Mark Reuss, president of GM North America, said:

As a passionate race fan and performance enthusiast, I am thrilled that Chevrolet will deliver a true rear-wheel-drive NASCAR racecar in the SS that is closely linked to the performance sedan that will be available for sale. The Chevrolet SS is a great example of how GM is able to leverage its global product portfolio to deliver a unique performance experience that extends beyond the track. I am personally looking forward to driving it.

Chevy announced in March that it would not use the Impala in the Cup series, instead opting to develop a new model for Cup competition.

While spokesman Monte Doran said at that time that the new model wouldn’t be derived from an existing model, the SS is said to be based on the Holden Commodore, which was also known as the Pontiac G8.

GM Holden’s Executive Director of Engineering Greg Tyus said:

Holden has a great track record of producing performance cars for GM and the world. We were responsible for the design and engineering of the Chevrolet Camaro, VE Commodore was sold as the Pontiac G8 and we are currently exporting the Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle – so we understand the needs of the North American market.

The Holden Caprice was also said to be a candidate.

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Chevy plans to unveil the car after the New York Auto Show in April, according to spokesman Monte Doran. He added that the new model wouldn’t be derived from an existing model, and that its nameplate does not current exist in Chevy’s lineup.

Jim Campbell, vice president of Chevrolet performance vehicles and motorsports, said in a statement:

We are keeping the wraps on the new car for now and will continue to prepare for next season by testing camouflaged vehicles. 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.

There is some speculation that the new car will resemble the Chevy Caprice, which is currently imported from Australia. Australia’s Holden brand currently builds the Caprice. Another possible candidate is the Commodore, which was Holden’s equivalent to the Pontiac G8.

GM recently conducted a survey of study of 9,000 members of the millennial generation — 80 million Americans ages 11 to 30 — and, based on the results, decided to design some hot rod concept cars. The Chevy Code 130R is one of the cars unveiled this year. While this isn’t likely to be the 2013 Cup model because it is a coupe, Chevy could implement some of the design features into its 2013 Cup model. I would think the nose of the Code 130R could work.

Another Youth Concept car was the Tru 140S. This one will not be the Cup model because it is a front-wheel-drive coupe.

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