Glickenhaus, the U.S. performance marque, has announced that it will be withdrawing from the FIA World Endurance Championship after the current season. This decision means that the company’s highly anticipated 007 LMH race car will no longer be seen competing at the top level of endurance racing, including the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans.
According to Evo, Glickenhaus confirmed that the decision to exit the World Endurance Championship will allow the company to shift its focus back to building road cars. In particular, Glickenhaus intends to concentrate on the development of its 004 supercar and Boot off-roader.
Company founder Jim Glickenhaus has also expressed his interest in participating in a series like the Nürburgring Endurance Series, as it would have a more direct correlation with the 004 supercar. Glickenhaus has a history of competing in this popular series held at the Nürburgring racetrack. It was where the company gained valuable experience in motorsport early last decade with a race version of its Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina supercar.
While Glickenhaus will be leaving the World Endurance Championship, one of its drivers, Ryan Briscoe, has already been confirmed to drive for new team Vanwall in the 2024 season. Briscoe will compete in the Hypercar class with a new LMH. Former Formula One world champion Jacques Villeneuve has also been announced as a driver for Vanwall.
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Glickenhaus made history by being the first team to sign on for the World Endurance Championship’s Hypercar class in its inaugural season in 2021. The team’s 007 LMH race car was the first of its kind, alongside Toyota’s GR010 Hybrid and Alpine’s grandfathered A480 LMP1 race car.
Although Glickenhaus did not achieve significant success during its time in the World Endurance Championship, there were promising moments. The team came close to a maiden win at the Monza round in 2022, but a turbo failure on its 007 LMH dashed their hopes. However, they managed to secure a podium finish, finishing third overall, at the 2022 edition of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The 007 LMH race car developed by Glickenhaus is an in-house-designed machine powered by a bespoke twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-8 engine developed by France’s Pipo Moteurs. In addition to the racing variant, Glickenhaus has also unveiled a road-going version called the 007S hypercar. Production of the 007S is still planned, with Glickenhaus stating that a minimum of 24 orders is required to proceed with manufacturing.
With Glickenhaus’ exit from the World Endurance Championship, the racing world will surely miss the sight of their innovative 007 LMH race car on the track. However, the company’s decision to focus on road car development indicates that exciting new models like the 004 supercar and Boot off-roader are on the horizon. Motorsport enthusiasts can look forward to Glickenhaus’ potential participation in the Nürburgring Endurance Series, where they have a chance to showcase the performance and capabilities of their road cars.
