http://www.nascar.com/news/110118/ch...013/index.html
Car of the future
Although we're on the threshold of the 2011 season it's never too early to start thinking about the future, and that's exactly what
Chevrolet is doing with its
2013 redesign.
More: Peformance cars being targeted; Camaro, pehaps?
Chevrolet working hard on its car of the future
Among changes slated for 2013 is the redesign to an identifiable street look
For Chevrolet, that means more closely aligning what fans will see on the track to what they manufacture for the street.
We are working on a car for 2013 that will look like a production car that will be in the market at that time.
In any case, the manufacturers believe they are getting more of a say as to the style details of the next generation Cup car. Campbell said NASCAR chairman Brian France, president Mike Helton and vice president of competition Robin Pemberton are working together with carmakers to return the sport to its
"race on Sunday, sell on Monday" roots.
"But it's hard work. You can't let up for a minute. While things like 2013 seem like a long ways away, they're really not. A lot of the work has to be under way, and it is."
France has spoken about the possibility of
eliminating carburetors in favor of
fuel injection, a move that Campbell wholeheartedly supports.
What are the next elements of technology we can bring in? It's about relevant technologies that don't
drive the cost so high that you can't get a return on investment, where the costs of competing become
unaffordable.
"That's a delicate balance. That's almost a technology-by-technology decision we have to make in conjunction with the sanctioning body.
In the end, they set the rules. What we need to do is make sure we're being clear with them on what the priorities are."
At the same time, Campbell supports NASCAR's due diligence when it comes to
keeping drivers safe.
Even though attendance and television ratings for Cup events have
eroded in recent years, General Motors still sees value in participating in NASCAR, according to Campbell.
"The motorsports platform at Chevrolet accounts for over half of the leads we get from sales promotion platforms in general," Campbell said. "We still have amazing scale and reach in this sport. So we will not miss that opportunity to help us drive our business with that scale and reach."
http://www.nascar.com/2010/news/feat...els/index.html
Ford will run the Mustang when the Nationwide Series debuts its new car.
Pony up: Performance cars possibility for Cup by '13
Braces coming off
One change coming to all makes in 2011 is a redesign of the front bumper, which will feature a new valance and splitter combination.
The Chevy Camaro can be seen from time to time at NASCAR sites as a pace car.
Running the pony cars in the Cup Series would require a rule change. Currently, the Cup Series is
restricted to sedans, but that's not a major obstacle. NASCAR vice president of competition
Robin Pemberton pointed out that, in 1998, the Cup Series featured only two-door cars. Clearly, the current rule requiring sedans wouldn't be a deal-breaker, should NASCAR and the car makers collectively opt to move in a different direction.
Pemberton also said that any move to cars of different design would require
aero-matching of all four models at the same time, similar to the process used in approving the new Nationwide cars.
http://www.nascar.com/2010/news/head...ces/index.html
NASCAR changing the look of front splitter for 2011
New valance design will eliminate need for braces
As we work forward, that's not the last change. We're looking on some stuff that actually has to coincide with the manufacturers and their introduction of new cars to sell.
Replacing the unpopular rear wing with the spoiler was the first step, according to Pemberton.
So what will the new front bumper look like? According to Pemberton, it'll incorporate a lot of the Nationwide design.
That could mean more changes to make the current generic chassis a little more manufacturer-specific, Pemberton said, perhaps as early as 2012 or '13.