Cadillac has been around for over 120 years, but its journey as a performance brand has only spanned the last few decades. The transition has been gradual, yet General Motors’ luxury division now boasts one of the finest sport sedans, competes in the top class at Le Mans, and is eyeing an entry into Formula 1 by 2028. However, Cadillac’s aspirations seem to go even further. According to a GM design executive, Cadillac is contemplating the development of a hypercar.

Michael Simcoe, GM’s global design chief, recently shared with Australia’s CarSales that a Cadillac hypercar is a tangible possibility. Though he stopped short of officially confirming this ambitious project, Simcoe hinted that such a car might already be in the works. He pondered aloud, “Could [Cadillac] build a hypercar? Yes. Would we like to build one? Yes.” When asked if they were currently building one, he teasingly replied, “That would be giving too much away.”

If Cadillac proceeds with creating a hypercar, it would mark a historic first for General Motors. The closest GM has come to this was with the Cadillac-branded Cien concept in 2002, a striking mid-engined exotic car with a V-12 engine. Designed to commemorate Cadillac’s centenary, the Cien never reached production despite considerable excitement and speculation.

Instead, Cadillac introduced the XLR, a reimagined version of the C6 Corvette, as its inaugural dedicated performance car.

Simcoe also hinted that this potential hypercar might not necessarily be an electric vehicle. Given Cadillac’s renewed identity as a racing brand, a hybrid model inspired by their current LMDh racer or future Formula 1 entries would be logical. This could be a high-end evolution of the concept explored with the C8-generation Corvette E-Ray.

Currently, Cadillac doesn’t manufacture a sports car, supercar, or hypercar, but it is poised to reenter the ultra-luxury segment with the upcoming Celestiq EV. Priced at over $340,000, the bespoke Celestiq aims to compete with Rolls-Royce, reviving Cadillac’s “Standard of the World” reputation. While this model aligns with GM’s strategy to transition Cadillac into an all-electric brand by 2030, the company is now more flexible on this timeline. Consequently, a non-electric hypercar could fit into Cadillac’s lineup early in the next decade if necessary.

Although Cadillac has no official plans for a hypercar yet, its performance trajectory is set to advance soon. A concept named Opulent Velocity will be unveiled in 2024, paving the way for Cadillac’s future performance EVs, much like the Celestiq has done for the brand’s luxury electric vehicles.