TEAM CADILLAC TO DEVELOP ALL-NEW 2002 AND INTERIM 2001 CADILLAC NORTHSTAR LMP TO SPEARHEAD NEW EFFORT IN ENDURANCE RACING

DETROIT, January 26, 2001 – A significantly revised Cadillac Northstar LMP program will see two interim design cars at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans and selected North American rounds of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). An all-new Cadillac Northstar LMP will be designed, manufactured and tested in 2001, with a race debut in early 2002.

After an extensive examination of all aspects of the Cadillac Northstar LMP program, GM Racing has contracted with renowned race manager Jeff Hazell, designer Nigel Stroud and race driver/commercial director Wayne Taylor to join the Team Cadillac program.

Hazell, Stroud and Taylor bring a wealth of auto racing experience spanning several decades to Team Cadillac, including success in Formula One and, most relevantly, Le Mans. Stroud designed several competitive Le Mans cars in the 1990s including one that placed first overall at the French classic. Hazell was the team architect behind the successful McLaren F1 sports car program and team manager at Williams F1, while Taylor has competed in no fewer than 11 of the Le Mans 24-hour races.

The Cadillac Northstar LMP program will now proceed in two stages, under the direction of GM Racing.

First, a team led by Stroud will substantially revise the 2000 Cadillac Northstar LMP as an interim 2001 model. This 2001 Cadillac will be campaigned by the French-based DAMS team as a two-car effort at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans. Revisions on the 2001 car will center on weight, aerodynamics, steering and suspension, safety and substantial chassis revisions to improve rigidity. After Le Mans, the 2001 Cadillac will be raced by Team Cadillac at the Sears Point, Mosport, Laguna Seca Petit Le Mans and the Lowes Motor Speedway (Charlotte) rounds of the ALMS out of its new facilities in Atlanta, Georgia.

Second, Stroud's engineering group will design and develop an all-new 2002 Cadillac Northstar LMP using, in part, data on various components gathered from the 2001 car. Team Cadillac will test this car towards the end of the 2001 season to ready it for 2002.

Through this approach, information and experience can be accrued in real competition during 2001 incorporated in the 2002 design. This plan will also continue in supporting Cadillac's aggressive strategy to grow its business globally and accelerate the understanding of Cadillac's intent to be included in the elite group of the world's premier automotive brands, with its unique values of technology, design and performance.

One element carrying over in the design of both new cars will be the durable, reliable and powerful Northstar V8. "We evaluated many different engine options – including varying engine sizes and natural aspiration – and concluded that the optimum configuration is the four-liter turbo," said GM Racing's Joe Negri. "With significant more development and some new designs, we will have considerably more power than last year."

The sponsor and supplier partner line up will be announced in the near future, as will the full driver roster. Wayne Taylor and Max Angelelli will handle test driving responsibilities.

General Motors, through its Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden, Oldsmobile, Opel, Pontiac, Saab and Vauxhall brands, is involved in motorsport across the globe.

For additional information you can call Serge Vanbockryck of GM Racing Communications on +32-26 63 23 93.