Revealed: Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.R

In October last year, a Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 had the TopGear awesome-o-meter twitching at its upper reaches when it got round the Nurburgring in 7m 37.47. But this just blew it to pieces - it's the Z/28.R, a new endurance racer based on the road car.

Set to debut at the Rolex 24-hour race in Daytona, Florida, the Z/28.R's been tuned by Stevenson Motorsports and CKS Autosport for the production-based Grand Sport class. And all those slats and wings aren't just styling fluff - the front splitter, rear spoiler, and belly pan all help generate downforce. But under the vented bonnet, there's the same LS7 7.0-litre V8 as you'll find in the production Z/28, as well as the roadgoing car's unique, helical-gear limited-slip rear differential astern.

In fact, beyond the aero there's barely any racing voodoo here at all. As Chevy's motorsport director, Mark Kent, says, "Apart from series-mandated equipment and the specialised suspension components needed for endurance racing, it's as close to a production-spec race car as you'll find".

Not that it'll be wanting for power. Remember, the 505bhp, 470lb ft roadgoing Z/28 beat the new 911 Carrera S, the old 430 Scud' and Lamborghini Murcielago LP-640 around the 'Ring last October...