Callaway C12

Newest Offering Based on the Fifth-Generation Corvette
is the First All-New Callaway Corvette in 11 Years

Callaway Cars of Old Lyme, Conn. and the IVM Engineering Group of Munich have teamed to produce the 1998 Callaway C12. The first all-new Callaway Corvette in 11 years, the C12 represents Callaway's vision of the fifth-generation (C5) Corvette.

"For the first time since 1987, Callaway Cars is producing a top-to-bottom, all-new Corvette-based product -- not a just Corvette with Callaway accents," commented Reeves Callaway, President of Callaway Cars. "The C12 carries the combined lineage of Callaway, IVM Engineering and the fifth-generation Corvette and is certainly the most sophisticated vehicle we have ever produced."
Powered by the Callaway SuperNatural LS1, the 8-cylinder, twin-valve alloy engine which produces 440 bhp, the Callaway C12 generates zero-to-60 mph speeds of less than 4.5 seconds and tops out at nearly 200 mph. The C12 powerplant represents a 25 percent increase in bhp over the base Corvette.
Distinctive in its appearance, the C12 is almost two meters wide and 1.2 meters high. The larger-than-average size combined with an out-of-the-ordinary coach-built body based on the fifth generation Corvette gives the C12 aggressive look. Like its predecessors, the C12's large twin exhaust system further enhances its appearance.

Designed by Paul Deutschman, the C12 incorporates a unique aerodynamic body package that has been utilized in previous Callaway designs such as the Speedster (1990), Sledgehammer (1988), the SuperNaturalÔ Corvette (1992) and the SuperNatural Camaro (1994).
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The C12's steel section frame employs an individual wheel suspension system with double A-arms and adjustable dampers that have been fitted to both axles improving the car's handling stability. Further enhancing the car's suspension are the custom designed 19" Pirelli P-Zero tires. The C12's anti-lock braking system is run by quadruple piston high performance brake calipers and internally ventilated discs.
Standard equipment on the Callaway C12 include dual airbags, an on-board computer, automatic air-conditioning, heated exterior mirrors, a windscreen aerial and deluxe contour seats (with driver's side memory) with well-fitting headrest. The black and silver interior is made of aluminum, leather and carbon-fiber.

"The Callaway C12 marks a whole new direction for us," said Arpad Kiss, Managing Director of the IVM Engineering Group. "In our 30 years, we have worked primarily with European cars and relished the opportunity to work with the world's pre-eminent Corvette post-production manufacturer."

The IVM Engineering Group is a technical and commercial services company which specializes in customer-specific concept realization in the most diverse sectors. IVM covers everything required for the realization of a product concept and design, CAD design, simulation and calculation, electrics and electronics, sample and prototype construction, testing, equipment and production planning, quality assurance, technical documentation and training. The company has a workforce of 1,400 at various engineering centers located all over the world.

Founded in 1976, Callaway Cars specializes in powertrain enhancements for high-performance vehicles. The company's clients include General Motors, Alfa Romeo, Iso Rivolta and Aston Martin.