Cadillac’s 830-HP V-ONE is its wildest performance concept in 20 years

Published Aug 15, 2026, 12:30 PM EDT Based in the Motor City, Carl Anthony is the Automotive Lead at How-to-Geek and the host of AutoVision News Radio, a podcast that focuses on future vehicle technology, including next-generation ADAS innovations, electrification, and software-defined cars. A broadcaster by nature, he has appeared on popular podcasts and radio shows, including Wrench Nation, Cars Yeah, The Car Doctor, and Digital PR Explained. Carl’s frequent appearances on MotorMouth Radio (WHPC 90.3 FM) over the last decade have made him a trusted resource for car enthusiasts, while his hosting of the AutoSens Insights series continues to spotlight the latest automotive technologies. Prior roles include serving as a new vehicle launch and dealer trainer for Ford, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo. Carl was a senior product specialist on Chevy's National Truck Team, an experiential marketing program that travels the United States, and a respected member of the FCA (now Stellantis) national auto show team, where he served as the resident expert for consumers on the Dodge Charger and Challenger. Before the automotive industry, Carl was a disc jockey, producer, and programmer at several popular Midwest radio stations, including KIWR, KEZO, KJAN, and KELO-FM. He is a graduate of Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, where he dual-majored in the Electronic Media studies program, earning an Associate of Applied Sciences degree in both radio and television broadcasting. Cadillac hasn't built a true one-off concept since the Cien debuted at the 2002 Detroit Auto Show, a drivable V12 supercar that hinted at where Cadillac's performance ambitions were headed, right up until the cost of its custom engine and a projected $200,000 price tag kept it from ever reaching production. The V-ONE picks up that same thread, except this time the concept isn't just inspired by racing. It's built from it. Cadillac Design, Cadillac Racing, and chassis builder Dallara developed the V-ONE together. The single-seat concept shares its suspension, transmission, and hybrid V8 foundation with the V-Series.R, the prototype winning races at Le Mans and across the IMSA and WEC calendars since 2023. Plenty of automakers start with a production platform, add a wing, wheels, and graphics, and call the result track-inspired. Cadillac did the total opposite with the V-ONE, starting with actual competition hardware and working from there to build something a single owner could eventually sit in and drive. Although the V-ONE won’t be for sale, what Cadillac is showing here with its debut at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, is where the V-Series line could head next. Race-bred V8 performance Engineering comes straight from the V-Series.R As noted a moment ago, the V-ONE shares its foundation with the Cadillac V-Series.R, the prototype that competes in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship and the FIA World Endurance Championship. Since the V-Series.R debuted in 2023, Cadillac Racing has picked up 10 wins, 16 pole positions, and 32 podiums across IMSA and WEC competition. The stretch includes the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech Championship sweep of the manufacturer, team, and driver titles, a front-row Hyperpole lockout at the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Cadillac's first 1-2 finish in WEC competition at São Paulo. The V-ONE concept's hybrid drivetrain shares its foundation with the V-Series.R race engine, delivering a combined output of 830 horsepower. The concept also uses the same double wishbone suspension setup as the V-Series.R, with pushrod-actuated coil and torsion spring elements plus lateral and heave dampers front and rear. Meanwhile, the transmission and select electronics also carry over from the race car, while the aero package follows the same proportions that helped the V-Series.R compete at Le Mans and other WEC events. Cadillac's goal with the V-ONE is to keep that race-bred hardware intact while making the car easier and more intuitive for a single driver to operate. One-of-one cockpit design Every detail created for the driver Cadillac's V-Series performance lineage and the idea of a one-of-one build come together in the name V-ONE. Its single-seat cockpit is the first of its kind for the brand, which might be somewhat hard to believe given Cadillac’s racing heritage. Inside, the seat is shaped to the driver's exact measurements, while the steering wheel layout was created with race engineers for actual track use. Instead of a standard infotainment system, the V-ONE uses a race-inspired interface and data visualization system designed to give the driver feedback as they explore the car's limits. Other unique touches inside include recycled fabrics and exposed carbon. As for the exterior, the hand-sprayed paint features a gradient blend from silver to deep navy, meant to reflect the shift from day to night during an endurance race. The concept also gets a new V-Series wheel design, updated V-Series badging, and a serialized plaque on the door. Preview of what's next for Cadillac's V-Series lineup Cadillac is channeling the energy of its racing programs into more than just wildly cool concepts like the V-ONE. To mark its first season on the Formula 1 grid, the automaker built just 26 units of the CT5-V Blackwing F1 Collector Series, a 685-horsepower, manual-transmission sedan developed alongside Formula 1 and the FIA. Likewise, Cadillac gave the F1 Collector Series the same kind of hands-on attention to detail as the V-ONE. Working with their colleagues at GM Motorsports, Cadillac engineers created the most powerful Blackwing to date. The 6.2-liter V8, which produces 685 horsepower and 673 lb-ft. of torque, has an upgraded supercharger with a CNC-machined cover and a laser-etched FIA logo, created in-house by GM Motorsports. Each of the 26 cars is finished in Midnight Stone Frost, a matte black paint that mirrors the Cadillac F1 Team livery. Noteworthy interior details include a 3D-printed F1 shifter medallion and a custom Cadillac Formula 1 door sill plate. Although the V-ONE is not for sale and the CT5-V Blackwing F1 Collector Series was extremely limited, both show the promise of the V-Series lineup. With the V-ONE especially, enthusiasts have a lot to look forward to. "The Cadillac V-ONE Concept is the ultimate manifestation of a customer performance concept and is a clear sign of our ambition for the Cadillac V-Series brand in the future," said Dominic Najafi, Executive Design Director, Global Cadillac.