Cadillac DPi-V.R Prototype Race Car

The Cadillac DPi-V.R is a specialized Cadillac race car that was used in competition in the Prototype class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship from 2017 through 2022, fielded by Cadillac Racing. The introduction of the DPi-V.R marked Cadillac’s return to the pinnacle of prototype sports car racing after an absence of nearly 14 years.

Upon conclusion of the 2022 racing season, the DPi-V.R was retired. It was succeeded by the Cadillac V-Series.R in 2023.

Overview

“Cadillac is proud to return to the pinnacle of prototype racing in North America after a 14-year absence,” said Johan de Nysschen, president of Cadillac. “Cadillac’s V-Performance production models – the ATS-V and CTS-V – are transforming our brand’s product substance, earning a place among the world’s elite high performance marques. The Cadillac DPi-V.R further strengthens our V-Performance portfolio, placing Cadillac into the highest series of sports car racing in North America.”

Developed to perform, the Cadillac DPi-V.R was designed to contribute to the functional performance of the prototype using elements gleaned from the current lineup of Cadillac V-Performance models, especially the CTS-V super sedan.

“The DPi-V.R race car was an exciting new canvas for the Cadillac design and sculpting team,” said Andrew Smith, Global Cadillac Design executive director. “The studio embraced the opportunity to interpret the Cadillac form language, line work and graphic signature for this premier prototype racing application. Every detail of the final design was selected to support the car’s on-track performance and unmistakable Cadillac presence.”

Design

The design details giving the DPi-V.R car its distinctive Cadillac appearance and presence include:

• Vertical lighting elements
• Signature sheer, sculptural quality of the body
• Bold bodyside feature line
• V-Performance wheels
• Brembo brakes
• V-Performance emblems
• Canopy graphic inspired by the Cadillac daylight opening

Subtle cues such as the cooling vents and the air intake were designed in the studio, the latter in the trapezoidal shape of the Cadillac crest.

Technology

The DPi-V.R is equipped with the new Rear Camera Mirror first seen on the Cadillac CT6 Sedan and available on the Cadillac CTS, XT5 and Escalade for the 2017 model year.

Powertrain

The Cadillac DPi-V.R was originally propelled by a race-prepared, naturally aspirated Cadillac 6.2 liter V-8 engine that shares its inherent architecture with the LT4 V-8 engine powering the third-generation Cadillac CTS-V (640 horsepower) and LT1 V-8 engine in the fifth-generation Cadillac Escalade (420 horsepower).

This generation engine produced approximately 600 horsepower in race-specification, which includes IMSA-mandated air restrictors and a max redline of 7,600 RPM. The engine transferred power to the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential paddle-shift transmission developed by X-Trac.

Cadillac reduced the engine size to 5.5-liters for the 2018 IMSA season in search of more drivability.

Development

In developing the Cadillac DPi-V.R, Cadillac and its designers collaborated with key partners including:

• Chassis builder Dallara
• Wayne Taylor Racing and Action Express Racing
• Earnhardt-Childress Racing (ECR) Engines

Motorsports

The Cadillac DPi-V.R made its racing debut in the Prototype (P) class of the 2017 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series, the fastest and most technologically advanced sports car racing series in North America.

The race car took a 1-2 finish in its first-ever competition outing: the 2017 24 Hours of Daytona. The No. 10 DPi-V.R won its class while the No. 5 DPi-V.R fielded by Action Express (then doing business as Mustang Sampling Racing) boasted the runner-up result. The No. 10 Cadillac Racing team would go on to win five races in 2017, ultimately winning the overall championship in its division as well. The No. 31 DPi-V.R won a single race at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park and finished second in the overall championship, while the No. 5 DPi-V.R won at Watkins Glen and finished third in points.

In 2018, the No. 31 DPi-V.R of Whelen Racing won its class championship and crossed the line first at Bell Isle in Detroit, Michigan. The No. 5 of Action Express won the 24 Hours of Daytona and Long Beach, but did not start at Laguna Seca, relegating the team to a sixth-place finish in the division championship. The No. 10 team finished third in the championship after winning at Petit Le Mans.

The 2019 season saw the No. 31 DPi-V.R win at Sebring and at Petit Le Mans, finishing second in the overall championship. The No. 10 Cadillac Racing team, meanwhile, won the season opening race in Daytona, while the No. 5 DPi-V.R found victory in Long Beach.

The No. 10 DPi-V.R again won the 24 Hours of Daytona to start the 2020 season, following it up with a win at Petit Le Mans and finishing second in terms of overall points. The No. 31 Cadillac was the only other race car in the luxury marque’s stable to win that year, winning its division at Sebring.

Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) returned to the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship in 2021 with a single Cadillac DPi-V.R entry. The team won the Detroit Sports Car Classic, finishing fourth overall in the points. The No. 5 DPi-V.R of JDC-Mustang Sampling Racing won at Sebring, meanwhile. The most successful team in 2021 was the No. 31 DPi-V.R, which won at Daytona, Watkins Glen, Road America, and Long Beach, going on to win the overall championship in the DPi class.

The 2022 IMSA season was the final for the Cadillac DPi-V.R. Cadillac Racing fielded two factory-backed teams, while Whelen Engineering Racing and Wayne Taylor Racing each fielded a single, full-time entry. Finally, Ally Racing supported a single, part-time entry. The No. 02 won once at Sebring, finishing fourth in the overall championship. The No. 01 DPi-V.R, under the Cadillac Racing banner, won three races and finished third in points.

The No. 01 Cadillac Racing entry marked a significant moment in the DPi-V.R era by securing the model’s final victory at the 2022 Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Canada. This race was the first one held at the track since the 2020 season due to COVID-19 restrictions. Sebastien Bourdais and Renger van der Zande shared the driver’s seat of the No. 01 machine, outrunning the Acura of Tom Blomqvist and Oliver Jarvis by 3.509 seconds at the line.

Gallery

DPi-V.R Race Car News

Cadillac Racing Beats Acura To IMSA Win In Canada

A daring late-race pass secured the win for Cadillac.

Read More »

35

Cadillac Project GTP Hypercar Debuts With New 5.5L DOHC V8

On track testing begins this summer.

Read More »

All DPi-V.R Race Car News