SEMA 2008: Camaro GS Race Car Concept LIVE
by Jonathon Ramsey on Nov 3rd 2008 at 7:29PM 
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Camaro GS Race Car Concept
If the 2010 Camaro is, as Ed Peper said, "a 21st century sports car for the young and the young at heart," then this is the race car for those actual and spiritual whippersnappers. The Camaro GS Race Car Concept takes its inspiration from the Trans Am racer of Mark Donohue, but Riley Technologies updates it with a just a few go-fast add-ons. The body is seam-welded, the hood, trunk lid, and doors are swapped for carbon fiber components, and in the front a racing radiator and an upgraded engine cooler are fitted. The production LS3 V8 swaps gears though a Tremec close-ration six-speed gearbox, and all those spent hydrocarbons exit through three-inch dual exhaust pipes. Even better than all that: you can buy it from Riley for the 2009 Grand Am season. Check out the press release after the jump and the live high-res photos below.
Photos copyright ©2008 Jonathon Ramsey, Frank Filipponio/Weblogs, Inc.
PRESS RELEASE
"The new Camaro is a 21st century sports car for the young and young at heart," said Ed Peper, GM North America vice president, Chevrolet. "Wherever your automotive passion lies, the Camaro complements it with world-class design and an exciting driving experience. The concepts unveiled at SEMA accentuate those qualities and trigger the imaginations of countless enthusiasts."
Camaro GS Racecar Concept: One of the most iconic cars of the legendary Trans Am road racing series was the distinctive blue-and-yellow Camaro of Mark Donohue. He was a dominant racer in the series and drove his #6 1969 model to the series championship that year.
With the assistance of GM's High Performance Vehicle Operations, North Carolina-based Riley Technologies re-created the look and feel of that standout racecar with a tribute that looks, sounds and drives like it's ready to do battle with its contemporary pony car competitors. In fact, the heritage-inspired racer is more than concept. It is an early prototype for the Grand Am Koni Challenge GS racing class. Racecars like the GS Concept are offered and manufactured by Riley Technologies for the 2009 Grand-Am season.
The GS Concept features the race-ready suspension, reinforced chassis and drivetrain conform to the specifications required of racecars certified for the series. In fact, this racecar has already logged many hours on the racetrack as Riley team members worked to dial-in the chassis and powertrain. Additional features include:
• Seam-welded production Camaro body-in-white
• Carbon fiber hood, trunk lid, doors and fenders
• Production LS3 V-8 engine (used with solid engine mounts)
• Tremec 6060 six-speed manual transmission with close-ratio gearing
• Three-inch exhaust system with Coast Fab mufflers
• C&R racing aluminum radiator
• Upgraded engine oil cooler
• Transmission and differential coolers
The GS Racecar Concept is shown at SEMA just as it was last driven off the track, with the grime, brake dust and body imperfections commensurate with a day's worth of racing. Indeed, it isn't a car that spent hundreds of hours in a body shop in a quest of sheet metal perfection. It displays the bruises of competition and wears them as badges of honor.
Like Donohue's '69 Camaro racecar, the GS Racecar Concept wears a deep blue paint scheme that is accented with yellow graphics, a yellow-painted interior and yellow racing wheels.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Torrent 7:05PM (11/03/2008)
That is amazing.
Reply
Torrent 8:41PM (11/03/2008)
WHAT? Low ranked for praising an awesome car?
wtf.
Torrent 10:41PM (11/03/2008)
oh. ok now I look stupid.... no more low ranked....
naggs 1:30AM (11/04/2008)
anyone else notice how the wheels look tiny on this car?
obviously, the optimal wheel and tire for the car is much smaller than the stock vehicle. the smallest wheels that you can buy on it is 18"
that is obscene, if 17s were good enough for the mclaren f1, they are good enough for a v6 camaro.
OMG 7:10PM (11/03/2008)
Wow and i thought the production trim was ugly....
Reply
xpolarx 7:09PM (11/03/2008)
That thing looks like it's good and ready to beat the piss out of a Mustang.
Reply
Daniel 7:20AM (11/04/2008)
Close.... M-Parallels are one of my favorite wheels. But they look more like exact copies of Fikse Profil 5S wheels, minus the center caps. http://www.wheelenhancement.com/Images/Profil5S_ob.jpg
Here is the close-up of the Camaro GS Race Car concept wheels:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/sema-2008-camaro-gs-race-concept-live-reveal/1134832/
Note the dimples at the ends of the spokes. The M Parallels don't have these. and no, the Fikses are DEFINITELY not knock offs.
Joe 7:19PM (11/03/2008)
I am so excited to see the American flag on a car we can be proud of. When this thing gets on a race track it won't be an embarrassment. Now the US auto industry just needs more cars like the new Camaro to actually improve. BTW I hate almost all domestic cars.
Reply
Richard 7:26PM (11/03/2008)
are you kidding yourself!
why don't you check up on the Corvette/Ford GT/Viper/Mustang racing?
Mobius_1 7:20PM (11/03/2008)
Wheels should be matte black, besides that, awesome looking car. Somehow reminds me of Lightning McQueen though.
Reply
Mr.K 7:49PM (11/03/2008)
@_@
Must have! The rear spolier.....the yellow rims... It just looks amazing.
Reply
Torrent 1:17PM (11/04/2008)
Looks like the 69 Z28 that Penske owned.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d30/DavidClark/2203368106_92e0bd8259.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d30/DavidClark/21574057_4fc02af48f.jpg
kwsdurango 7:54PM (11/03/2008)
Is there a modern race series where new Camaros, Mustangs and Challengers compete? Just the nostalgia factor would make it great to watch.
Reply
Paul P. 8:02PM (11/03/2008)
Personally, I think it would be great if Nascar raced versions of the Mustang, Challenger, Camaro, ect.
It would make it a lot more interesting and much more like what I remember as a kid. It kind of got boring for me when all the cars became almost exactly the same. Before that it was a lot more fun, as you could actually buy a car similar to what you saw race (and win) that weekend, and manufacturers would improve their cars to help them win.
JTB 3:24PM (11/05/2008)
Yeah, Grand Am. This one is built for the GS class in the Koni Challenge, where the "Boy Racer" Mustang competes.
Jimmy Mack 8:33PM (11/03/2008)
Finally, an interior I can live with.
Reply
xlc 8:33PM (11/03/2008)
Wow, total rip-off of BMW M parallel wheels
Reply
dj 9:36PM (11/03/2008)
Cars like this appeal to over paid under educated rednecks. This thing is a dinosaur like the people who will buy them, anachronistically outmoded, and unable to adapt to change. Besides, if you make enough money to afford it, you have too much. Buy something which makes sense.
Reply
tbss_in_the_D 9:40PM (11/03/2008)
Thanks Captain Communist!
RLQ 1:45AM (11/04/2008)
LuLz