Glickenhaus shows Le Mans-bound, Alfa Romeo-inspired hybrid hypercar

New York-based boutique automaker Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus plans to challenge Aston Martin, Toyota, and possibly Lamborghini in the World Endurance Championship’s new hypercar category. Company founder James Glickenhaus published an enigmatic preview image to give us an early look at the upcoming race car, which will spawn an incredible street-legal model.

The photo depicts the yet-unnamed car’s rear end, and there’s a lot to take in. We see a swooping roofline that flows into a rear end accented by a pair of fins. This styling cue seemingly pays homage to the three Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnica (BAT) concept cars Alfa Romeo commissioned from Bertone between 1953 and 1955, which isn’t surprising considering Glickenhaus is well-versed in automotive history. The Michelin-wrapped alloy wheels are also very Alfa-like, while a sizable air diffuser suggests the car spent many hours in a wind tunnel.

While the teaser photo asks more questions that it answers, Glickenhaus added that the car’s drivetrain will consist of an engine tuned to send 650 horsepower to the rear wheels, and a Formula One-like kinetic energy recuperation system (KERS) that zaps the front wheels with a 150-horsepower electric boost. This layout delivers through-the-road all-wheel drive, and we expect it will provide jaw-dropping performance. The engine’s origins remain under wraps, however.

If that number rings a bell, it might be because the Baja Boot off-roader uses a 650-horsepower, 6.2-liter V8 engine borrowed from the Chevrolet Corvette Z06’s parts bin. We can’t help but wonder if the same time-tested supercharged eight-cylinder will also appear in the endurance racer.

Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus might bring its next new model to Pebble Beach, California, this week. If not, the company could show it either at the Frankfurt auto show opening its doors in September, or the Los Angeles auto show taking place in November. Either way, testing will begin in the coming months, and the car will participate in its first World Endurance Championship race in 2020. The street model will likely go on sale at about the same time priced well into the six digits.