When an auto company goes racing, they are always quick to draw correlations with the vehicle on the track influencing the product for the street. Sometimes it seems to be purely a reach of reasoning when an stock version of an automobile differs so greatly from the race version. NASCAR is arguably one example of this when a front-wheel drive Ford Fusion powered by four-cylinder or six-cylinder powerplants is represented by a rear-wheel drive, V-8-powered stock car. Audi often touts the technology residing in their prototype sports car as transitioning to the production cars but the R18 e-tron quattro racing in the FIA World Endurance Challenge incorporates far-out mechanics such as a hybrid electric turbocharger. Thankfully for those motorsport purists who want to see race cars resemble their showroom stock counterparts, the GT classes of sports car racing can be trusted in providing a faithful mix of street and track performance.
Since 1999, Corvette Racing has been a concerted effort to display America's longest-running sports car as a motorsport powerhouse. Through three generations of the Chevrolet Corvette, its reputation amongst the likes of Porsche, Aston Martin and Ferrari has flourished. For 2015, the latest Corvette C7.R race car has been off to a rolling start. Corvette Racing captured class honours at both the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. This past week, Chevrolet announced plans to celebrate their race car with a limited edition street version called the C7.R Edition.
Consisting of a total of 500 cars, the 2016 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 C7.R Edition strongly resembles its competitive sibling with its special graphic package. Offered as a coupe or convertible, the Corvette Z06 C7.R Edition will be available in an all-new Corvette Racing Yellow Tintcoat or Black colouring. Carbon fiber hood section and a Spectra Gray Metallic colour is also applied to the front of the vehicle for appearance effect. Black-painted wheels with yellow accent strip and the Corvette Racing logo are found at the center of Michelin PS Cup 2 tires.
The two-passenger interior of the C7.R Edition Chevrolet Corvette Z06 employs the use of Jet Black leather, carbon fiber and sueded microfiber surfaces. Competition Sport Seats and Corvette Racing sill plates are also included. Each one of the 500 C7.R Edition Corvette Z06 will bear a numbered interior plaque wearing the vehicle's identification. VIN 700001 will indicate the start of the limited edition sports car line (Obviously, this seems to indicate the 2016 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 C7.R Edition could become the next Barrett-Jackson charity auction list). Another unique add-on for the C7.R Edition is an indoor car cover wearing C7.R graphics.
Aside from the special C7.R Edition treatment, the vehicle is the highly-equipped, high-powered 650-horsepower Corvette Z06. Propelled by a supercharged LT4 engine, the 2016 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 C7.R model features the go-fast technology of Performance Traction Management, electronic limited slip differential and the handling responsiveness of Magnetic Ride Control. The before-mentioned Michelin PS Cup 2 tires and Brembo carbon ceramic brakes are elements of the Z07 Performance Package.
This year will mark the 15th anniversary of Corvette Racing's first win. The maiden GTS class victory in September's Grand Prix of Texas as part of the 2000 American Le Mans Series (ALMS) has been the launching pad for the Chevrolet Corvette's notoriety as a sports car backed with a modern racing pedigree. As of the 2015 Grand Prix of Long Beach, Corvette Racing has captured a total of 88 class wins between ALMS and the Tudor United Sports Car Championship. Seven wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans as well as an overall victory in the Rolex 24 at Daytona cements the purpose of celebrating the Chevrolet Corvette's racing history with the 2016 C7.R Edition.
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