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| Chevrolet Performance | |
|---|---|
| Name | Chevrolet Performance |
| Type | Division |
| Industry | Automotive performance parts |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Headquarters | Detroit, Michigan |
| Parent | General Motors |
| Products | Performance engines, crate engines, drivetrain components, calibration, racing support |
Chevrolet Performance is the performance and racing division of Chevrolet that supplies aftermarket parts, crate engines, and motorsport support for Chevrolet vehicles and racing teams. The division evolved from Chevrolet's factory racing programs and aftermarket offerings to provide turnkey performance solutions across stock car, drag racing, road racing, and enthusiast markets. Chevrolet Performance coordinates with General Motors engineering, racing partners, and suppliers to develop engines, drivetrains, and support services for customers ranging from amateur racers to professional teams.
Chevrolet Performance traces its roots to Chevrolet's factory-backed racing efforts in the 1950s and 1960s, intersecting with programs like the Corvette Stingray development and the Chevrolet small-block V8 emergence that influenced aftermarket culture. During the muscle car era alongside models such as the Chevelle, Camaro, and Nova, the company expanded parts support similar to initiatives by Ford Motor Company and Dodge. The formalization of a factory performance parts division mirrored trends at General Motors and paralleled competitors' performance divisions such as Ford Performance and Dodge Viper–era efforts. In the 1990s and 2000s Chevrolet Performance consolidated crate engine programs popularized by the crate engine market alongside movements led by entities like the National Hot Rod Association and Sport Compact Car culture. Recent decades saw integration with programs including NASCAR Cup Series support and collaboration with facilities in the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly region and other GM powertrain plants.
Chevrolet Performance produces crate engines, long blocks, parts kits, and calibration services offered through dealer networks and performance retailers like Edelbrock and Holley. Offerings include replacement engines used by restorers of classics such as the Corvette C1 and drop-in options for modern platforms like the Camaro (sixth gen). The division supplies components compatible with transmissions built by companies like Tremec and torque converters from suppliers in the American Automotive supplier base. Services extend to dyno testing at facilities affiliated with institutions like General Motors Technical Center and partnerships with racing organizations including the International Motor Sports Association and the Sports Car Club of America. Chevrolet Performance markets parts through channels tied to dealerships and aftermarket distributors such as Summit Racing Equipment and JEGS High Performance.
The division's engine lineup encompasses crate versions of historic and modern powerplants, including descendants of the Chevrolet small-block V8, LS family engines raced in series like the 24 Hours of Le Mans-adjacent classes, and modern LT-based designs used in production models such as the Corvette C7 and Camaro (fifth gen). Programs support aftermarket turbocharging and supercharging kits compatible with suppliers like Garrett Motion and Whipple Superchargers. Drivetrain initiatives coordinate with transmission programs related to firms including Aisin Seiki and ZF Friedrichshafen AG when adaptations are required for racing or custom builds. Crate engine specifications are frequently used by entrants in series governed by rules from organizations such as the National Hot Rod Association and SCCA Trans Am Series to control costs and equalize competition.
Chevrolet Performance provides technical support, engines, and parts to teams in series such as the NASCAR Cup Series, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, IndyCar Series (historically through GM powertrain links), and grassroots events regulated by the National Auto Sport Association. The division's involvement includes partnerships with factory-backed programs like Chevrolet Corvette Racing in endurance racing and customer-engine programs serving privateer teams in touring car and GT classes monitored by organizers like FIA subseries. Chevrolet-backed efforts have contested marquee events such as the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in allied programs, while drag racing presences compete at NHRA U.S. Nationals-level events. Technical collaboration often includes calibration and mapping assistance associated with transmission suppliers and telemetry firms used in series like IndyCar and NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Research and development activity links Chevrolet Performance with General Motors technical centers and testing sites including the GM Proving Ground network and aerodynamic testing facilities used for programs related to the Corvette and Camaro platforms. Technologies developed include engine management calibrations compatible with controllers from firms like Bosch and Continental AG, materials and coatings researched with suppliers such as Alcoa and 3M, and additive manufacturing techniques adopted in consultation with research institutions including Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Work on emissions-compliant performance parts engages with regulatory frameworks influenced by agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency when certifying parts for street use. Development cycles incorporate simulation tools from providers like ANSYS and Siemens Digital Industries Software.
Chevrolet Performance collaborates with manufacturers, suppliers, and racing organizations including General Motors, Hendrick Motorsports, performance parts suppliers like Edelbrock, turbocharger firms such as Garrett Motion, and transmission builders like Tremec. Strategic alliances extend to motorsport entities like NASCAR and IMSA, research partners such as Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and aftermarket distributors including Summit Racing Equipment. Collaborations also span OEM component teams and championship-winning squads such as Team Penske-adjacent engineering exchanges and historic relationships with teams fielding the Chevrolet Camaro and Chevrolet Corvette in top-level competition.
Chevrolet Performance influenced the crate engine market and performance aftermarket in the United States alongside contemporaries such as Edelbrock and Holley, shaping restoration trends for vehicles like the Chevrolet Bel Air and Impala. Its support of NASCAR and sports car programs contributed to brand performance image efforts similar to those executed by Ford Performance and Toyota Gazoo Racing. The division's products have been used in museum and collector restorations exhibited by institutions like the Henry Ford Museum and in competitive programs that have won events at venues such as Circuit de la Sarthe and Daytona International Speedway. Chevrolet Performance remains a prominent supplier to grassroots racing, restorers, and professional teams, leaving a legacy across American motorsport, hot-rodding, and automotive enthusiast culture.