Review: 2023 Chevrolet Corvette 70th Anniversary Special Edition
America's sports car never looked better
There is an old adage in the car business that goes "win on Sunday, sell on Monday," but "race on Saturday and Sunday, sell on Monday" better applies to Chevrolet's latest sports car.
Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports have entered a modified version of the NASCAR Cup Series Camaro in this weekend's 24 Hours of Le Mans as an exhibition of the series' technology.
The Camaro will run alone in a special Innovative Car class the race organizers offer to showcase new ideas under the guise of Garage 56, the name inspired by the race's traditional 55 car entry limit, which is no longer fixed.
Seven-time NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson will team up with 2009 F1 Champion Jenson Button and 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller to drive the car twice around the clock.
CHEVROLET KILLING CAMARO, LEAVING FORD MUSTANG AS LAST V8 PONY CAR
The 2024 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Garage 56 Edition is inspired by the Le Mans race car. (Chevrolet)
The car is based on the seventh generation Cup Series Camaro that launched last year, which is the first with an independent rear suspension that makes it more suitable for road course racing.
The changes made for the endurance race include a 500-pound weight reduction, a larger fuel tank and the switch from a stick shift to paddle shifters for its five-speed sequential transaxle.
The Garage 56 Camaro is entered in the race as a demonstration of NASCAR's latest technology. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Its body has also been significantly updated with a new aerodynamic design optimized for the 8.5-mile long Circuit de la Sarthe, with prominent dive planes sprouting from its front corners, while fade-resistant carbon brake rotors bring it down from speed.
The most shocking update, however, may be the fact that it has functional head and tail lights, not just stickers like the Cup Series cars.
In pre-qualifying testing, the V8-powered car ws turning laps a few seconds quicker than the lighter, but less powerful GTE sports cars, but far behind the prototype classes.
It is already a winner, however, as it has been met with long lines of fans at the track hoping to get a look at it and absolutely blowing up on social media.
Now, Chevrolet is ready to capitalize on that with a special edition production Camaro ZL1 inspired by the Garage 56 car.
The ZL1 Garage 56 Edition is painted Riptide Blue and features a graphics package inspired by the race car's design, including a stylized American flag on the hood bulge and roof.
The 2024 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Garage 56 Edition features special graphics and bodywork modifications. (Chevrolet)
Dive planes have also been added to the front corners and a tall NASCAR-style wicker bill on the rear spoiler.
Garage 56 and Hendrick Motorsports logos are affixed to the exterior and additional Garage 56 badges can be found inside.
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Buyers can also spec their cars with a NASCAR windshield header decal, white Goodyear front wheel arch decals and door decals displaying 24 to make it look even more like the race car.
The ZL1's stock 650 horsepower supercharged V8 and other mechanicals remain unchanged.
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Just 56 of the ZL1 Garage 56 Edition cars will be offered later this year at a yet to be announced price, but the recently unveiled Camaro ZL1 Collector's Edition, which commemorates the end of the model's production next January, starts at $88,690.