2000 Cadillac Northstar LMP Pilots: W. Taylor, M. Angelelli, E. van der Poele Team: Team Cadillac / Bill Riley Race: 22nd overall (LMP900 class) at Le Mans in 2000 Spark - SCCN02 (resin)
Published 07/11/18
In 1999 Cadillac started to work on a Le Mans prototype car to compete in the American Le Mans Series as well as an attempt to return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans – the last Cadillac to race at La Sarthe was in 1950. Designed by Bill Riley, the new car counted with a carbon fiber and aluminum honeycomb monocoque chassis. The car had a very angular body (made up of carbon fiber panels), and furthermore with a few styling details that evoked the brand’s current cars. Specifically, if you look at the grill you will clearly see the brand’s modern cars.
To make the ride smooth, suspension consisted of double wishbones with push-rod actuated springs and dampers. and to power the car the engine elected was the road-going Northstar V8. But to be a good endurance engine, it was downsized, turbocharged and utterly refined. It was a 3990 cm³ V8 with DOHC and 32 valves with twin IHI turbos, capable of 575 hp.
For the 24 Heures du Mans of 2000, Cadillac had four cars in the race. Two in a works team and the other two in the French DAMS team. However they were no match against the the R8 Audis, and their best result was a 19th place. Car #2 here finished in 22nd, 81 laps behind the winning R8 #8. Can’t say that Cadillac is a brand that floats my boat (far from that, in fact). Yet, since it’s a Le Mans car of course it automatically becomes of interest. Not much to say about the model but that it’s a regular older Spark. Therefore, you get crisp lines and nice details. Even so, detail level is a notch or two down compared to current models. It’s no winner, so not a model for everyone, but interesting to the Le Mans collector.
Now, if I could only find a Le Monstre… 🙄 And there is hope, since Spark sometimes reissues some older stuff.