Fresh off announcing plans to move its headquarters to Manhattan, Cadillac is making its presence known ahead of the Los Angeles Auto Show with the introduction of the all-new ATS-V.R race car. The first entry in the new generation of the high-performance V-Series line-up, the racer is powered by the 600 horsepower LF4.R engine – based on the Twin Turbo 3.6L V-6 from Cadillac CTS Vsport.
The ATS-V.R is generally based on the 2016 Cadillac ATS-V Coupe and ATS-V sedan, with both set for unveiling at the L.A. Auto Show. The V.R – coming to race tracks near you next year – was unveiled at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, this week.
Cadillac built the ATS-V.R to meet international FIA GT3 specs, which give its newest car racing DNA and enable it to enter races in more than 30 countries, where its racing class will include the likes of Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren, among others. The GT3 class refers to a “specific set of specifications for racing cars based on production models,” according to Cadillac.
The formerly Detroit-based company is looking to up the ante in the racing world with its new car. President Johan de Nysschen said the famed American company seeks to “pursue racing on a more global scale,” while Cadillac Racing driver Andy Pilgrim added, “the car sounds wicked” and was enthused by the engine torque and the presence of “paddle gear shifters for the first time.”
GT3 modifications include bigger twin BorgWarner turbochargers, higher capacity intercoolers and side-exiting exhaust. The car has a race-ready weight distribution of 49 percent front, 51 percent in the back. Additionally, the V.R Has 18-inch racing tires, an aero kit and a carbon fiber front splitter.
Since launching in 2004, Cadillac Racing has won the Pirelli World Challenge Manufacturer Championship five times, including the past three seasons.
Photo Credit: Cadillac
