Autoblog

click image for hi-res gallery

GM announced today that not one, but two Corvettes will pace next year's Indy 500. A one-off E85-powered Z06 will be joined by a Corvette Convertible. The latter's color scheme pays homage to the first Corvette Indy Pace Car that led racers around the Brickyard back in 1978. Former Indy champion Emerson Fittipaldi will take the wheel of the flex-fuel Z06, which is mechanically stock save for its fuel system and PCM, both of which are modified to allow for the use of E85. The Z06 sports a garish green/gold color-shifting paint scheme that's augmented by a checkered-flag motif and a ridiculously large E85 ETHANOL decal across the front bumper.

The second pace car will spawn a limited run of 500 replicas, each signed and numbered by Emmo. Available in coupe and convertible bodystyles, the black-and-silver pace car clones really aren't much to look at (the inherent attractiveness of the C6 goes right out the window once you start decaling it up), but they're bound to be collectible. You can have a gander at both pace vehicles in the high-res gallery.

[Source: GM]