Dodge to unveil 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup car next month at Las Vegas

The manufacturer confirmed on Monday that the new-spec Charger model is almost ready to break cover, and it has promised that the appearance will surprise people.

"I'm very pleased with the way the car turned out," said Ralph Gilles, Dodge's president and CEO of street and racing technology and motorsports. "I think people will be shocked.

"They won't believe their eyes when they look at what basically looks like a street car with some flat rubber on it. It will be interesting to see what the response is.

"It's been tough to keep the covers on this car. We've been working on it for over two years, developing it."

NASCAR's 2013 Cup regulations allow the manufacturers to apply more of their own styling cues to the cars to help fans identify them. And Gilles added that the similar approach taken to the new cars in the second tier Nationwide Series proved that it was a good decision.

"When we did the Nationwide Challenger in 2010, the response was 'Hallelujah, finally the race car is looking a lot like the car we buy and drive,'" he said. "We've got two rear-drive muscle cars in the Challenger and the Charger, so it really fits NASCAR well."