpit would need to be altered to fit both the driver and passenger as a two-seater, not one.