GM pleasantly surprised us at the LA Auto Show by bringing to life (sort of) its Chaparral 2X Vision Gran Tursimo (VGT) concept for the PS3 Gran Turismo 6 racing game.

It’s a fictional sports car from the future inspired by Chevy’s past, and more specifically, from the brand’s collaboration with pioneering motorsports outfit Chaparral Racing from the 1960s and 1970s.

The propulsion system is out of this world – “a 671-kW laser, powered by a pack of lithium-ion batteries, and an air-powered generator to provide 900 horsepower worth of thrust”.

In a virtual reality environment, it can shoot the Chaparral 2X VGT to 60mph (96km/h) in 1.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 240mph (386km/h).

“It was created in a no-rules atmosphere to challenge designers and test engineers to deliver the most exhilarating sensations. This is a fantasy car by design,” said Frank Saucedo, who oversaw the team that worked on the study. “Like the original Chaparral race cars decades ago, the Chaparral 2X VGT weaves advanced aerospace technologies into the design to help achieve its performance goals.”

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