With all of the pre-race festivities for the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans well under way at this point, this year’s fan-favorite machine has already been established. That honor belongs to Garage 56 and its NASCAR Next Gen Camaro, which has been beating up on proper GTE cars all week. In order to celebrate the effort it took to get that car over to France, Chevrolet has just pulled the cover off of the 2024 Camaro ZL1 Garage 56 Edition model now slated for production.
The Garage 56 Next Gen Camaro is a collaborative project involving Chevrolet, NASCAR, Goodyear, IMSA, and Hendrick Motorsports. That combination includes the winningest manufacturer, team, and tire brand in NASCAR history, making for an excellent group to represent the sport over in France. While the car is not racing in a dedicated class against competitors, that hasn’t stopped the team from finding some serious pace around La Sarthe. It doesn’t hurt that the team of drivers is made up of F1 World Champion Jenson Button, several-time Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller, and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson.
Renderings of the new special edition Camaro were first highlighted during a “Meet the Team” event at Le Mans. Like the actual racer, the ZL1 Garage 56 Edition model carries a host of visual adjustments, including a ZL1 1LE-sourced front fascia package, a large wicker bill spoiler out back, and a unique wheel and tire combo complete with Goodyear Eagle F1 SupeCar rubber. Every unit will come exclusively finished in the Riptide Blue hue, accented by satin mirrors and a blacked-out fuel cap. The graphics package installed on the car does a great job bringing the racing livery to mind, thanks in part to the gold and white stripe setup, monochrome stars, and the appropriate Garage 56, Hendrick Motorsport, and NASCAR badging. Customers can also select a number of optional graphics packages, such as Goodyear decals for the front arches, a proper NASCAR windshield banner, and number 24 on the doors if you so choose. Put them all together and you have a pretty good approximation of the car you’ll see storm across France this weekend.
Chevrolet
Chevrolet didn’t bother to install any additional performance hardware onto the Camaro ZL1 Garage 56 Edition model. That said, the track-oriented pony car was never really hurting for grunt thanks to its blown 6.2-liter V-8 producing 650 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque. The ZL1 can be ordered from GM with either a six-speed manual or a 10-speed automatic.
General Motors will only build 56 examples of the 2024 Camaro ZL1 Garage 56 Edition model, ensuring it will become an instant collectible. Regardless of how the genuine Garage 56 car does, the car has already earned itself quite a bit of admiration from fans. The automaker has yet to share pricing information for the package, but expect that to come closer to the production date. With the Camaro lineup going away after the 2024 model year, fans shouldn’t have to wait too long.
Lucas Bell
Born and raised in Metro Detroit, associate editor Lucas Bell has spent his entire life surrounded by the automotive industry. He may daily drive an aging Mustang, but his Porsche 944 and NB Miata both take up most of his free time.
Keyword: Special Edition Chevy Camaro ZL1 Pays Tribute to Garage 56's Le Mans Effort