Skip to main content

Callaway Corvette C7.R GT3 racer debuts at Hockenheim

Callaway Cars is known for taking Corvettes to the extreme, and soon it will be doing that on the track. While Chevy already campaigns Corvette C7.R racers in the IMSA and FIA sports-car series, Callaway will build a version specifically for the budding European FIA GT3 class.

That car, the Corvette C7.R GT3, debuted over the weekend at the Hockenheimring in Germany. It will debut next season, competing against a wide variety of production-based machinery, and this should make for some interesting racing.

While Callaway Cars is based in Old Lyme, Connecticut, the C7.R GT3 was built by its racing division, Callaway Competition, in Leingarten, Germany. Per GT3 rules, the car retains some of the features of a stock Corvette, but it only takes one look to realize that this isn’t an ordinary Stingray.

The car is powered by a 6.2-liter V8 producing 600 horsepower, which is channeled through a six-speed, paddle-shifted Xtrac sequential gearbox. It also gets some serious cosmetic work, with massive fender flares, a huge rear spoiler, and numerous aerodynamics-related modifications. The interior has also been completely gutted, with all of the usual luxuries replaced by a digital gauge display and a parade of switches.

The first C7.R GT3 will be raced by Callaway’s own in-house team. It will compete in “a variety of racing series worldwide,” Callaway says, although it’s unclear if it will ever appear stateside. Either way, the factory-backed Corvette C7.Rs will continue to fly the flag in the U.S. next year in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Those cars are built to FIA GTE specifications, a higher level than GT3. The latter class’ lower cost of entry has attracted a variety of manufacturers over the past few years, from Cadillac to Bentley to Lamborghini. That gives fans the opportunity to see cars that are at least somewhat similar to ones they can actually buy going head-to-head in competition.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and EVs offer big incentives as year nears its end
chrysler dodge jeep ev incentives record my24 hybrid gallery 04 exterior desktop jpg image 1440

It’s no secret that automakers and dealerships typically climb over each other to offer the best incentives before the year ends. But this year’s sales season is expected to be particularly competitive, with slowing sales translating to greater urgency to clear inventory.

According to research from Kelley Blue Book, the respected vehicle-valuation firm, overall incentives on new vehicle sales were up by 60% in October compared to the previous year.

Read more
Jeep, Ram EREVs will get 690-mile range with new Stellantis platform
A 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger sits in a vineyard.

Stellantis, the giant automotive group, is betting big on extending the range of both its hybrid and fully electric vehicles (EVs).

Last month, the company, which owns the Jeep, Dodge, and Ram brands in the U.S., invested nearly $30 million into an advanced wind tunnel at its research center in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The goal is to study airflow around a vehicle’s wheels and tires to further optimize its EVs and boost their range.

Read more
Self-driving vehicle rules set to loosen under Trump, report says
self driving looser rules trump screenshot 2024 10 at 54 56 pm 6708947b14810

Tesla “has been very clear the future is autonomous,” CEO Elon Musk said in October, shortly after unveiling the Cybercab, Tesla’s self-driving robotaxi.

It now seems that Musk, who was recently nominated to lead a newly-created "Department of Government Efficiency," is sharing his crystal ball with the incoming Trump administration.

Read more