Chevrolet preps a new car for NASCAR and for the showrooms

Chevrolet will replace the Impala in NASCAR with a new model that it also will sell to consumers.

General Motors said the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car and the showroom model will closely resemble each other and will debut in 2013 as a new nameplate in the Chevy lineup. GM said it will unveil the cars later this year.

In a statement, GM said it's taking advantage of new NASCAR rules that allow automakers to feature more of their brands' identities in their race cars. Ford and Dodge have already unveiled redesigned NASCAR race cars for 2013 that closely resemble production versions of the Ford Fusion and Dodge Charger.

"We are keeping the wraps on the new car for now and will continue to prepare for next season by testing camouflaged vehicles," said Jim Campbell, vice president of performance vehicles and motorsports for Chevrolet. "We know that Chevrolet fans are eager to see the new race car and we hope that the prospect of being able to own one just like it will make the wait a little more bearable."

One possibility for the new car is a revival of the Caprice nameplate. Chevrolet is using the Caprice name for a rear-drive police car that uses the same rear-drive Australian platform used by the discontinued Pontiac G8. That could lead to a civilian version of the Caprice.

Chevrolet currently races the Impala in NASCAR's Sprint Cup and Nationwide series.

On the street, the aging Impala sedan will be redesigned on a platform shared with the Cadillac XTS. It is scheduled to go on sale in early 2013 as a 2014 model.

The Impala has raced in NASCAR's Sprint Cup series since 2007, when it replaced the Chevrolet Monte Carlo, a full-sized coupe.

By Mike Colias- Automotive News