GT4 Championships

Equipe Verschuur to import Camaro GT4 in Europe

© Equipe Verschuur

Equipe Verschuur, the successful Dutch motorsport company led by Frans Verschuur in the city of Nijmegen, has been appointed as the official European importer for the spectacular Chevrolet Camaro to the international GT4 regulations. The Chevrolet Camaro GT4 has been developed by specialised company, Riley Technologies, based in Mooresville, North Carolina, the heartland of American motorsport technology.

In close co-operation with Equipe Verschuur, the Camaro has been adapted to European competition in certain aspects. “The car has a lot of potential”, says Frans Verschuur, who intends to enter at least one Camaro for the Dutch GT4 Championship under the banner of his own team. “The Camaro is not only suited for the regular GT4 races, for instance in The Netherlands and in the GT4 European Cup. With its 100 litre fuel tank, the car can also be used for endurance races.

Frans Verschuur had already been searching for possibilities in the GT4 category. “However, for most brands and types of car, importers and tuners had already been appointed. Then I saw images of the Camaro and it soon turned out that nobody was still doing anything with that car in Europe.” Verschuur got in touch with tuner Bill Riley. Soon, he became convinced by the opportunities that the Camaro offers. “The technology is more up-to-date than many people might think. The Camaro already competed in the American GrandAm Sports Car Challenge last year, so the car is competition-proven already.”

Popularity of the GT4 category is increasing, not only in the FIA-sanctioned GT4 European Cup and the Dutch GT4 Championship that enjoyed a very successful start last year, but also in various other national competitions. Additionally, cars according to the international GT4 regulations are also admitted to many endurance races and this is where Frans Verschuur sees a lot of possibilities for the Chevrolet Camaro GT4. The Camaro GT4 is powered by a V8 engine with an output of approximately 450 DIN hp and weighs 1450 kg. “Especially for European competition, we have opted for Moton shock absorbers and a Bosch competition anti-lock braking system”, says Frans Verschuur. He expects a sales price for the Chevrolet Camaro GT4 in Europe of around 135,000 Euros.

Equipe Verschuur, that caught the attention in the past few years by winning the LMP2 class in the Le Mans Series and the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2008 (under the banner of Van Merksteijn Motorsport) and the title in the Eurocup Renault Mégane Trophy in 2006 and 2009, intends to compete with the Camaro in this year’s Dutch GT4 Championship. To do so, Frans Verschuur has already reached an agreement with some renowned Dutch drivers, but doesn’t want to reveal any further details. “That will come in due course”, he says. “First of all, we are attending delivery of the Camaros in The Netherlands. Two cars are currently being shipped. Our expectations are high!”