Friday 14th August 2009

New Corvette C6.R Takes On GT2

GM ditches ALMS GT1 and moves to GT2 with latest ZR1-based racer

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This is the new Corvette factory racer that GM will pitch against BMW, Ferrari, Jaguar and Porsche in the increasingly hotly contested ALMS GT2 category in the US.

The new racer features bodywork that closely resembles the ZR1 road car, including identical wheel arch dimensions, headlamps and the ZR1’s aluminium chassis – and even the road car’s tilt and slide steering column is carried over.

The new GT2 cars will run for the rest of the 2009 ALMS season with a 6.0 version of the GT1 racer’s 7.0 V8, but next year they’ll get an all-new 5.5 litre V8 based on the next generation of the Chevy/GM small block. The 2009 engines will be built alongside the production LSD engines used currently in the ZR1.

G

M’s switch to ALMS GT2 is part of a global trend towards more production-based GT racing, as also evidenced by the proposed changes for the FIA GT1 category next year. As well as significantly reducing cost for factory teams and other competitors, it seems to be the case that racing cars with clear visual links to their road-going siblings broaden the appeal to potential race fans, as well as providing a more obvious marketing platform for car makers.

 

 

[rlw]

Nice looking and sensible too - GT1 is just too esoteric and unaffordable so this has too be the way to go. Now lets get some more of the manufacturers back in.

[vetteheadracer]

I just hope it sounds as good as the GT1 Corvettes.

Spoke to Olly Gavin about the car a few weeks back and he said that all the drivers have had to get used to the non-ceramic brakes and also the reduced "aero" of the GT2 car compared with the GT1. He also said that it is a lot more fun to drive than a GT1 (which surprised me) he expalined this by saying each driver can drive the car in their own style whereas the GT1 has only one style of driving to make it fast and drivers have to adapt themselves to that.
The cars will make their racing debut this weekend in the ALMS and I am sticking my neck and saying I think they could win GT2 on debut.

[TheRoadWarrior]

PH said:

The new racer features bodywork that closely resembles the ZR1 road car, including identical wheel arch dimensions, headlamps and the ZR1’s aluminium chassis

Is it me or are the headlights conspiciously different.. what with the ZR1 having 3 lamps per side and the racer having 2?

[The Leaper]

I hope they appear at Le Mans 2010 too...whether or not the wonderful GT1 rumble will be there too remains to be heard!

R.

[G4HKS]

Very nice, I like.

[Mr Mac]

"it seems to be the case that racing cars with clear visual links to their road-going siblings broaden the appeal to potential race fans"

Somewhere along the line you got to wonder where they came up with that revolutionary gem of information...........

[roland82]

Its a shame a whole category has to die but if it makes GT2 more competitive Im all for it.

I do love a bit of ALMS on Saturday nights.

[Stu R]

TheRoadWarrior said:

PH said:

The new racer features bodywork that closely resembles the ZR1 road car, including identical wheel arch dimensions, headlamps and the ZR1’s aluminium chassis

Is it me or are the headlights conspiciously different.. what with the ZR1 having 3 lamps per side and the racer having 2?

don't think they'll be needing the indicators in GT2 races

[turbosei]

Can't wait to see these at Road Atlanta in Sept, it will be interesting to see how they compare against the established 911RSR's and F430's.

GT1 was great and produced some amazing machines, but when people stopped entering it became pointless in ALMS. Nobody cared about which Corvette won because they had no competition. GT2 is a completely different game and has grown a lot over the last few years.

[entropy]

Great looking car. Looks better than the GT1 car, IMO.

[zac510]

I'm not sure, I loved the extremeness of the GT1 cars - huge diffusers, bonnet vents, etc.

This GT2 still looks great though, the Corvette styling is a good base to start with

[chilled901]

Hot dayum! That looks stunning. It would be amazing achievement if they get a podium finish on their debut race. Its gonna be an interesting season.

[zac510]

Pratt & Miller are pretty well drilled, this thing will get wins

[chilled901]

zac510 said:

Pratt & Miller are pretty well drilled, this thing will get wins

I have no doubt P&M will be on the podium a lot, I just want them to smash the competition from the get go.

[ROCKY VIAZZANI]

Never been crazy about the front facia on Vettes since the Stingray...

The C6 just took all the "vette" outta the Corvette, though.

Looks like a Rice Burner from the front. Apart from the rear light most would never know it was a Corvette.

Gimme this one though... And as much as I'm not into Kiddy Flicks when i was this one in The Transformers movie my jaw was on the floor. Can you imagine I paid £50 to just see this baby roll across the big screen? hahahahahahahahahaha!

[Racefan_uk]

<pedant> Shouldn't this be in the GT racing forum? </pedant>

[vetteheadracer]

Olly Gavin has posted this on his Facebook page which is the shakedown test from last week including the sound of the cars

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10966380...

[MiniMan64]

It's a shame that we're going to loose GT1 effectively but if it means we're going to get a massive field of competitive GT2 cars from Vette/Aston/Audi/Porsche/Ferrari and friends then I'm all for it.

[nfo]

Those intake restrictors are pretty severe!

[LCR270]

Fantastic, that all there is to say about these cars.

Still makes me laugh out loud reading the return soon of to the small blocks - at 5.5 litres whats small lolss