---

GM Praises McLaren Engine Performance at Le Mans

22 June 2000

GM Praises McLaren Engine Performance at Le Mans

    LIVONIA, Mich. - In a press release issued by GM Racing following the Le Mans 24 Hours run last weekend, Cadillac had high praise for the performance of the Northstar engines modified and built by McLaren Engines for the race. Cadillac Northstar LMP Program Manager Jeff Kettman said, "Throughout the white-hot crucible of Le Mans, the difficulties Cadillac faced were nothing short of colossal. Still, the Argentinium silver car, along with their European counterparts, fought along bravely as their Cadillac Northstar engines raced along with near flawless perfection. As certain ancillary aspects of the car suffered failure (clutch and gearbox), the Northstar engine performed up to Cadillac's ultra-high standards."

    Three out of the four Cadillac Northstar LMPs finished in 22nd, 24th, and 25th position overall. A fourth place overall looked increasingly likely for the Motorola-DAMS car until two hours before the end of the race a suspension failure defeated the team's efforts to score Cadillac's highest ever finishing position. However, regarding the engines Kettman added, "Sure, everyone here is disappointed that we didn't finish higher, but we are extremely pleased with the durability of this engine. And this crew put in a Herculean effort to get us to the finish."

    Wiley McCoy, President and COO of McLaren Performance Technologies commented, "We are, of course, also disappointed that the cars did not finish higher overall. But we at McLaren are extremely pleased with the results of the work performed under the direction of Engine Program Director Dave Spitzer. Going the distance at Le Mans is a true test of the quality of both the base Northstar design and a credit to our work at McLaren. Everyone in our organization is looking forward to the future of this program and Cadillac's future victories."