Chevy Should Offer a GTLM Championship C8 Special Edition Corvette for 2022

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Chevy Should Offer a GTLM Championship C8 Special Edition Corvette for 2022

Photo Credit: Chevrolet


One of the hallmarks of the Corvette Design and Engineering team in recent years has been the celebration of Corvette history or other milestones with a Special Edition model, and we’ve been quite surprised that the Corvette team has so far skipped the opportunity to mark the passing of the torch to the mid-engine C8. The 2019 UAW strike and 2020’s COVID likely shelved any previous plans, but with Corvette Racing’s successful debut season, and with another model year changeover quickly approaching, we think we’ve got just the ticket to get you revved up!

The 2020 IMSA WeatherTech Championship season was a banner year for Corvette Racing with the team earning their 100th win in IMSA on the way to a sweep of all three GTLM Championships. Faced with the reality of a drastically reduced field of competition and the focus turning to a new GT3 Pro class, IMSA has announced the retirement of the GTLM class at the end of this year. With Corvette Racing once again closing out another class of competition by basically being the last team standing, Chevrolet should offer a GTLM Championship Special Edition Corvette in honor of those accomplishments.

2020 Corvette C8.R Replica


The 2022 model year coming this summer offers a perfect opportunity for the Corvette team to set things right. For 2022, Chevy should retire Accelerate Yellow and bring back a true yellow (Corvette Racing, Millenium, Competition…), and Shadow Gray should be replaced with the same dark silver on the No. 4 C8.R. These colors would serve as the basis for the GTLM Editions.

Like the 2009 GT1 Championship Editions, the GTLM Championship Special Edition would be offered in Yellow or Dark Silver, and each includes the High Wing, full Aero Kit, and replica striping/graphics kit of the C8.R. After two years of the same wheels, it’s time to roll out a new “motorsports” accessory wheel which would be launched on the special edition. Also, make it an option to add tow hooks, as well as the C8.Rs Michelin/Mobi1 1 racing decals for even more authenticity.

Sky Cool Gray/Strike Yellow 3LT Interior


The cars would be loaded with the Z51 Performance Package, Magnetic ride control, and front lift. The 3LT interior would feature the Sky Cool Gray/Show Yellow seats with Yellow Seatbelts, but the dash pad is done in black for a unique look (and to reduce glare for track use). Jake would be featured on the waterfall speaker instead of the C8 logo, and a special Corvette Racing themed engine cover would be the cherry on top of the LT2 V8.

It also occurs to us that this special edition should honor the individual responsible for much of the team’s success, and so the center console would feature the numbered signature of Doug Fehan, Corvette Racing’s former Program Manager. Unofficially, we would refer to the GTLM Championship Special Editions as “Fehans”.

These GTLM Championship Special Editions would then be limited to 100 in each color in honor of 100 IMSA wins, and each color would feature unique VINs beginning with a sequence number of three for the Yellow editions and four for the Dark Silver. Chevy should then produce these 200 special editions within the first month of 2022 Corvette production so that Corvette Racing fans can take them to the races!

Sky Cool Gray/Strike Yellow 3LT Interior


This is the Stingray R package we were hoping for, but now with the 100 IMSA Wins milestone reached and the retirement of GTLM, the 2022 model year marks the perfect opportunity for Chevrolet to offer such a special edition that would allow Corvette Racing enthusiasts to share in the team’s latest successes with a C8.R of their own.


Related:
[RIDES] Jimmie’s 2020 Corvette C8.R Replica
[PICS] Corvette Enthusiast Renders the 2021 Corvette Model Year Changes
[SPIED] The 2021 Corvette ‘Stingray R’ Graphics Shown at Road America

 



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16 COMMENTS

  1. I like your idea however, the C8.R is supposedly tied to the up-coming Z06/07 more that the Stingray Z51. They are supposed to share the same basic engine design, carry forward to street use aero packages, including a more C8.R like wing, and much of the C8.R styling clues that incorporate a similar wide body design. What a great option package to even set the Z07 Performance Package apart from even the standard Z06. JMHO.

  2. I support this as it’s supposedly the last year of the GTLM class and everyone seems to be moving to GTD(3) Pro. I only hope that ACO will endorse the new class and qualify it for LeMans.

  3. GM did make special edition for the C7.R race car. It was C7.R edition which they made 500 vehicles. You seemed to have forgotten your history. I have a 2016 C7.R corvette number 387.

  4. More vapor-ware, GM should find dependable vendors and fill current orders, GTLM, Z06/07, right hand drive for Australia, etc……seems like PR Dept and manufacturing are in different worlds……

  5. The only problem with limiting it to 100 each color is that only the rich people will be able to get to them before the rest of us.
    At least pump out a few thousand high quality diecast models (each color) for the rest of us.

  6. could we just focus on getting the ones being made? and being made with no issues first please ??? and if you decide to go fourth with this thought, it should resemble the full color scheme design, and not just a few different color stripes on the car top photo is what should be used and it should have the option to have that wing on it as well as those rims and diffusers not end up looking like a corgi jr match box like the lightenfelter one they are giving away

  7. Yeah, ’cause they’re having so much trouble selling the ones they are cranking out at such a blistering pace now — they really need to promote them somehow so they can find buyers!

    Not that these concepts don’t look great — they do! But maybe they could wait until sales slow down, and even if GTLM is passe, they could offer them as a retro package? Just a thought…

  8. 1st off Keith this would suppose those with the power to accomplish this have “BRAINS” & not $$$$ signs!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    As evidence: you were “UPSET” by GM’s dismissal of Fehans; oops retirement.

    If they did make them let them be full bore 5.5 FPC cars!!!!!!!!!!!

  9. The fact that the Flat plane crank 5.5 V8 wide body C8 was not available to customers for the 2020 Race season was a great disgrace in terms of homologation race rules. If There is a GTLM edition, better be with C8R components else wise their will be no historical/collectible value to those cars.

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