No fewer than four Cadillac V-Series.R entries will be on the grid for the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans. This Hypercar is the result of a far-reaching collaboration between Cadillac Design, Cadillac Racing and chassis manufacturer Dallara. Inspired by the Project GTP Hypercar concept unveiled in June 2022, it incorporates emblematic characteristics of the Cadillac V-Series range, such as vertical lighting, floating blades and a body that is sculpted like an aerodynamic work of art.

The car’s bodylines are the outcome of in-depth engineering work undertaken to optimise airflows with side channels guiding the air around the car. The V-Series.R is a successful union of form and function designed to perform in both the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

A one-of-a-kind engine

The Cadillac V-Series.R is powered by a naturally aspirated engine – the LMC55R V8 – developed from a blank page by the General Motors teams in Pontiac (Michigan). The result is a muscular V8 block that sings loud and proud and stands out from the crowd!
Over a century of Cadillac V8 expertise has gone into building this 5.5-litre engine, comprising 1911 different parts. It also forms a structural element of the chassis guaranteeing rigidity and light weight.

The American Hypercar fielded by Hertz Team JOTA, Cadillac WTR and Cadillac Whelen also carries a standardised hybrid drivetrain consisting of a Bosch motor generator unit (MGU) integrated into the Xtrac gearbox, and WAE batteries. The MGU recovers kinetic energy on braking, transforms it into electricity and stores it in a battery. It then uses this electricity on accelerating to provide a power boost to the car.

V for victory

The Cadillac V-Series.R made its competitive début at the 2023 Rolex 24 at Daytona and has since covered over 20,000 kilometres in development, showing reliability and consistency. The car put in a fine performance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans Centenary in 2023, finishing third overall.

For this 93rd running of the French endurance classic, Cadillac is clearly gunning for its maiden outright victory in the race and, to achieve this dream, is relying on the backing of Hertz Team JOTA and their decades of technical and racing expertise.

Here are five goods reasons for following and supporting the Cadillac V-Series:

1. A naturally aspirated V8 engine with distinct character, the only one of its kind in the Hypercar class.
2.A strong design combining elegance and aerodynamic efficiency.
3. Fully mastered hybrid technology.
4. A 100% Cadillac project from the engine to the design.
5. A clearly defined objective: winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Don’t miss the next episode in our “Hypercars under the microscope” series in which we shall continue our analysis of the prototypes in the high-quality field.

Next up: the Alpine A424 entered by Alpine Endurance Team.

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