CT5-V Blackwing

Make
Cadillac
Segment
Sedan

The upcoming LMDh (Le Mans Daytona hybrid) class might be the most highly anticipated motorsport series of 2023. These new hybrid regulations have drawn entries from popular brands such as Acura, BMW, Ferrari, and Porsche, to name a few. Cadillac revealed its entrant, called the V-LMDh, back in June and we've spotted the car testing in preparation for Le Mans and other races such as the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

The car will debut at the Rolex 24 on January 28, 2023. Prior to its first race, the V-LMDh has passed "crucial testing and development milestones," according to Cadillac. Since July 2022, the car has logged around 12,000 track miles, including a 24-hour test at the Sebring International Raceway.

To give us a small taste of the development process, Cadillac shared a sweet video of the V-LMDh ripping around Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

As you can hear in the video, the car's 5.5-liter V8 engine sounds ferocious. It's unclear how much this engine shares with the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, but that exhaust note is almost certainly indicative of a flat-plane crank design. Based on the regulations, the V-LMDh must use a hybrid setup that produces no more than 670 horsepower. The final Cadillac V-LMDh race cars, including liveries and engine specifications, will be revealed on Instagram in mid-January.

"To complete that endurance test was extra motivation for our team and provided a sense of accomplishment," said Cadillac Racing Program Manager Laura Wontrop Klauser. "We still have a lot to do in a short time, but we are at the point where we are fine-tuning many things."

Cadillac will take on the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the FIA World Endurance Championship before later entering the V-LMDh in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

A final test on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn road course in Daytona will be conducted from December 6-7 as part of an IMSA-sanctioned mandatory testing period for all manufacturers. We can't wait to see which manufacturers are the most competitive.