DETROIT – Automotive – The renowned Garage 56 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, which is set to participate in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race this weekend, is not just creating a buzz on the racetrack, but also in the car market. Chevrolet has announced the production of a limited-edition vehicle, the 2024 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Garage 56 Edition, that will be available to 56 lucky enthusiasts later this year. This special edition car is a tribute to the unprecedented effort to have a NASCAR Cup Camaro ZL1 compete at Le Mans.
The collaborative Garage 56 project involves key players in the racing world including NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet, Goodyear, and IMSA. It combines the strengths of the most successful team, manufacturer, and tire in NASCAR’s 75-year history. As Mark Reuss, President of General Motors, put it, “Even though Chevrolet has been racing since 1911, we’ve never done anything quite like Garage 56.”
The brainchild of NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France, the Garage 56 project is designed to showcase the NASCAR Next Gen car to a global audience. The unique class, introduced at Le Mans in 2012, is the perfect platform for the NASCAR Cup Series car to demonstrate its endurance and power over a grueling 24-hour race.
Hendrick Motorsports, a long-standing Chevrolet partner and the most successful team in NASCAR Cup Series history, was chosen to assemble the team and build the Garage 56 Camaro ZL1 race car. Notable drivers such as Jimmie Johnson, a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion; Jenson Button, 2009 Formula One World Champion; and multi-time Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller have been selected to steer the vehicle at Le Mans.
Goodyear, the official tire of NASCAR and the tire manufacturer for all sixth-generation Camaro variants, is supplying the Goodyear Eagle tires for the Garage 56 race car. Meanwhile, Chevrolet’s Motorsports Competition Engineering team, with over two decades of Le Mans experience, is contributing their expertise to optimize the car. The R07 Small Block V-8, a hallmark of Chevrolet teams in the NASCAR Cup Series, provides the distinctive, all-American roar that sets the Garage 56 Camaro apart.
The first public renderings of the 2024 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Garage 56 Edition were unveiled in France today during a “Meet the Team” event at Le Mans. The production car has been designed to reflect the essence of the race car, while still maintaining its suitability for the road.
The design of the limited-edition vehicle begins with a striking Riptide Blue exterior color and includes a graphics package that echoes the themes and colors of the race car. The car will also feature unique aerodynamic features akin to those of the race car. With only 56 of these cars set to be manufactured for the U.S. market, the Camaro ZL1 Garage 56 Edition will truly be in a class of its own.
Following extensive testing, the Garage 56 Camaro ZL1 is ready to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, starting at 10 a.m. ET, Saturday, June 10. Meanwhile, the Camaro ZL1 Garage 56 Edition is set to enter production later this year at GM’s Lansing Grand River Assembly facility in Michigan.
