Autoblog

Click above for high-res gallery of the Corvette Competition

The Chevy Corvette trails only the Ford Mustang in number of special editions offered from the factory and by third-party tuners. Aside from the Z06 and ZR1, GM has also offered Vette-o-philes the Victory Edition (Euro only), 427 Limited Edition Z06, the Ron Fellows ALMS GT1 Champion Corvette Z06, and many Indy 500 Pace Car special editions over the years. And that's just from the factory. Check out Callaway and Lingenfelter for an even longer list of special Vettes.

GM of Europe has announced one more special Corvette to add to the list. Along with the aforementioned Victory Edition, GM will also be offering Europeans the Corvette Competition, which supposedly celebrates the new racing season that kicked off in mid-March with the 12 Hours of Sebring. Despite that race being held on American soil as part of the American Le Mans Series, the Corvette Competition is for Euro consumption only.

The Corvette Competition bears little resemblance to the C6.R race car from Corvette Racing, other than the fact they're both Corvettes. While the race car is a precision tool of speed and endurance, the production Corvette Competition is a gussied up base C6 coupe. Exterior mods include a honey comb grille in the lower front air intake and between its pair of dual tailpipes, a Z06 rear spoiler perched out back, and unique 5-spoke alloy wheels in Competition Grey. The rest of the car is dipped in black paint for maximum stealth effect. Other than that, the Corvette Competition's hardware is identical to that of a garden variety C6 Coupe, though GM claims it's limited the available options on to keep weight down. Since it is a special edition model, production will be limited and the price has only been referred to as "competitive".

[Source: GM]

PRESS RELEASE

Corvette Competition: special edition at a special price

• Limited-edition model with strong links to motor sport
• Limited production, competitive price
• Rear spoiler from Z06 and alloy wheels in dark grey

In addition to the limited-edition Corvette Victory Edition, a second special version of the all-American sports car will be introduced this spring, the Corvette Competition. This model, built in limited numbers on the basis of the C6 Coupé, bears strong links to motor sport too, in which the Corvette has proven highly successful. The Corvette Competition will be offered at a competitive price.

The new Corvette Competition is launched to celebrate the start of a new racing season. The 56th edition of the legendary Sebring Twelve Hours on 15 March was the first race in the American Le Mans Series championship (ALMS). In Sebring Corvette Racing scored another double victory in the GT1 category. The special Competition version of ALMS-champion Corvette bears subtle resemblances to the successful C6.R race car. The number of available options on the new car is limited, in order to save as much weight as possible. Another point in common are the air scoops with honeycomb pattern in the front grill and in between the double twin exhaust pipes at the rear. The rear spoiler, borrowed from the Z06 model, not only contributes to excellent aerodynamic properties but is evidence to the Corvette's fine motor sport heritage as well. The bold looks of the Corvette Competition are complemented by 5-spoke alloys (18 inch at the front, 19 inch at the rear) in the colour Competition Grey. Another distinguishing feature of this limited-edition Corvette is its body colour: black.

The Corvette Competition boasts a 6.2 V8 engine and choice of a 6-speed manual gearbox or automatic transmission. Delivery of the new Corvette model starts in April 2008, and the car can be ordered from authorized Corvette dealers as of now.