Callaway cure for the common Corvette
Good news has arrived for Corvette fans who simply don't have the 4.3 seconds Consumer Reports found was necessary to get from zero to 60 mph in the 505-horsepower Z06. There's a new, even faster version of Chevrolet's two-seater, and you can buy it from a Chevy dealer. Reeves Callaway, owner and founder of Callaway Cars, has stepped up to the plate to address this need.
Callaway has been fiddling around with Corvettes for years, squeezing more power out of them by making various modifications including adding a turbocharger or two under their hoods. The latest of these heavily modified 'Vettes is the Callaway C16, a name it gets not from the number of cylinders providing thrust--as some might think--but the fact that it is the 16th Corvette to get a complete Callaway makeover.
The base 6.0-liter V8 produces 560 horsepower and 529 lb-ft of torque. For those desiring a bit more thrust, the supercharged C16 develops 616 horsepower and 582 lb-ft of torque--enough to make a semi truck driver sit up and take notice. Reeves & company say the result is enough juice to punt the C16 and an occupant from zero to 60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds, with a top speed of 206 mph.
Prices start at for about $120,000 for the coupe version and $129,000 if you prefer a convertible. Expect to pay more if you really need 616 horsepower.
But practical folks on the run can console themselves with the knowledge that at least you get a five-year, 100,000-mile warranty, during which time Mr. Callaway says to expect 18 mpg--not bad for this kind of performance.
