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Known for their charismatic
designs and superior
performance, the pack-leading
pace cars share a special place
in Indianapolis 500 lore.
History will be made at the 2008
Indianapolis 500 when a pair of
distinctive yet highly
differentiated Corvette models
will serve as the official pace
cars - one highlighting
Chevrolet's commitment to fuel
solutions and the other marking
30 years of Corvette's pace car
heritage.
Chevrolet and Indianapolis Motor
Speedway officials gathered at
the Indianapolis Auto Show to
make the historic announcement.
One of the pace cars is a
customized Corvette Z06 E85
concept that runs on E85 ethanol
fuel, a domestically produced
alternative fuel similar to the
E100 fuel that powers all of the
racecars in the IndyCar Series.
It will be driven during the
race's pace lap by two-time
Indianapolis 500 champion
Emerson Fittipaldi.
The other official pace car is a
black-and-silver commemorative
edition that marks the 30th
anniversary of the celebrated
1978 pace car - the first
Corvette to pace the field at
the Indianapolis 500. Chevrolet
will produce a total of 500 pace
car replicas in both coupe and
convertible form.
"Although not a production
FlexFuel vehicle, the Corvette
Z06 E85 concept pace car is a
high-performance example of
Chevrolet's petrol-friendly to
petrol-free initiative,
demonstrating viable fuel
solutions," said Ed Peper,
Chevrolet general manager. "As
an ethanol refiner in his native
Brazil, Emerson Fittipaldi is
the fitting Chevrolet champion
to help support GM's efforts
with E85 and celebrate 30 years
of the Corvette pacing the
Indianapolis 500."
The Corvette Z06 E85 concept
pace car is based on the
production Z06 - already one of
the fastest and most powerful
cars on the market - and blends
its performance with the
high-octane, renewable
alternative fuel that is derived
from a variety of crops grown
across the United States.
E85 is blend of 85 percent
ethanol and 15 percent petrol.
Its benefits include reduced
emissions of greenhouse gases
and a reduced dependence on
petroleum. GM is the leader in
E85 production models, with more
than 2.5 million E85-capable
cars, trucks and 4x4s on the
road - with more on the way.
Chevrolet offers seven
E85-capable models in 2008.
"Most of the vehicles in Brazil
are powered by ethanol produced
from crops grown in the country,
so I understand how a
domestically produced renewable
fuel can help the energy
solutions of a nation,"
Fittipaldi said. "And the
E85-powered Z06 concept pace car
proves economic and
environmental consciousness can
be fun and exhilarating. I can't
wait to get it on the
racetrack." |
