First Drive: 2009 Specter Werkes/Sports Corvette GTR

2009 Chevrolet Corvette

Last February, we got a look at the nearly finished clay model of Specter Werkes/Sports' latest riff on America's Sports Car, the C6 Corvette GTR. The car is now up and running and we just took it for a spin before its public unveiling at Greater Detroit's annual Eyes on Design Fathers' Day car show. First impressions?

Now that it's all smoothed out and coated in wet-look liquid-silver paint (a BASF concoction hitherto seen only on a handful of AMG cars that adds $5000 to the bottom line), what initially struck these eyes as perhaps a bit Darth Vader angular and study-hall-doodle immature in its unfinished clay-model form has turned out to be strikingly handsome.

It's sufficiently aggressive and different enough to draw attention, without straying into the realm of the tacky paper-tiger go-fast cliches. The only thing I'd change is the hood. The louvers in front (which aid cooling and release underhood air pressure) look a bit too much like sea-monster gills, and the high-rise isn't needed to clear the installed engine hardware but compromises the sight lines.

Low-volume hand-laid fiberglass can be formed in shapes that might not be practical in volume production, like the 3-4mm flat vertical surface with sharp corners on each side that defines the strong character line leading around and back from the front fender extractors. As you'll recall from our first look, SWS replaces the fascias, fenders, hood, door outer skins, rocker panels and rear quarters with completely new fiberglass parts that widen the car by 4.4 inches to envelop the ZR1's standard tires (Michelin Pilot Sport 2 Zero Pressure tires; 285/30ZR19 front; 335/25ZR20 rear) stretched over Forgeline wheels (11.0 x 19 inches front; 12.0 x 20 rear).

The revised fascias add 7.8 inches in overall length. The enlarged bodywork adds some 10-20 pounds to an all fiberglass Vette. GTRs get plenty of carbon fiber too, including the front splitter and rear diffuser, side mirror caps, and headlamp bezels. A CTS high-mount stoplight and unique taillamps finish off the rear. The engine is dressed up with carbon-fiber fuel-rail covers and a yellow intake manifold. An interesting touch: The door release buttons are tucked up in the rear wheel arches (we're assured they're totally waterproof).