Chevrolet Camaro GT3 - American Muscle in Europe
The GT3 class of racing is very interesting and features various cars from numerous manufacturers. Most of the cars are European-made sports models, followed by a couple of American cars and a single Japanese entrance – the Nissan GT-R GT3. However, nobody expected that there will be a proper American muscle car in the GT3 class — the Chevrolet Camaro GT3.
Reiter Engineering’s Chevrolet Camaro GT3 was introduced in 2013
A rare sight – American Muscle Car in European GT3 races
The Camaro GT3 was not an official model released directly from General Motors (they already had Corvette) but a product of the German company Reiter Engineering. The company is famous for the production of Lamborghini GT3 racing cars and racing components for various series. They wanted to try something different and in 2010, they had started a project of converting a regular Chevrolet Camaro to GT3 specifications. The car received the homologation licence and it was ready in late 2013. It was called the SaReNi Camaro GT3.
Reiter Engineering created the GT3 racing monster
The new, fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro was one of the best modern muscle cars on the market and a performance bargain, so Reiter Engineering’s plan was to transfer that on the track in the GT3 class. The specifications of SaReNi Camaro are very impressive: under the hood, there was V8 engine with 7,9 liters and over 650 bhp. Those numbers are backed with over 800 Nm of torque which makes this Camaro a monster on the track. The power is transmitted to rear wheels over a Holinger sequential six-speed gearbox. The performance was brutal, since the car weighs only 1290 kg.
The cheapest way to participate in GT3 racing
The suspension and aerodynamic package were developed by Reiter Engineering and all the necessary safety equipment was installed. One of the best things about this Camaro is its price and SaReNi Camaro GT3 was the cheapest GT3 race car that you could buy. The asking price was just 195.000 euros+taxes which made this race car very interesting for small teams and privateers. The company offers a full support in spare parts and expertise.
Camaro GT3 had a competition debut in 2014
Camaro GT3 had a competition debut at ADAC GT Masters
In 2014, the SaReNi Camaro GT3 had its first season competing in German ADAC GT Masters championship and few other selected races including the Blancpain series. Reiter’s drivers Tomaš Enge and Albert von Thurn und Taxis competed together in 14 races in the 2014 ADAC GT Masters season, with two races with Peter Kox as a replacement for Enge, and the team finished 11th in the championship standings.
Enge and Thurn und Taxis achieved two podium finishes. They were second at Red Bull Ring and Slovakia Ring. Other results were below the expectations and they finished 20th in drivers’ standings.
Reiter’s Camaro at the opening race of the 2015 ADAC GT Masters at Oschersleben
In 2015, Reiter left Camaro and returned to Gallardo
For 2015, Reiter Engineering was planning to enlist the Camaro GT3 in even more races and sold the car to the significant number of customer teams. But it was just a plan and plans often fail. The interest of customers teams was not big enough, and even Reiter returned to Lamborghini Gallardo in the ADAC GT Masters.
Tomaš Enge and Oliver Gavin competed at Oschersleben in the opening round of the 2015 ADAC GT Masters, but at the second event at Red Bull Ring, the team switched to Lamborghini Gallardo R-EX. Few Camaro GT3 cars competed in Asia and Australia, but the car was dropped out from the most popular European GT competitions.
Video : Reiter’s Chevrolet Camaro GT3 track test
Photos: reiter-camaro.com, autowp.ru.
