In late 2007 Corvette Europe approached the FIA seeking approval to race a C6 Coupe in the GT4 category. After much study the FIA approved their request. Kroymans shipped a new 2008 C6 Z51 six-speed coupe to Callaway Competition in Leingarten, Germany. In less than six weeks the Callaway team stripped the new car of all non-essential parts including carpet and standard seats.
Mid-Engine Prototypes: The 1985 Corvette Indy Concept, The 1986 Corvette Indy and the 1990 CERV III Since the introduction of...
The Corvette C6-R race car debuted at the 12 Hours of Sebring in March 2005. The two-car, factory-backed Chevrolet sports car program competed in the production-based GT1 class (formerly GTS) of American Le Mans Series as well as the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans in France. It was the most technically advanced sports car ever developed by GM, culling years of experience from the Corvette C5-R as well as the advancements brought forth from the next-gen Corvette C6 and Z06.
The XP-819 Corvette prototype was introduced in 1964 by Frank WInchell and Larry Shinoda as the first, experimental, rear-engine Corvette coupe. The XP-819 was developed in the mid-1960's as an engineering exercise to determine if a rear-engine platform was right for the Corvette program. During that time, Chevrolet was still under a racing ban.
Did you know that the earliest ZR1 Corvettes came into existence long before any of these later iterations? If not, then take a few minutes to acquaint yourself with one the rarest small-block production Corvettes of all time - the 1970-1972 Corvette ZR1. From 1970 to 1972, Chevrolet offered the ZR1 Special Engine Package, which featured a small-block LT1 engine.
In 1969, Chevrolet changed the perception of Corvette forever by introducing the ultra-powerful ZL-1 Corvette with a 427 CI engine producing 585 horsepower! The 1969 ZL-1 Corvette came equipped with an entirely new big-block engine option that produced more horsepower than any Corvette that had come before it. Any Corvette, when ordered with RPO ZL1, came fitted with an all-aluminum 427 C.I. engine that featured a dry-sump oil system and which weight approximately 100 pounds less.
To celebrate the success of the Corvette Racing program, especially at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans race, Chevrolet made the decision to manufacture a limited number of special-edition Corvettes that would be sold exclusively in Europe. This special-edition car was limited to just 250 units and marketed to European consumers as the Victory Edition Corvette.
The Centennial Edition came finished exclusively in a Carbon Flash Metallic finish with satin-black graphics. Special badging graphics signifying Chevrolet’s racing history, including an image of Louis Chevrolet on the B-pillars, were added as accents to the cars finish. The wheels were also finished in satin black. All models also received red brake calipers. The exterior color scheme of the Centennial Edition Corvette is reinforced inside the car.
To commemorate its quarter-century milestone, Callaway Cars collaborated with Chevrolet, arranging a production run of 25 uniquely prepared 2012 Corvette Grand Sport coupes and convertibles. General Motors supplied special parts and procedures on the Bowling Green production line to facilitate final assembly at Callaway factories. Then, the performance and identity components are installed by Callaway. The 25th Anniversary Edition produced 620 bhp and 555 lb-ft of torque.
The Callaway C7 was a completely new, purpose-built car designed to embody the company’s motto: “Powerfully Engineered Automobiles”, carrying on the visual tradition of design by Paul Deutschman and offered in a limited production series. The C7 was the first complete, bespoke Callaway Automobile. This sportscar was equipped with a carbon chassis, front mid engine/rear transaxle design, 650 horsepower SuperNatural engine.
Not too dissimilar from this fourth generation Greenwood Corvette was this G5R. Again it was a performance resin bodykit that usually came along with a host of performance upgrades. Included was a front splitter, high rise hood, rear tunnel, rear wing, and windshield fairing. Greenwood has always been the leader in high performance aerodynamics and we are proud to offer the finest and most effective designs for your C5 Corvette.
The first Z06 was actually an option package first offered with the 1963 Corvette. The package was developed by Corvette's legendary lead engineer and racing advocate Z0ra Arkus-Duntov. The Z06 option was designed to allow consumers to bolster the 1963 "Split-Window" Corvettes performance and handling capabilities for use on the race track. Selecting regular production option (RPO) Z06 when ordering a Corvette resulted in a car equipped with some tasty options.
The actual Corvette Pace Car that served at the 79th running of the Indianapolis 500 was a near-stock LT1 Corvette Convertible, except for the mandatory safety features that were required by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Official Pace Car cam equipped with strobe lights, a special roll-bar, five-point safety harnesses for the driver and passenger and an on-board fire suppression system. Chevrolet built just three of the actual pace cars.
While it was not the rarest Corvette Pace Car Replica ever manufactured by GM, the 1998 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Replica was – and remains – one of the most desirable pace car replicas ever made. This is primarily due to the fact that this replica is nearly identical to the actual pace cars that were used during the 1998 Indianapolis 500. It was fitting given that 1998 also marked the brand's 20th anniversary as "Official Pace Car" of this momentous race.
While not exactly a "collector's edition" Corvette in its own right, it nonetheless has become a uniquely identifiable and collectible Corvette from the fourth-generation era. 1988 marked the 35th anniversary for Corvette, and so it was decided that Chevrolet should commemorate the milestone by introducing an anniversary-edition model. This anniversary car was the first of its kind in a decade, given that Chevrolet opted not to manufacture a Corvette in 1983.
They’ll All Be Grand Sport Models Last week we shared the news that Chevrolet could unveil a special edition C7...
1978 was significant because it marked the cars 25th anniversary of production. Recognizing the achievement of manufacturing a car for a quarter-century, Chevrolet commemorated this accomplishment by introducing two special-edition Corvette that year. The first of these was known as the "Silver Anniversary" edition Corvette. It featured a two-tone silver over gray exterior with special pin-striping and special "25th Anniversary" badging.
An Exciting Edition to the Race While the end is near for the C7 Corvette, it’s not likely to go...
During the summer of 2005, a decision was made to transform selected Z06 road cars into a new breed of racer to compete in the world's top GT3 championships. The first series to introduce this new GT3 class was the SRO and FIA's GT3 Championship. Based on their racetrack test results, Team Carsport saw instant potential in the car. Hezemans contracted Callaway Competition in conjunction with Koos Pettinga, manager at Corvette Europe, to convert the street Z06 into a Z06R GT3.
The 2013 Corvette 427 Convertible served double-duty as a commemorative edition model. While it marked the departure of the sixth-generation Corvette. The real selling-point was the powerplant at the heart of the car - a 427-cubic-inch (7.0L) LS7 engine, the same engine used in the C6 Corvette Z06. Rated at 505 horsepower (377kW) and 470lb.-ft of torque (637 Nm), this 427 was the most powerful engine GM had ever installed in a production Corvette convertible to date.
This Sledgehammer reached 254.76 mph at the Transportation Research Center (TRC) in Ohio and became the world’s fastest street-legal car for some time. It was built up by Reeves Callaway in Connecticut as an example of what was possible with the new ZR1 and and turbocharging its LT5 engine. The result was a 898 bhp coupe that still retained luxuries such as air conditioning and a radio. It got this power by using a NASCAR-spec block with Mahle pistons and a massive turbo.
The Specialty Engineering Group (SVE) has partnered with Chevy to create the 2019 Yenko/SC Corvette Stage II. This new Corvette, which is the creation of Specialty Vehicles Engineering in cooperation with Chevrolet, delivers an incredible 1000 horsepower and 875 lb-ft of torque. Better yet, it's an option that you can order from your local Chevy dealership.
In 1989 Callaway introduced a Speedster which was the culmination of their styling, engineering and trimming talents. Their first example was a bright green ZR1, which had a severely chopped windscreen, no side mirrors, eighteen inch wheels and a vibrant blue leather interior stitched purposefully from Germany. Nothing about Callaway’s Speedster was reserved, and this is especially true when investigating the specification. The car had 450 horsepower.
Timeless Kustoms Breathes New Life into a Classic 1954 Corvette When introduced in 1953, the original Corvette was celebrated by...
Another decade – another milestone anniversary edition Corvette. However, the 2003 model year was especially significant as it marked the 50th year of the Corvette’s production at Chevrolet. To commemorate a half-century of manufacturing, every Corvette built in 2003 was adorned with special “50th Anniversary” badging – a unique “50” badge on each of the front fenders above the bodyside coves, and a special crossed flags badge that included “50 Anniversary” badging.
The L88 was a special option package developed under the direction of Zora Arkus-Duntov, director of GM’s performance division. First introduced in 1967, the L88 Corvette featured a highly modified version of Chevy’s 427-cubic-inch V-8 engine. Although this engine received a factory horsepower rating of 435, actual engine output was somewhere between 540 and 580 horsepower, giving the “stock” L88 enough power to run a quarter-mile in the high-11-second range!
The major differences between the 1980 and 1982 Daytona and the 1981 GTO are the hood, the tops of the rear fenders, and the rear spoiler/bumper cover. The Daytona had an elaborate, short vertical fin on top of the rear fender that turned several turns “in and back,” flowing to the wide, long, table-like rear spoiler. The GTO’s rear fenders pontoons are the same as.
Chevyt presented a trio of Corvette Stingray concepts. Many of the items fitted to the cars are available through the Chevrolet Accessories and Chevrolet Performance catalogs. Designed with cruising in mind, the Stingray Atlantic convertible concept features stunning Blade Silver paint, while the Stingray Pacific concept is more race-inspired and the Stingray Gran Tourismo was created to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Gran Tourismo video game.
The Carlisle Blue Grand Sport Concept is painted in a very cool Carlisle Blue exterior with exquisite Pearl White full-length racing stripes. This color combination is highlighted with Silver-painted Torque 2 wheels. The Corvette also benefited from carbon fiber front splitter and rockers, a full-width rear spoiler, and a Grand Sport style hood blanket. For the interior, Chevrolet has opted for Ebony/Titanium leather with blue stitching, a new Bose Premium Audio with nine speakers.
Callaway has built a firm reputation for producing some of the most sophisticated and advanced Corvette-based automobiles. Introduced in 1998, Callaway’s C12 continued this proud legacy. Designed, developed and constructed by two top German engineering and development companies, Callaway and IVM, the C12 was intended as a bespoke, high-performance car that offered its occupants a civilized interior and relaxed ride. One of the most respected Corvette super-cars ever.