Specialty vehicle maker Callaway, based in Old Lyme, Connecticut, has been tuning vehicles for more power since the 1970s. But the company didn't start working on the Chevrolet Corvette, the nameplate it's most known for, until 1987. Now 35 years on, Callaway Cars is creating a new special edition Corvette in celebration of the anniversary of the program.
The B2K 35th Anniversary Package for the 2022 Chevrolet Corvette features the brand's carbon fiber aerodynamic additions, a new center outlet exhaust and forged aluminum wheels. Inside Callaway also adds CNC-machined aluminum pedal covers, threshold panels, floor mats and a serialized build plaque.
The aerodynamic upgrades include the front splitter, rocker panel extensions down the sides of the vehicle, a new rear wing and lower diffuser. All are made from carbon fiber with a clear coat for UV protection.
The new stainless-steel exhaust with D-shaped center outlets is 40 pounds less than stock and has a unique exhaust note, Callaway says in a press release.
It has an internal structure that reduces drone at constant speeds, usually a problem with aftermarket exhausts, and is integrated into the carbon fiber diffuser.
The forged wheel set is offered in polished or gloss black, bronze and ceramic polished, which looks like chrome. In total they remove 26 pounds of mass compared to the original. The sports car rides on Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.
The interior upgrades with anodized sill panels, the new floormats with the 35th anniversary logo and the pedal covers. The package also comes with a car cover, a cleaning kit and those vaunted Callaway exterior badges.
There's no power added, so buyers will have to stick with the 495 horsepower the vehicle came with, but with its 60-pound weight loss the car should be quicker off the line and more agile.
Newsweek talked to CEO Reeves Callaway, who said buyers shouldn't be worried about a lack of horsepower.
"There are no power increases, but there is a performance increase by removing that weight from the exhaust and wheels," Callaway told Newsweek. "Have you driven one? It's got 500 horsepower, it's fine. These are the upgrades people would do if they had our 35 years of experience, they don't upset the balance of the car."
Callaway relayed that most of the 35 anniversary cars are already sold. They will be some of the last to be built for the 2022 model year, in May. Buyers need to order the Z51 Performance Package, the Aero Delete option and the open five-spoke bright silver-painted aluminum wheels from the dealer to get the option.
Upon purchase, the vehicles will be shipped from the dealership to either of Callaway's shops in Connecticut or California. Once it leaves the factory in Bowling Green, it takes about a week and a half for Callaway to do the upgrades.
Callaway is only building 35 examples of the special edition, and they can be ordered through a local Chevy dealer for $34,960, above the price of a 2022 Corvette Stingray.
Delivery can be taken at the Callaway factory, the National Corvette Museum, a Callaway Chevy dealer or at select track facilities. Museum and track delivery options cost a few thousand dollars more.
If the special edition isn't your speed, you might want to wait for Callaway's next offering. He confirmed to Newsweek that his company has something in the works for the latest Corvette and its new LT2 V8. It's just about out, but not yet, he says. That package will add to the power figure.
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