The Callaway C12 is a

sports car A sports car is a type of automobile that is designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as Automobile handling, handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving, and Auto racing, racing capability. Sports cars originated in ...

, designed, developed and built by American manufacturer Callaway, between 1998 and 2001. It is based on the contemporary

Chevrolet Corvette (C5) The Chevrolet Corvette (C5) is the fifth generation of the Chevrolet Corvette, Corvette sports car, produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 1997 through 2004 model years. Production variants include the high performance Z06 ...

, although unlike earlier Callaway efforts the bodywork was entirely different. The C12 retained the Corvette's glass and roof, door handles, and interior hardpoints. The bodywork, designed by Paul Deutschman, is of GRP and kevlar on a hydroformed steel skeleton. The bodywork was built by German IVM Automotive. The brakes are ventilated discs all around, with an ABS system. The suspension is double control arms with coil springs over shock absorbers at all four corners. The C12 was either equipped with a 6.2 liter V8 motor, or a tuned version of the 5.7 liter LS1 used in the Corvette C5 with multiple under-hood modifications, many of which increased horsepower. The 5.7-liter "Supernatural" engine produces and of torque, with the later 6.2-liter version producing . The larger LS6 engine was introduced after Chevrolet had introduced their more powerful Z06 derivative. Additionally, the C12 received modifications that enhanced handling capabilities. According to Callaway, the C12's were built "to a standard rather than a cost" with high-profile customers such as

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr. (born October 10, 1974) is an American professional stock car racing driver, team owner, and broadcaster. A third-generation driver, he is the son of the late 7-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt and relative ...

Otis Chandler Otis Chandler (November 23, 1927 – February 27, 2006) was the publisher of the ''Los Angeles Times'' between 1960 and 1980, leading a large expansion of the newspaper and its ambitions. He was the fourth and final member of the Chandler fami ...

Andrew McKelvey Andrew McKelvey (October 13, 1934 – November 27, 2008) was an American business mogul and chairman and chief executive of Monster Worldwide. He was a billionaire and a philanthropist through the McKelvey Foundation. Personal life McKe ...

, Ely Callaway,

Rick Hendrick Joseph Riddick "Rick" Hendrick III (born July 12, 1949) is an American businessman. He is best known as the owner of the NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports. He is also a co-owner of JR Motorsports and founder of the Hendrick Automotive Group, the l ...

and

Tommy Mottola Thomas Daniel Mottola (born July 14, 1948) is an American businessman, record executive, television producer, theater producer, film producer, investor, and serial entrepreneur. Mottola is the chairman of Mottola Media Group, co-founder of Nter ...

buying the car. In total, 20 cars were produced with exposed headlights, two taillights as opposed to the traditional four, and complete leather-covered interiors dyed to the owner's specifications.

IVM C12

In Germany, the sports car model was built in

Bad Friedrichshall Bad Friedrichshall () is a town in the district of Heilbronn in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is situated at the confluences of the Jagst and of the Kocher into the Neckar, some north of Heilbronn. Bad Friedrichshall arose by th ...

by IVM Automotive (a part of the Ingenieurbüro für Verfahrenstechnik und Maschinenbau) as the IVM C12. The German version was available as a Coupé, Hardtop, or Cabriolet. It was offered as a small range model with the 5.7-litre V8, but tuned to in European specs. In 2000, IVM added a engine to the range. The IVM model was built from 1998 up to 2003. The prices for the IVM C12 has amounted from 350,000 up to 370,000 DM.Vereinigte Motor-Verlage GmbH & Co. KG, Stuttgart (Auto Katalog Jahrgänge 2000 bis 2003)

Racing

From 1997 to 2001, Reeves Callaway sought to compete in the GT2 Class at the famous

24 Hours of Le Mans The 24 Hours of Le Mans () is an endurance-focused Sports car racing, sports car race held annually near the city of Le Mans, France. It is widely considered to be one of the world's most prestigious races, and is one of the races—along with ...

with a racing version of the C12, the C12-R. The race car's crowning achievement was a pole position in 2001.

References

{{reflist Grand tourer racing cars Sports cars Cars of the United States Cars introduced in 1998