GM looks set to spring a major surprise in the top class of sports prototype racing.
With the Cadillac factory GTP and Hypercar programme’s future soon to be revealed, focus is switching to whether and when GM will accommodate the latent demand for customer sales for their top-class prototype.
At present, only Porsche have chosen to sell and support customer LMDh- rules cars with Ferrari now also fielding a privateer entry in the FIA WEC, albeit with their factory service provider AF Corse and with factory talent at the wheel of the #83 499P.
On and off-the-record comments from GM top brass have confirmed that there will be no Cadillac “customer cars” for the 2025 season as they continue to work to better understand the current platform and develop a planned 2025 package of upgrades for the V-Series.R.
There is though a surprise package in store for the effort as GM look to boost another brand in their repertoire and this could well emerge as a parallel plan to boost a customer marketplace in the top class of sportscar racing.
The key to unlocking this plan came with background confirmation from sources at Dallara that whilst supply chain remains a problem for the whole industry, the supply of chassis to GM is not part of that, indeed a surprisingly large number have already been released.
DSC now understands that a second Dallara-chassied GM GTP/ Hypercar project is set to emerge shortly with plans to campaign the effort in the 2025 season under the resurgent Buick brand. The car set to feature a mildly modified and rebadged 5.4 litre version of the current 5.5 litre normally aspirated V8.
DSC has approached GM for comment but has yet to receive a response, but trusted sources suggest that the Buick Endure 54 GTP will have a marketing focus that is principally targeting markets that GM believe will be ripe for the re-emergence of Buick as a sporting brand with an initial limited semi-factory presence set to be sought, as early as 2025, in selected IMSA races, and, subject to agreement with the FIA WEC, at selected rounds of the World Championship too.
DSC believes that, at present, the programme is targeting the Detroit Grand Prix, Sahlen’s Six-Hours of The Glen and Petit Le Mans in IMSA with both the Fuji and US round of the WEC set to be the topics of discussion with LMEM.
With slots set to be very limited on the WEC grid, and with the complexity of regulations that currently forbid race-by-race entries in the WEC’s top class Buick’s pursuit of a one-off entry for the Japanese round is not in any way certain. The Fuji round has been targeted as it is closest both geographically and in time zone to the Chinese market.
China is one of only two markets that Buick is currently sold in, the other being North America, though the re-emergence of the brand could see GM looking to additional markets with the traditionally V8-loving Australian and South African markets high on the wish list.
The name, “Endure 54 GTP,” while seemingly obvious, is actually a continuation of their domestic offerings. The Endure GTP will join the existing nameplates of Enclave, Envision, Encore, and Envista. The ’54’ element of the name refers both to the size of the engine and to the current average age of Buick customers. It is expected that the hybrid component of the LMDh platform will feature heavily in the marketing efforts of the company and, as with the render pictured top, Buick are considering marketing a very limited number of ‘halo’ track-only versions of the car as Ferrari have with their 499P Modificata.
Interestingly, a Le Mans programme is not believed to be on the cards. GM is keen for the limelight to stay focused on their Cadillac and Corvette brands at Le Sarthe.
Sources suggest that several of GM’s well-established stars of the recent past have been approached to assess interest in an involvement with ex-Corvette, ex-Cadillac pilot, Johnny O’Connell and sportscar racing legend Oliver Gavin both still very capable drivers and very much in the target demographic.
This was, of course, DSC’s April Fools story – If you enjoyed it, you’re welcome, if you were fooled by it we’re sort of sorry*, and if you really don’t like April Fools, then please enjoy the next 364 days of DSC free with our compliments, again!
* Not really!
Anthony Florio
