General Motors has been teasing supercar and hypercar concepts for decades, but nothing has become a reality aside from the Corvette going mid-engine and a few auto-show static concepts. However, now that Cadillac is on its way to Formula 1, there appear to be shifting winds in Detroit.
“Could we build a hypercar? Yes. Would we like to build one? Yes. Are we building one? That would be giving too much away,” GM global design chief Michael Simcoe told Australia’s CarSales.
According to CarSales, Simcoe confirmed that such interest in a hypercar came after Cadillac’s bid to enter F1. That isn’t surprising, given the number of hypercars that come from F1 brands, using some of the sport’s technical know-how and marketing allure. Roadgoing Ferraris and McLarens have always benefitted from F1 technology, and more recently, the Mercedes-AMG One. Even Red Bull is working on a hypercar designed by legendary F1 engineer and designer Adrian Newey.
Not only did Simcoe not deny a potential Cadillac hypercar, but he also continued giving up bits of information. When asked about the electrification of such a hypercar, Simcoe said “No, it [hypercar] wouldn’t have to be [electric], but it could be.”
Considering the hybrid nature of F1, it would make sense for Cadillac to offer a hybrid hypercar, similar to the AMG One. It also already has the bones to make one, with the Corvette’s excellent mid-engine chassis and several V8 engines to choose from. A hybrid version of the Corvette Z06’s flat-plane crank V8 (ahem, ZR1) would be exotic enough for global appreciation to accompany a potential F1 entry. However, Cadillac’s last attempt to build a Corvette-based performance car led to the XLR.
After all of the cool concepts from GM over the years, this feels like the closest we’ve ever been to that becoming a reality. Not only is GM better equipped than ever before, with its new powertrain and EV technology, but it has the best reason for actually building one, with a current Le Mans and future F1 entry on the horizon.
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