CALLAWAY C8 CORVETTE LAUNCH EDITION: THE FIRST DETAILS

If you’re at Corvettes at Carlisle this weekend, be sure to check out the Callaway booth. Long known for expertly modifying Corvettes in a way that compliments Chevrolet’s factory offerings, the new Callaway C8 Corvette Launch Edition will be made available for all 2020-2022 model year Stingrays, and represents the latest product in a line of Powerfully Engineered Automobiles.

First off, no, it’s not boosted. But with a bespoke exhaust system, new intake manifold and air inlet system, the new Callaway Corvette really lets the 6.2L LT2 V8 breathe in and out with less restriction, meaning that it’s bound to be more powerful than the stock 490-495 horsepower that Chevrolet advertises.

While main details like pricing and availability, as well as total output, are not immediately available, we have reached out to Callaway in the meantime to see what they say. Meanwhile, there’s still a lot to talk about. Here’s everything that’s been announced at the time of this writing:

Callaway Corvette C8 Launch Edition Standard Equipment:

• Callaway Forged C8 Wheel Set
• Double-D Exhaust System
• Carbon Fiber Rear Diffuser
• Callaway Interior Group
– Callaway Alcantara Horn Cover
– Callaway Door Sill Panels
– Callaway Billet Pedal Pad Set
– Callaway Embroidered Floor Mats
• Callaway Engine Group
– Callaway Ported Intake Manifold
– Callaway Honker C8 Inlet Air System
• Interior Build Plaque
• Underhood Build Plaque with Vehicle Identification Number
• Callaway Exterior Badging
• Authentication Documentation Package
• 3 Year / 36,000 Mile Limited Warranty overlapping the GM factory warranty.

Image via Callaway Cars## Optional Equipment:

• Premium Wheel Finish, Callaway Corvette C8 Launch Edition
• Aero Group Level 1, Callaway Corvette C8 Launch Edition
• Aero Group Level 2, Callaway Corvette C8 Launch Edition
• Handling Group Level 1, Callaway Corvette C8 Launch Edition
• Callaway Factory Delivery
• Track Delivery

Image via Callaway Cars## Callaway Forged C8 Corvette Wheels

Out of the gate, the Old Lyme, CT company will offer a fully-forged aluminum nine-spoke wheel in five different colors on the Callaway C8 Corvette Launch Edition. More than just a visual upgrade, the wheels will also help improve overall performance because they remove over 26 lbs (12 kg) of unsprung mass compared to a factory wheel set, despite being half-an-inch wider. That’s a 23 percent decrease in weight. Tires around the new wheels remain the same: the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S.

The forged aluminum construction offers greater strength at significantly less mass, offering peace-of-mind against typical cast-wheel construction being prone to damage over poor road surfaces. The material properties of the forged alloy allow mass optimization in the design process by way of FEM (Finite Element Modeling) which results in a wheel set 23% lighter than the OE cast wheels. (19% front, 26% rear), despite their increased width, which is 0.5” over original. Offset is slightly reduced for a flush appearance and increased track width.

Reducing unsprung mass and rotational inertia offers many vehicle performance benefits as less energy is required to accelerate, change direction, and decelerate the wheels. The suspension performance is also improved as it has less work to do to maintain tire contact patch to the road surface. This means that driver inputs are more efficiently communicated to the tires: acceleration, steering inputs and braking. They utilize the same Michelin Pilot Sport 4S (ZP) or all-season OE tire fitments and compounds developed for the C8. Finishing the look are carbon fiber center caps and lug nuts, and all wheel finishes are backed by a 3-year warranty.

As we await more information on the Callaway C8 Corvette Launch Edition to get beamed to us, here are the five wheel options: