Corvette C6-R Race Car Launches in Detroit for 2005 Race Season

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The sound of Chevrolet's new Corvette C6-R race car, which lit up General Motors' arena stage at the North American

Corvette Racing driver Ron Fellows climbs out of the new C6-R race car during its unveiling at the Detroit auto show on Monday, January 10. (Photo: Steve Fecht General Motors)

International Auto Show just prior to the automaker launching its 500-horsepower 2006 Corvette Z06, is akin to a chainsaw cutting through sheetmetal.

Two of the new race cars are set to debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring in March after a year of development testing, as part of a factory-backed Chevrolet sports car program entered into the production-based GT1 class (formerly GTS) of the American Le Mans Series. Expect to see the cars at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans in France as well, an event that has seen a modified racing-spec Corvette winning its class for three out of the past four years.

The C6-R benefited from years of C5-R developmental experience, as well as new

Ron Fellows, lead driver for Corvette Racing's 2005 team, joined GM Chairman Bob Lutz on stage for the introduction of the new C6-R. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

technological advancements that came via the C6 and Z06 production Corvettes.

"The Corvette C6-R is the best sports car we've ever built and it has been our privilege to develop it alongside the new Corvette Z06," commented Harry Turner, GM's group manager for road racing. "History will remember the C5-R as one of the best sports racing cars of all-time and we've set the bar high for the C6-R. With the new C6 chassis and body structure as our starting point, we're already ahead. We left no stone unturned in the development of this new car and we are looking forward to racing it in front of the world in 2005."