At the most recent 2024 Hours of Le Mans race over the weekend, Cadillac had a commendable performance. One of its two V-Series R prototypes secured the seventh spot in the prestigious Hypercar category, while the other had to retire due to an apparent oil leakage.
However, the most significant Le Mans moment for the brand dates back to 1950. During that year, Briggs Cunningham, a privateer racer, brought in two Cadillac Series 61 Coupes. The French fondly nicknamed them Petit Pataud (“little awkward”) and Le Monstre.
Le Monstre, with a completely redesigned body crafted in collaboration with an engineer from the Grumman aircraft company, became a pivotal figure in advancing the understanding of car aerodynamics.
Despite its eventual 11th place finish, just behind the unaltered Petit Pataud, Le Monstre’s influence on the sleek and formidable modern V-Series R and other Hypercars at Le Mans can’t be overstated. They owe a debt to Cunningham’s daring experiment.
Limited Edition Homage Models
In celebration of those iconic moments, Cadillac unveiled limited-edition tributes at the 2024 Le Mans race. Both are specially customized Blackwing sedans created by Cadillac’s Collector Series workshop.
While Cadillac has not revealed the pricing details, typical pricing of the current CT5-V Blackwing starts around the mid-$90,000 mark, and the CT4-V Blackwing around the mid-$60,000 range. However, due to their exclusivity, dealers often charge premiums on these models. The limited editions are expected to come with significantly higher price tags.
The contemporary incarnation of Le Monstre is embodied in the 2025 CT5-V Blackwing, featuring a powerful 668-horsepower supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine. Cadillac states, “In tribute to the 101st anniversary of the inaugural 24 hours of Le Mans race, production of the Le Monstre edition is restricted to 101 units.”
