KERSHAW, S.C. (March 28, 2001) -- Cadillac on Wednesday rolled out its 2001 Cadillac Northstar LMP race car at the 2.5-mile Carolina Motorsports Park road course in Kershaw, S.C., for its first test session of the season. The car, a heavily revamped version of its 2000 entry in the Le Mans 24-hour race and the American Le Mans Series, will undergo two days of shakedown testing.

With this first test, Team Cadillac starts its second year of competition, in which the company will enter two Cadillac Northstar LMPs in the French classic Le Mans 24-Hour race on June 16-17. After Le Mans, Team Cadillac will compete in selected ALMS events in North America.

"We've made some big changes in chassis and engine to the Cadillac Northstar LMP for the 2001 year," said Herb Fishel, executive director of GM Racing. "We're confident that these changes are a big step in the right direction of our initial commitment to sportscar racing at the highest level."

An extensive testing program, led by team drivers Wayne Taylor and Max Angelelli, is planned prior to the team’s departure to France for the official pre-race test session on May 6. The names of all drivers will be released at a future date, once the lineup is finalized.

All of Cadillac’s 2000 sponsors have returned for the 2001 season, including ACDelco, Toshiba Copier/Fax and GMAC Financial Services. Added for 2001 is Bell MicroProducts, a distributor of high-technology semiconductor and computer products serving the industrial and commercial markets.

The Cadillac Northstar LMP has been revamped for 2001 by Nigel Stroud, Technical Director of Team Cadillac, while the design and development of a totally new car for 2002 proceeds on a parallel path. Stroud has targeted enhanced reliability, improved on-track performance and improved driver safety as goals for the 2001 car.

The two Cadillac Northstar LMP entries again are powered by the race-proven, highly sophisticated, twin-turbo Northstar engine system, a derivative from the Cadillac production line. For the 2001 season, the development program targets a 5 percent horsepower increase with an attendant 20-pound reduction in weight.

Not only has the Northstar engine been extensively reworked inside to include a 180-degree crankshaft but the engine itself also rides some 0.950" lower in the chassis. This lower center of gravity will contribute improved handling to the overall package. More than 100 additional items within the engine have been redesigned, revamped or improved. The engine program relies on new electronics for engine management that will broaden tuning possibilities.

Several chassis modifications have been made to help improve the performance of the car. To improve chassis stiffness, a new bell housing and gearbox have been incorporated. The resulting improved stiffness enhances the tuning of the vehicle and give drivers room for more assertiveness in corners.

An enhanced suspension system which includes new hubs, uprights and wishbones, as well as a new power-steering system, also will aid performance while at the same time improve reliability.

Side-pods, rear floor panel and diffuser panels are now more accessible and easier to work on and around. In addition, steering and drivetrain elements have been relocated to allow for faster vehicle servicing during competition.