Chevrolet Performance
Chevrolet's performance-parts, crate-powertrain, vehicle-development, and motorsport-support brand.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Chevrolet Performance is General Motors' Chevrolet-focused performance brand, supplying high-performance parts, crate engines, complete crate powertrains, transmissions, vehicle upgrades, and factory-developed performance vehicles. The operation began in 1967 as GM Performance Parts, when Chevrolet and General Motors organized factory support for the Trans-Am racing teams that they backed, including Penske Racing. Although the original purpose was competition support rather than consumer retail, the engineering and parts developed for racing attracted demand from enthusiasts building or modifying Chevrolet- and other GM-based vehicles. The business helped turn competition hardware into products that could be purchased and installed outside the factory. Its early history was closely connected with Chevrolet's late-1960s performance program. The third-generation Corvette arrived in 1968, followed by the COPO Camaro in 1969. These programs helped establish the use of large-displacement Chevrolet engines, including the 427, as separately available crate engines. Chevrolet Performance is associated with the development and popularization of the crate-engine concept: rather than requiring customers to source and rebuild a used engine, the customer could obtain a factory-assembled performance engine for a project car, racing application, or custom vehicle. Motorsport remained a major route to visibility. During General Motors' return to NASCAR in 1970, the operation supported Chevrolet-powered teams and used local Chevrolet dealerships as distribution points for race parts. Its profile grew through relationships with successful NASCAR teams, including Junior Johnson's championship-winning operation in the late 1970s, and through the appearance of GM Performance Parts branding on Dale Earnhardt's No. 3 Winston Cup car. In the 1980s, the brand brought a mobile tractor-trailer operation to races and automotive shows, selling parts on site and providing technical guidance to enthusiasts. It also expanded into NHRA Pro Stock drag racing through sponsorship of Warren Johnson, exposing the brand to another performance-oriented customer base. A standalone catalog introduced in 1989 made it easier for customers to order crate engines and other components directly for delivery. At the beginning of 2012, GM Performance Parts was renamed Chevrolet Performance. The change broadened the identity beyond replacement and upgrade components to include complete vehicles, vehicle development, and racing support. Under the Chevrolet Performance name, the operation has been connected with high-output Chevrolet models such as the Camaro ZL1, Camaro 1LE, Corvette ZR1, COPO Camaro, and Chevrolet SS, while continuing to market engines and powertrain packages. Its engine portfolio has included big-block, small-block, circle-track, LS, LSX, and E-ROD families. Its Connect & Cruise packages combine an engine, transmission, control modules, and installation components, reducing the integration work required in a project-car conversion. The brand's positioning combines factory engineering, motorsport credibility, and accessibility for individual builders. It serves several overlapping audiences: owners seeking Chevrolet performance upgrades, restoration and hot-rod builders, drag racers, circle-track competitors, professional racing teams, and customers developing custom GM-based vehicles. It also contributes engineering expertise to Chevrolet's production performance cars. Examples cited in the brand's history include the Camaro ZL1 unveiled in 2011, the relaunch of the race-oriented COPO Camaro in 2012, the 2014–2017 Chevrolet SS sedan, and the 2019 Corvette ZR1. Chevrolet Performance therefore functions less as a conventional standalone consumer marque than as a factory-backed performance ecosystem spanning parts, powertrains, vehicles, catalogs, technical support, and motorsport.
History
Chevrolet Performance originated in 1967 as GM Performance Parts. General Motors and Chevrolet created the operation to coordinate factory support for the Trans-Am racing teams that GM supported across the United States, including Penske Racing. The initial program was not intended primarily as a retail business. Chevrolet subsequently recognized that enthusiasts wanted access to the same types of components used in competition, creating an opportunity to sell performance parts to the general public. The late-1960s Chevrolet performance program provided important technical and commercial foundations. The third-generation Corvette appeared in 1968, and the COPO Camaro followed in 1969. These vehicles helped bring the 427 engine into Chevrolet's performance offering and supported the company's development of separately sold crate engines. A crate engine allowed a customer to purchase a factory-assembled performance engine for installation in a project car or other GM-based vehicle, rather than rebuilding an engine independently. This became one of the defining categories of the business. In 1970, General Motors returned to NASCAR and supported Chevrolet-powered teams. To address storage and distribution problems, race parts were shipped to local Chevrolet dealerships, which served as regional support and distribution points. The brand's visibility increased through its relationship with Junior Johnson's NASCAR team, which won three consecutive championships in 1976, 1977, and 1978. GM Performance Parts branding also appeared on Dale Earnhardt's No. 3 Winston Cup car, strengthening the connection between the parts business and major stock-car racing. During the 1980s, the operation developed a mobile presence at major races and car shows. A tractor-trailer display and sales unit traveled to events, where parts were sold directly and company representatives advised customers on performance projects. The business also entered NHRA Pro Stock drag racing through sponsorship of Warren Johnson. His multiple Pro Stock championships helped the brand reach drag-racing enthusiasts and reinforced its factory-performance identity. In 1989, the first standalone catalog was issued, giving customers a dedicated way to select and order crate engines and performance components. The operation was renamed Chevrolet Performance at the beginning of 2012. The new name reflected a wider scope: the business was no longer presented solely as a parts supplier, but also as a contributor to Chevrolet vehicle development and a supporter of racing programs. The broadened portfolio included performance vehicles and upgrade packages as well as engines, transmissions, and other components. Vehicle programs associated with Chevrolet Performance include the Camaro ZL1, introduced in 2011 with a supercharged LSA engine; the Camaro 1LE package, developed for manual-transmission Camaros and intended to meet the requirements of Touring Class competition in the Sports Car Club of America; the modern COPO Camaro, a limited-production NHRA Stock Eliminator vehicle; and the Chevrolet SS, a 2014–2017 full-size performance sedan based on the Australian Holden Commodore VF. Chevrolet Performance also supported the development and presentation of the 2019 Corvette ZR1, whose supercharged LT5 V8 was rated at 755 horsepower. The parts and powertrain side has remained central. Its engine categories have included big-block, small-block, circle-track, LSX, LS, and E-ROD engines. The Connect & Cruise line packages an engine with a transmission, engine-control module, transmission-control system, and installation kit. The range has included LS3 and LSA configurations. Transmission offerings have included Hydra-Matic and SuperMatic automatic units as well as Tremec manual transmissions. Today, Chevrolet Performance is best understood as a factory-backed performance ecosystem within Chevrolet and General Motors. It connects production-vehicle engineering, racing support, aftermarket parts, crate powertrains, catalogs, technical advice, and enthusiast customization. Its historical development from an internal racing-support program into a public-facing performance business reflects the long relationship between Chevrolet's motorsport activities and the broader market for high-performance road and competition vehicles.
- 2017
2019 Corvette ZR1 is presented
[1]The Corvette ZR1 is introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show with a supercharged LT5 V8 rated at 755 horsepower.
- 2012
GM Performance Parts becomes Chevrolet Performance
[1]The brand adopts the Chevrolet Performance name and broadens its public identity to encompass vehicles and racing as well as parts.
- 2012
Modern COPO Camaro returns
[1]The fifth-generation-based COPO Camaro is relaunched as a factory-built NHRA Stock Eliminator vehicle, with a limited run of 69 cars.
- 2011
Camaro ZL1 is unveiled
[1]Chevrolet Performance presents the Camaro ZL1, equipped with a supercharged LSA V8 rated at 580 horsepower.
- 1989
First standalone catalog is published
[1]A dedicated catalog makes it easier for customers to order crate engines and performance components directly.
- 1976
Junior Johnson partnership begins a championship run
[1]Junior Johnson's team begins a three-year sequence of NASCAR championships associated with Chevrolet's factory-supported performance program.
- 1970
Chevrolet NASCAR support expands
[1]Following GM's return to NASCAR, Chevrolet-powered teams receive factory parts support distributed through local Chevrolet dealerships.
- 1969
COPO Camaro and crate-engine development
[1]The COPO Camaro reaches the market, and the 427 engine is packaged for sale as a crate engine suitable for installation in other GM-based projects.
- 1968
Third-generation Corvette enters the performance program
[1]The third-generation Corvette becomes part of the late-1960s Chevrolet performance push that helped establish the 427 engine as a separately available performance powerplant.
- 1967
GM Performance Parts is established
[1]General Motors and Chevrolet organize factory performance support for Trans-Am teams, creating the foundation of GM Performance Parts.
Products and positioning
Factory-backed, motorsport-derived performance technology for Chevrolet vehicles, GM-based project cars, racing teams, and enthusiast builders.
Engines · 1969
Crate engines
Factory-assembled performance engines designed for installation in project cars, racing vehicles, restorations, and other GM-based applications. Chevrolet Performance has offered big-block, small-block, circle-track, LS, LSX, and E-ROD families, allowing customers to select different architectures and intended uses without sourcing and rebuilding an engine themselves.
Crate powertrains
Connect & Cruise
Integrated powertrain packages that combine an engine, transmission, engine-control module, transmission-control equipment, and installation hardware. The system is intended to simplify engine swaps and project-car conversions by pairing major components that otherwise would need to be selected and integrated separately.
Automotive performance components · 1967
Performance parts
A broad range of Chevrolet and GM-oriented components, including camshafts, cylinder heads, engine parts, drivetrain components, and vehicle upgrades. The range grew out of parts originally developed or supported for racing and was later made available to consumers through catalogs, dealerships, events, and the Chevrolet Performance channel.
Automatic transmissions
Hydra-Matic and SuperMatic transmissions
Automatic transmission offerings intended for performance installations and GM-based powertrain projects. They form part of Chevrolet Performance's broader drivetrain catalog and can be paired with compatible crate engines and control systems.
Manual transmissions
Tremec manual transmissions
Manual transmission options supplied for performance builds and GM-based vehicle conversions. The transmissions complement Chevrolet Performance engines and project-car packages where driver involvement and competition-oriented control are priorities.
Performance vehicle · 2011
Camaro ZL1
A high-performance Camaro unveiled in 2011. The model used a supercharged LSA V8 rated at 580 horsepower and 556 pound-feet of torque, making it the most powerful production Camaro described in the source material at the time of its introduction.
Performance package
Camaro 1LE
A handling and performance upgrade package for manual-transmission Camaros. It was developed with the requirements of Sports Car Club of America Touring Class racing in mind, positioning the package as a bridge between a road car and a competition-oriented setup.
Race vehicle · 2012
COPO Camaro
A factory-built NHRA Stock Eliminator Camaro revived in 2012 as an homage to the 1969 COPO Camaro. The relaunch offered a limited production run of 69 cars, a random-selection purchasing process, a naturally aspirated 427 or supercharged 327 engine choices, and a two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission.
Performance sedan · 2014
Chevrolet SS
A full-size performance sedan sold from 2014 through 2017 and based on the Australian Holden Commodore VF. It used a 6.2-liter LS3 V8 rated at 415 horsepower, a 6L80 transmission, Brembo front brakes, performance suspension, and a near 50/50 weight distribution.
Performance vehicle · 2017
Corvette ZR1
The 2019 Corvette ZR1 was presented as Chevrolet's most powerful Corvette in the cited material. Its supercharged LT5 V8 was rated at 755 horsepower and 715 pound-feet of torque, with a reported top speed of 217 miles per hour without the factory rear wing.
Marketing campaigns
- 1980Mobile race and car-show parts operation
United States
During the 1980s, the brand brought a large mobile trailer to races and car shows, selling parts and providing on-site technical advice to enthusiasts.
Outcome. The mobile presence increased consumer visibility and connected the factory-backed parts business directly with builders and racers.
- 1980Warren Johnson NHRA Pro Stock sponsorship
United States
GM Performance Parts expanded its motorsport profile in NHRA Pro Stock through sponsorship of Warren Johnson.
Outcome. Johnson's multiple Pro Stock championships helped introduce the brand to a broader drag-racing audience.
Brand decisions
2012
Rebrand from GM Performance Parts to Chevrolet PerformanceStrategyBackground
The original operation had developed from an internal Trans-Am support program into a public-facing performance-parts business with vehicle and racing associations.
Action taken
General Motors renamed the brand Chevrolet Performance and broadened its focus beyond parts to include Chevrolet performance vehicles, vehicle development, and racing support.
Aftermath
The new identity positioned the operation as a wider Chevrolet performance ecosystem rather than solely as an aftermarket-parts supplier.
2012
Launch of the modern COPO CamaroProduct launchBackground
Chevrolet sought to revive the 1969 COPO Camaro name for a contemporary, factory-built drag-racing vehicle based on the fifth-generation Camaro.
Action taken
Chevrolet Performance introduced a limited NHRA Stock Eliminator model with 69 cars, multiple engine choices, a two-speed Powerglide transmission, and a random-selection purchase process.
Aftermath
The COPO Camaro reinforced Chevrolet Performance's link between limited-production road-car architecture and organized drag racing.
1989
Creation of a direct catalog channelStrategyBackground
The growing consumer market for crate engines and performance components required a more accessible product-selection and ordering process.
Action taken
GM Performance Parts published its first standalone catalog for crate engines and other performance parts.
Aftermath
The catalog gave enthusiasts a dedicated purchasing reference and helped extend the business beyond race-team support and dealership distribution.
Recent events
Reported
Chevrolet reveals ZZ632/1000 V8 crate engine[3]
Chevrolet Performance revealed the ZZ632/1000, a 632-cubic-inch naturally aspirated V8 crate engine designed for drag-racing builds. Its public debut was planned for the SEMA show in November, with deliveries expected to begin in early 2022.
Sources3 sources
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