Is Cadillac Going Racing With a Mid-Engine Supercar?
We might have uncovered one of GM’s latest racing secrets.
We’ve just obtained a huge forecasting document from an analyst company, and it may paint a very interesting picture of Cadillac’s future. The big news is that the new mid-engine Corvette is launching with three engines: The base 6.2-liter V8, and a pair of DOHC V8 engines, one 4.2 liters, the other 5.5. And sitting there, listed above that 4.2-liter, is the term “Cadillac Sports Car.”
Here’s the rub though: This document lists engine production volume as zero for the Cadillac. This leads our leaker to conclude that the supercar Caddy was likely canceled.
But there could be more to this story. Every year from 2017 to 2024 is listed at zero production from Cadillac. But at the end of the chart, the yearly average production number is 300 units. If there are no engines being produced, then how can Cadillac build 300 cars a year?
Now, this is going into the realm of conspiracy and assumptions, but bear with us. What if those engines are for an unannounced Cadillac race car?
Cadillac Takes Up the Racing Mantle for GM
Corvette has always been the king of sports car racing for General Motors. But the last few years have seen a heavy push from Cadillac. GM campaigned the ATS-V in the IMSA series, leveraging Corvette racing knowledge to win championships. In higher-level classes, the Corvette Daytona prototypes have been replaced with Cadillac DPi cars. On the Corvette side, GM has eased on factory racing, allowing Calloway to build C7.R GT3 cars for privateer racers.
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With a lot of digging through IMSA and FIA rules and regulations, we found some interesting things. If GM was to create a Cadillac race car based on the Corvette chassis, it could still qualify for homologation requirements. As long as the majority of the platform is Corvette, there’s nothing to prevent GM from adjusting some body work and slapping a Cadillac crest on the nose.
Cadillac wants to be taken seriously in the rest of the world; Europe in particular. A new GT-class racer wearing a Cadillac face could be the perfect way to raise its global profile. Plus, Chevy could still run the Corvette in amateur classes and keep winning under the Corvette Racing banner.
What if it’s Even Crazier?
Finally, here’s the most outlandish piece of speculation to account for those extra 300 engines. Perhaps Cadillac isn’t going to join GT racing at all. Instead, GM is preparing to jump into the LMP1 game for Le Mans racing and wants to win an overall title for Cadillac. Porsche and Audi have both left the class, leaving Toyota as the sole competitor. This is the perfect opportunity for General Motors to sweep in. They could stress test their new engine in the world’s most grueling races while building the Cadillac brand. And considering that hybrid technology is basically a requirement to win LMP1 now, it gives GM an outlet to quickly test and troubleshoot advanced electrification systems. Again, Cadillac already competes in the DPi class in the US, so a large portion of an LMP1 competitor is already designed and tested.
We will admit, that this all a pile of conjecture and whiskey-fueled dreaming. But we want to believe. There are 300 engines a year that are being forecast for Cadillac “sports car” production. There’s no production car for them to slot into.
So, c’mon GM, LET’S GO RACING!
Additional reporting by Patrick Morgan.
