600-Horsepower Cadillac ATS-V Coupe to Go Sports Car Racing in 2015

For much of its 111-year history, American luxury car brand Cadillac has been focused on the road-going character of the premium brand. While other automakers like Bentley, BMW, Audi, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz used motorsports to highlight their latest engineering know-how documented with storied wins at tracks like Le Mans and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Cadillac's past has seen the General Motors' brand more accustomed to cruising boulevards or parked at country clubs. Several seasons of Pirelli World Challenge has resulted in four drivers' championships over a decade-long timeframe including Cadillac pilot Johnny O'Connell's 2014 title. With the completion of the recent season, Cadillac also locked up its three-straight manufacturers' title thanks to its V-8 powered, race-prepped CTS-V Coupes. Fending off exotic vehicle like the Bentley Continental GT3, Lamborghini GT3, McLaren 12C GT3 and the Audi R8 Ultra through 2014, Cadillac will attempt to continue its reign in sports car competition with an brand-new car in 2015.

Designated at the Cadillac ATS-V.R, the future track terror is delivering a number of advances over the previous championship winner. The first notable change is the adaptation of the ATS-V Coupe rather than the CTS model. Originally fielding the CTS sedan in 2004, Team Cadillac has been fielding a CTS-V Coupe from 2012 up to this season. Set to be revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the yet-to-be shown stock 2016 ATS-V Coupe will be the brand's first compact performance model.

Another aspect affecting the look of the appearance of the 2015 ATS-V.R is that the race car conforms for FIA GT3 rules. The FIA GT3 specifications were approved for the 2013 Pirelli World Challenge season and is widely-applied in global motorsports. An aggressive aero kit consisting of a carbon fiber front splitter and a full undertray give the Cadillac ATS-V.R a firm sports car look. Fenders have also been shaped to allow FIA-mandated tire sizes that will be mounted to the Cadillac race car's 18-inch BBS racing wheels. Brembo brakes and three-way Penske adjustable shocks are fitted to ATS-V.R in order to handle fast, tight cornering.

Moving the brand-new Cadillac is handled by a dramatically different type of engine. The ATS-V.R will be the first recent competition Cadillac to be powered by a V-6 engine. Modified for racing, the 3.6-liter Twin Turbo V-6 powerplant is based on a production Cadillac engine like the one found under the hood of the CTS Vsport. This engine should also be similar to the one equipped on the stock ATS-V. Larger BorgWarner turbochargers and high-capacity intercoolers as well as a side-exiting racing exhaust system will allow an available output of 600 horsepower to flow through a rear-mounted Xtrac sequential six-speed transmission to the drive wheels.

Cadillac's racing history may not be as rich as other premium car companies but it does contain some notable accomplishments. During an 1909 event in Portland, Oregon for what was the first race to be sanctioned by the AAA (the United States automotive club held many major auto races prior to the formation of the USAC series), A Cadillac won a three-lap event on a 14.6-mile road course. After World War Two, competitive sports car builder Briggs Cunningham competed with Cadillac products. At the 1950 24 Hours of Le Mans, he ran a largely stock Cadillac Series 62 as well as a custom-bodied Cadillac chassis called "Le Monstre". In the same year, a Cadillac-engine Allard race car won 99-mile race in Watkins Glen. Aside from sports car racing in the 1950s, Cadillac's ran in the NASCAR Grand National Series (now called the Sprint Cup Series) though never won a race. Cadillac's arrival to the Pirelli World Challenge Series in 2004 came after a three-year prototype sports car run that yielded limited success.   

Along with its expected run as part of the Pirelli World Challenge in 2015, the Cadillac ATS-V.R's compliance to FIA GT3 regulations could allow the luxury brand to spread its sport car racing profile in the future.


Information and photo source: General Motors

CAR FYI: Acura TLX GT Realtime Racing Car at 2014 Motorexpo Toronto

Premiering for the public at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the Acura TLX GT gave a purposeful preview of the future road car. Underneath the premium styled body panels of the TLX GT, a twin-turbocharged version of a 3.5-liter V-6 engine, nine-speed transmission and Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD), the TLX GT has been developed for entry into the Pirelli World Challenge sports car series. Acura Motorsport's GT category machine will be fielded by long-time brand partner Realtime Racing.



Planning for a competition debut on the streets of Detroit, Acura Motorsports and Realtime Racing has delayed the scheduled launch of the race car in order to refine the reliability and performance of the sedan.



The video below contains the Acura TLX GT show car at June's Motorexpo 2014 in the heart of Toronto.

Bentley Continental GT3 Pirelli World Challenge Car at 2014 Honda Indy Toronto



Photo Credit: Chris Nagy

The Bentley Continental GT3 is taking part in its inaugural season in the 2014 Pirelli World Challenge series' GT category. Fielded by Dyson Racing and piloted by veteran road racer Butch Leitzinger, the radical twin-turbocharged V-8 powered luxury car made its first street race appearance at the Honda Indy Toronto event.

For the 2014 Honda Indy Toronto race weekend, the Dyson Racing Team Bentley organization experienced mixed results. During race one on Saturday, the Bentley Continental GT3 driven by Butch Leitzinger finished 19th overall after being caught in a turn three accident on lap 19. Sunday's second race concluded with a much more favourable result crossing the line in ninth place.

Below is a video of the Bentley Continental GT3 car undergoing Friday preparations in Toronto.

XSL Speed Reporter Exclusive: Mark Wilkins Looking for Hometown Success in Toronto

Photo Credit: Kia Motors

Besides the 2013 Honda Indy Toronto working as a showcase for IZOD IndyCar drivers James Hinchcliffe and Alex Tagliani to compete for national pride, the historic weekend always involved Canadian drivers in an array of support series. Sometimes its the teenage protégé and other times the line-up contains Canada's finest driver who may not be recognized as household names. Toronto's Mark Wilkins adds his name to the Canadian contingent fighting to win on the popular street circuit.

For the 2013 Honda Indy Toronto weekend, he'll be a GTS class force in the wildly diverse and competitive Pirelli World Challenge sports/touring car championship. The Canadian's weapon of choice is a Kia Optima Turbo sedan for Kinetic-Kia Racing coincidentally painted red and white. With nine rounds completed in the class so far in the 2013 season heading into the streets of Toronto's Acura Sports Car Challenge, Mark Wilkins resides second in the overall GTS standings. Describing his race car, Wilkins expressed, "The Kia Optima Turbo is a really fun car to race. Given that it is a high horsepower front wheel drive car, it certainly drives a fair bit differently than the open wheel and other sports cars that I have driven."

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy

A highlight of this season was a race victory just across the border in Detroit. Contending against V-8 powered machines, Mark Wilkins and his team has been nothing less than impressive heading into the Honda Indy Toronto event. "In the GTS class, we race all sorts of different makes with completely different set ups. With our car, we do the lion share of the work with the front tires where many of our competitors have either front engine rear drive setups or mid engine rear drive setups. We have to manage the front tires on our car where our competitors would be focused on managing the rears. In the end, all of the cars are really closely matched and we have some epic on track battles." said Wilkins driving his first full season with the Kia Optima race car. He joined the Kinetic-Kia Racing team in 2012 at the Leguna Seca round.

For over a dozen years, Wilkins has compiled a rich resume of open wheel and sports car racing pursuits. Starting his professional career with the Canadian Formula Ford Championship, he spent five seasons across several Canadian and North American open wheel driving tours including the Star Mazda series (Now called the Pro Mazda Championship). During the 2005 season in Star Mazda, Mark Wilkins was in competition with future superstars James Hinchcliffe, Marco Andretti and Graham Rahal. In fact, with AIM Autosport backing, he was a teammate with the younger Hinchcliffe in the series. "2005 was one of the most challenging years of racing for me. The talent pool in Star Mazda that year was incredible. I certainly learned a lot of race craft from racing with James, Marco and Graham. It was one of those years where you really had to push yourself to find the last tenth every weekend. We certainly had some great battles that year!" A pair of fourth place finishes were highlights to his 2005 season.




Photo Credit: Chris Nagy

The time in Star Mazda would come ahead of a transitional period in his career where his racing focus turned to sports car racing. With AIM Autosport's Daytona Prototype effort in the Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series, Wilkins would be part of two wins in 2008 including an ultra-close victory in Montreal. In 2010, Mark Wilkins paired with the Level 5 Motorsports in the American Le Mans Series Prototype Challenge class in 2010. Wilkins and team won the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and the Leguna Seca event. Two years later, he would add a Petit Le Mans victory to his resume driving for Core Autosport. "I love sports car racing so my heart is certainly in that space.. So many great cars these days." said Mark Wilkins. At this years Rolex 24 at Daytona, he participated with the AIM Autosport team once again to drive a Ferrari 458 Italia. "I never thought I would get the opportunity to race a Ferrari let alone drive the road cars! To finish on the podium at Daytona with Ferrari was an incredible experience."

Experiencing good times at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Mosport) near to Toronto, Wilkins presence on the street course along Lake Ontario has been limited by the fact he had only raced once at the street course. Having raced on the circuit nine years ago in a North American Formula Renault Championship race, he was taken out while leading. Wilkins is ecstatic about visit to his homeland with the competitive Kia Optima. "I love home races! I spend so much time racing south of the border that when we get the chance to race at home it is just a surreal experience.. I have lots of friends and family coming out to support me which is really nice as well. The fans in Toronto are really enthusiastic so it should really be an electric weekend!" said Wilkins.

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy

Racing on Sunday at the Acura Sports Car Challenge race in Toronto, Mark Wilkens is pleased with his GTS class season in the 2013 Pirelli World Challenge championship so far and remains motivated for more . "This has been a great season thus far for Kia Racing in the Pirelli World Challenge. With 4 podiums to date and a win in Detroit, we have certainly showed that the Optima Turbo is a top contender. My goal at the start of the season was to finish every race and focus on a championship run. As we roll into Toronto second in the points and after a solid run of finishes, I'm anxious to keep the momentum going this weekend."