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The car of the future, is more typically known as the "Car of Tomorrow" or COT. However, it is really becoming the "Car of Today" as it was run on many of the races in 2007 and will be used full time in 2008, replacing the car that has been used since the 1990s. The COT is a car that spent over half of the last decade in design by NASCAR, with several specific goals in mind. First, NASCAR put much design into further improving the safety features of the car and second, they wanted to decrease the overall cost of the car to make it cheaper for smaller teams to compete with the large teams in NASCAR.

There are several specific safety features that make the appearance of the COT look different and enhance the overall safety of the car. The car is both taller and wider than than previous car, and the driver's position is different in the car. The roll cage has moved farther back in the cart and the seat has moved more toward the center. The end result is more room for the driver, providing a large area around the driver in the event of an accident when the car crumples. The movement of the driver more the center also provides additional protection during side impact. The exhaust system has also be changed to keep some of the heat away from the driver cage to reduce the temperatures experienced by the drivers.

The COT was also designed to make racing more competitive and result in less runaway leads by one or more cars from the rest of the field and to make passing more possible. Several of the changes result in the car being lest aerodynamic, with the front windshield standing much straighter than the older cars and a splitter designed into the front bumper. A large wing has also been added to the rear trunk area of the car to decrease the speed of the car and increase the stability.

In terms of reducing costs for teams, the same frame, roll cage and body are used in the COT for all races, regardless of the type of race track. This differs from previous cars because slightly different cars were typically used for different types of race tracks like road courses, short tracks, and superspeedways.

Many fans were concerned about the affect of the COT on racing, and many drivers have complained that it is difficult to get the car to turn. However, the COT has provided for some exciting finishes thus far in 2007 and has proven to be more robust in racing.

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