NASCAR revealed the Car of Tomorrow, also known as the "Car of the Future" during its development, on January 11, 2006. This five-year design program was largely initiated by the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr. in a final-lap crash at the 2001 Daytona 500. In the season prior to Earnhardt's death, three other drivers—Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin Jr., and Tony Roper—had also died in on-track accidents. The cars in use at the time were based on a Holman Moody design first introduced for the 1966 Ford Fairlane. The primary objectives for the new car's design were "safety innovations, performance and competition, and cost efficiency for teams."
The CoT incorporated several safety improvements. The driver's seat was moved four inches toward the center, and the roll cage was shifted three inches to the rear. The car itself was designed to be two inches taller and four inches wider than its predecessor. It featured larger crumple zones, designed to absorb impact energy, and impact-absorbing foam built into both sides of the car. An adjustable splitter, made of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP), replaced the front valance and was used on the bottom front of the car to produce downforce. The car's exhaust exited on the right (passenger) side, diverting heat away from the driver. The fuel cell was strengthened with thicker material and had a smaller capacity of 17.75 US gallons (67.2 L), down from 22 US gallons (83 L), which became standard in all cars as of 2007.
NASCAR officials initially stated the car was less dependent on aerodynamics, comparing its performance to the trucks in the Craftsman Truck Series. It initially featured a detached wing, a component not seen since the 1970 Dodge Charger Daytona and Plymouth Superbird, in place of a rear spoiler. The windshield was more upright to prevent collapse during a rollover, which also increased drag. The radiator air intake was positioned below the front bumper to reduce overheating caused by debris-clogged grilles. The front bumper was more box-like, and the front airdam was gapped, unlike the flush design of older cars, to reduce aerodynamics and slow the cars.
All CoT cars were required to fit the same set of templates, with minor differences between manufacturers, using a laser inspection system (LIS) device nicknamed "the claw." NASCAR's previous rules had different templates for each manufacturer (Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge, and Toyota). During the CoT era, NASCAR aimed to eliminate ambiguity in the rule book and frequently adjusted rules to ensure relative equality among different car manufacturers. One such rule adjustment occurred after the 2008 Sprint All-Star Challenge, where Sam Hornish, Jr. used a skewed setup to finish second in the Showdown. Another instance was in 2012, after Hendrick Motorsports teams used skewed sway bars to win five races in the spring. The claw continued to be used with the Generation 6 car, alongside manufacturer-specific templates, until both were replaced by the laser-based Optical Scanning System (OSS) in 2018.
On January 15, 2010, Cup Series director John Darby informed teams that NASCAR would revert to using a spoiler instead of the wing, to increase downforce and prevent airborne accidents that the rear wing was believed to cause.
Although initially branded as the Monte Carlo SS, Chevrolet's Car of Tomorrow debuted as the Impala SS (later simply the Impala). Dodge used the Avenger name on the CoT, coinciding with the model's reintroduction into the production market, but the Charger name returned for the CoT in 2008 due to popular demand. Ford continued to use the Fusion model, and Toyota continued to use the Camry.
The Car of Tomorrow was first raced at the 2007 Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, the fifth race of the season. Kyle Busch won this debut race, marking the first win for the Chevrolet Impala since Wendell Scott's victory in 1963.
Initial reactions to the CoT's performance were mixed. Dale Earnhardt Jr. stated after finishing 7th, "It wasn't a disaster like everybody anticipated. It worked out, I reckon. Racing was about the same." Drivers were also impressed with the car’s ability to bump other competitors without causing a spin.
Several drivers and pundits expressed dissatisfaction with the car and the racing it produced. Kyle Busch, despite his win at Bristol, commented that "they suck" during his victory lane interview.
A problem identified in the car's initial race was its front splitter, which could puncture the tire of an adjacent car. This issue was not observed in the car's second race. Another problem was that the safety foam in the car's side could catch fire, filling the cockpit with smoke. NASCAR made modifications before the April 21 Subway Fresh Fit 500. During side-impacts, as Brian Vickers experienced at Watkins Glen, the foam could also shear out of the car, leaving debris on the track.
At the 2007 UAW-Ford 500, the CoT's debut on a superspeedway at Talladega, NASCAR assigned a 31⁄32 inch (25 mm) restrictor plate, allowing engines to run at approximately 8,800 RPM due to the CoT's less aerodynamic design.
In the 2008 Brickyard 400, the longest green flag run was 12 laps due to extreme wear on right-side tires. The car's lack of downforce and higher center of gravity made it hard on the right-side tires, which generally lasted no more than 10 laps.
The rear wing, used from 2007 to early 2010, was claimed to increase the severity of on-track incidents. Notable incidents included Carl Edwards' crash at the 2009 Aaron's 499 at Talladega, Ryan Newman flipping at the 2009 AMP Energy 500, and Brad Keselowski flipping over at the 2010 Kobalt Tools 500. These accidents contributed to NASCAR’s decision in February 2010 to replace the wing with a more traditional rear spoiler.
For the 2011 season, the car's splitter and nose configuration were redesigned. The splitter's braces were removed, and it was made nonadjustable. The nose was given a cleaner, rounder look, resembling NASCAR's previous model, and manufacturers were allowed to design the lower grille area to reflect their production-car counterparts.
The redesigned car debuted at the 2011 Daytona 500, which saw a record-breaking 22 leaders and 74 lead changes. The race also highlighted a new phenomenon of "lock-bumper superdrafts," where two cars would lock together and push into a clear lead. This technique led to a new level of "team" racing.
No deaths have occurred in NASCAR Cup Series competition since the Car of Tomorrow was introduced.
NASCAR officials moved up the full implementation date for the CoT from 2009 to the 2008 season as a cost-saving measure.
To discourage tandem drafting and encourage pack racing, a new superspeedway package was introduced for the 2012 season, featuring a curved spoiler and a lower and longer rear bumper. The tandem remained prevalent in the Nationwide Series until 2014, when pushing was prohibited after a crash at the 2013 DRIVE4COPD 300.
The Car of Tomorrow body style was retired by NASCAR after the 2012 Ford EcoBoost 400. The sixth-generation car, which featured additional chassis safety improvements and improved body designs, debuted in 2013. Many teams removed the CoT car bodies, added the new chassis safety improvements, and installed a sixth-generation car body. The CoT chassis was used until the end of the 2021 season before being replaced by the Next Gen car in 2022.
In 2010, the Xfinity Series debuted its own version of the CoT in a partial schedule, using the same chassis but different bodies and a shorter wheelbase. Teams could take old Sprint Cup cars, change the bodies, and run them in the Nationwide Series after recertification. The car was required for full-time competition in 2011.
In 2015, NASCAR's regional series, the K&N Pro Series East and West and the ARCA Racing Series, introduced a new body style based on the Generation 6 Cup Series cars. These cars continue to use a front valence instead of a splitter and are based on their 2013-spec body styles. In 2022, a Ford Mustang bodystyle (based on the 2021 Generation 6 body) also became available.
From 2007 to 2012, 28 different drivers scored a victory in 196 races, including several first-time winners. Following the elimination of the CoT in 2013, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France identified the model as a failure due to the lack of manufacturer identity.
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