GTE

GTE (Grand Touring Endurance) was a racing class for modified production sports cars that competed in endurance races like the 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona from 1999 until 2023.

Unlike pure racing prototypes built from scratch, GTE cars started life as sports cars you could actually buy from a dealership. Manufacturers like Porsche, Ferrari, and Chevrolet would take their road-going sports cars and modify them for racing, but the cars had to keep the same basic shape and engine position as the street versions. This meant fans could watch cars that looked similar to what they might see on the road, just much faster and louder.

To race in GTE, manufacturers had to prove they were actually selling these cars to regular customers. Large companies needed to build at least one car per week for the public, while smaller manufacturers needed to produce at least one per month. The racing versions had to be based on road cars with at least 100 units produced, or 25 units for smaller manufacturers. This rule ensured the class stayed true to its production-based roots.

The class went through several name changes over its lifetime. It started as simply "GT" in 1999, then became "N-GT" and later "GT2." When the faster GT1 class ended, GT2 was renamed to LM GTE in Europe (the "LM" stood for Le Mans) while American racing kept calling it "GT."

GTE racing was divided into two categories. GTE-Pro featured the best professional drivers and factory-backed teams with the latest cars. GTE-Am (amateur) was designed for gentleman drivers and privateers, requiring at least one non-professional driver on each team. GTE-Am teams could only use cars that were at least one year old, giving Pro teams an advantage with newer technology.

To keep racing competitive between different manufacturers, race organizers used something called Balance of Performance, or BoP. This system allowed officials to adjust each car's weight, restrict engine power, or limit aerodynamic elements to ensure no single manufacturer had an unfair advantage. The goal was to make races decided by driver skill and team strategy rather than just who had the fastest car.

Some of the most iconic GTE cars included the Porsche 911 RSR, Ferrari 458 Italia and 488, Ford GT, Aston Martin Vantage, and Chevrolet Corvette. These cars became fan favorites and created memorable racing moments over two decades of competition.

The GTE class was phased out after the 2023 season and replaced by GT3-based categories. GT3 cars are also production-based racing cars but built to different specifications that are used more widely around the world. The switch to GT3 marked the end of an era for one of endurance racing's most popular classes.