Despite being an avid enthusiast for nearly three decades, I have stumbled upon yet another custom Corvette I never knew existed (others are highlighted below). Was I living under a rock in 2012 when coach builder Bob Bennett, out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, created this C6 ZR1-based ZX-1? This quote years ago from Bennett sums up the double takes perfectly: “It’s a radical departure from the original C6 Corvette styling. You park one of these next to a stock C6, and it makes the C6 look anemic.” After one look at the ZX-1, I think we can all nod in agreement to that takeaway.
Just days ago, an enthusiast posted this creation on a popular C6 Facebook page and led with the question, “Who here in this group have heard of Bennett Coach Works?” Here is the full post, which has some interesting information about total production.
I’ve seen no indication on the Bennett Coachworks website that the ZX-1 was meant to be a limited production run, so why are only 3 in existence? At a starting price of $40,000, the cost seemed reasonable. Here is the hype directly from Bennett:
“Designed for both high performance functionality and stunning visual excitement, the Corvette ZX-1, one of the most anticipated C6 Corvette conversions is now completely developed and tooled and is available for order throughout the world.”
“…available for order throughout the world…”
For some reason, only 3 enthusiasts took Bennett up on his offer to own a knock-off ZR1. Here are a few pictures of the example posted by Roy. Is anyone else loving this rear-end view?
The lines look even more stunning on this Cyber Gray example. This ZX-1 was displayed in the lobby of Brembo’s North American headquarters in Plymouth, Michigan, before the new owner, Datanational Corp. CEO Paul Greenstone, took possession back in 2012.
Highlights:
- The major upgrades happen under the hood: Bennett and Motor City Speed in Walled Lake, MI add new headers, a new camshaft, new valves and injectors, and a new (much louder) exhaust to the stock C6 engine.
- For an extra dash of go, the pair add a Procharger supercharger and a modified ECU.
- To make sure the car will stop and go equally well, Bennett ditches the stock brakes and adds a full Brembo Gran Turismo kit, including 14-inch front discs with six-piston calipers and 13-inch rear discs with four-piston calipers.
- The key component of the ZX-1 is the totally redesigned body. For his supplier, Bennett has chosen Prototype Composites a relatively new but technologically advanced firm known for their work with Honda Racing and the specialized, all carbon fiber Lotus Exsige, recently seen at SEMA. Bodies will be made available in both fiberglass and carbon fiber.
Deeper Dive:
- Full Details directly from Bob Bennett’s website
- The original ZX-1 brochure details the multiple packages available
The product and end result certainly look like they were well executed and appear to be of high quality. What are your thoughts are why this ZX-1 creation never took off? If you want to keep up to date with all the fresh Corvette news and maintain a pulse on the lifestyle and culture of this exciting, iconic brand, CorvSport has the fastest-growing Corvette community on our Facebook page, with over 173,000 followers (54,000 since January 2023!). Come join other hardcore enthusiasts and say hello, Douglas B.
Here are a few other creations I’ve written about that took me by surprise.
Additional Sources:
