DETROIT – As three of the world's greatest drivers prepare to drive the 56 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Garage at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this weekend, 56 enthusiasts will have the chance to own a car inspired by this race car so special. The 2024 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Garage 56 Edition, which will be available later this year, celebrates the legendary effort of racing a NASCAR Cup Camaro ZL1 at Le Mans.
The Garage 56 project is a collaboration between NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet, Goodyear and IMSA, bringing together the most successful team, manufacturer and winningest tire brand in NASCAR's 75-year history.
"Although Chevrolet has been racing since its founding in 1911, we've never done anything quite like Garage 56," said General Motors Chairman Mark Reuss.
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Garage 56
The vision for the race car began when NASCAR President and CEO Jim France recognized an opportunity to showcase the capabilities of NASCAR's Next Gen car to a global audience. Introduced at Le Mans in 2012 as a single-entry class reserved for innovative and extraordinary vehicles, Garage 56 provided the right venue for a NASCAR Cup Series car built to withstand 24 hours of hard-core driving and competition.
Hendrick Motorsports, a longtime Chevrolet partner and all-time leader in NASCAR Cup Series championships and victories, was selected to build the team and build the Garage 56 Camaro ZL1 race car. Renowned drivers Jimmie Johnson, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion; Jenson Button, 2009 Formula 1 world champion; and multiple Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller will drive the Camaro ZL1 Garage 56 at Le Mans.
Goodyear, the Official Tire of NASCAR and tire manufacturer for all sixth-generation Camaro variants, provides Goodyear Eagle tires for the Garage 56 race car.
Chevrolet's race engineering team brought more than two decades of knowledge, experience and Le Mans success with Corvette Racing to help optimize the Garage 56 race car.
Chevrolet engineers are also heavily involved in what may be the most memorable aspect of the '56 Garage Camaro: the resounding all-American roar produced by the R07 small-block V-8 engine. The R07 serves Chevrolet teams in the NASCAR Cup series, and the variant used at Le Mans was developed and tested to maximize performance and durability in the 24-hour race.
Turning the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 into the race car of the "Garage 56" category required specific functional lighting, new aerodynamic treatments and a striking livery. GM's Motorsport Design Studio carried out this vision with the help of Hendrick Motorsports to bring the Camaro's signature proportions to the race track.
2024 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Garage 56 Edition
For the first time, rendered images of the 2024 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Garage Edition 56 were shown publicly today in France during a Meet the Team event at Le Mans, highlighting the racing program and race car.
During discussions between Chevrolet leaders and NASCAR partners Hendrick Motorsports, Goodyear and IMSA, it quickly became clear that such a special race car needed to be paired with a production car that would represent another significant achievement in the legendary sporting history of the car. Camaro. Once again, the Chevrolet Performance Design Studio was selected to distill the essence of the race car into a limited-edition car.
"When adapting the look of a race car to a production car, you want to show off themes, proportions and colors without making the car look out of place on the road," said Marc Mainville, senior director of the Design Studio. of GM Motorsports. "The 56 Garage Edition captures the feel of the race car while allowing the athletic lines of the car to come to the fore."
The design begins with the new Riptide Blue exterior color for 2024 and adds a graphics package that incorporates colors and themes from the race car, including thin gold stripes that accent a larger white stripe that runs from the hood to the rear. On the hood, just beyond the front of the Camaro, is the NASCAR 75th Anniversary logo, matching the logo's prominent placement on the race car. Gold and white stripes become an accent to the monochrome stars-and-stripes visuals that start at the engine cover on the hood and extend to the roof.
A special Garage 56 badging is found on the front fenders, replacing the Camaro's badging, and a Hendrick Motorsports logo is added to the side panels in a position similar to those on the race car. Satin mirrors and a black fuel cap with carbon fiber inserts are other highlights of the exterior, while the interior gets Garage 56 badging on the floor mats and a steering wheel badge.
Each car will come with three additional graphics that buyers can choose to equip their Garage 56 editions, all of which represent the partners and are taken from decal positions on the race car: a NASCAR-style windshield sill decal, White Goodyear front fender decals and door decals showing the number 24 used on the racing car.
The Garage 56 edition also features unique aerodynamics, with the front end of the Camaro ZL1 1LE featuring spoilers similar to the race car, and a NASCAR Cup-style decklid spoiler.
Like the race car, the production car's power comes from the Small Block family of engines. Under the hood of the Camaro ZL1 is the 650-hp LT4 V-8 engine, and the Camaro uses Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar tires.
In the spirit of Garage 56, the Garage 56 edition of the Camaro ZL1 will be in a class of its own, with only 56 cars produced for the US market.
