The Chevrolet Corvette has always been the poster child for GM in America as well across the world alongside the Camaro. Spanning 8 generations, the Corvette today is codenamed the C8 and is also the first rear mid-engine production car from General Motors since the 1984 Pontiac Fiero. Last year, Chevrolet further upped the ante when it introduced the Corvette C8 Z06 which not only celebrated the 70 years of the Corvette nameplate but also became the production vehicle with the most powerful naturally aspirated V-8 engine.
Interestingly, the Corvette C8 is also the only one out of its entire generational line-up to get a right-hand drive version straight from the factory when it first made its debut in Japan two years ago. On the topic of the Japanese market, Chevrolet is gearing up to launch the Corvette Z06 with a single color option and has also introduced two limited edition models of the regular Corvette Stingray. So, let’s take a close look at these limited edition models which celebrate the brand’s rich motorsport legacy.
Energetic Looks With Oodles Of Oomph: Corvette Limited Racing Style Edition
Now before we jump in to take an in-depth look at the first limited edition model, it's important to note that each of these models is limited to just 35 units and will be available in two color combos and as a coupe or a convertible. The Limited Racing Style Edition of the Corvette is available in two color options, with the first being the Arctic White scheme available in the 2LT trim of the coupe and convertible. In this configuration, the coupe is limited to just 15 units whereas the convertible is even rarer, with only 5 units allocated.
The second color option is Hypersonic Grey that’s offered in the 3LT trim of the coupe or convertible, with the former limited to 10 units and the latter to just 5 units. Depending on the exterior color option that’s chosen, the special edition model is adorned with two full-length racing stripes which are finished in either black or red. The sides reveal the 20-spoke Gloss Black forged aluminum wheels and carbon accents for the mirrors and the rear spoiler. Another differentiating factor between the two color options is that the Arctic White version gets red surrounds for its wheels. Lastly, both models also get body-colored roof panels as well.
The interior also holds the same story as the exterior whereby the Hypersonic Grey option hosts a dual-tone dark and light blue color scheme whereas the Arctic White is made available with a dual-tone black and red theme. The former option’s cabin also features bucket seats finished in Nappa leather, leather-wrapped steering, and blue seatbelts for the coupe and convertible. Meanwhile, the Arctic White option’s interior is quite different as it's equipped with GT2 bucket seats, a suede finish for the seats, and a steering wheel along with red seatbelts.
Subtle Yet Exciting: Corvette Limited Sport Style Edition
Compared to the model that we just talked about, the Limited Sport Style Edition can be considered a more elegant and stylish version of the Corvette. There are a wide variety of differences too, and it's easily apparent with the exterior itself as this edition lacks the racing stripes and instead, is available in two monotone color options - yellow and black. The other major difference is the fact that this edition is available only in 2LT trim with the coupe being offered in both color options whereas the convertible is yellow only.
What is similar however is the fact that the coupe version is limited to 20 units finished in black and 10 units finished in yellow whereas the convertible has only 5 units. Both models retain the same 20-inch forged aluminum wheels but the black version sports red calipers whereas the yellow one features yellow calipers. In addition to the carbon accents for the mirrors and spoiler, the convertible also sports the same for its roof.
The interior also oozes subtle since the coupe finished in black features a jet black color theme, GT2 bucket seats which are wrapped in Nappa leather with suede microfiber, a suede steering wheel, and black seatbelts. The ‘Accelerated Yellow’ version shares the same jet black color theme, GT2 bucket seats covered in Nappa leather with suede microfiber and a suede steering wheel but differs itself with the yellow seatbelts, adding a bit of brightness to the cabin.
Other feature highlights within the interior of the Limited Sport Style and Limited Racing Style editions include:
- 12.0-inch gauge cluster
- 8.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
- Wireless charging
- 14-speaker Bose audio system
- Head-up display
Same Powertrain, Varying Prices
Specifications And Price
Model | Price ($) | Engine | Gearbox | Output |
Yellow/Black 2LT Coupe (Limited Sport Style) | 103,585 | 6.2-liter NA V8 | 8-speed DCT | 495 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque |
Arctic White 2LT Coupe (Limited Racing Style) | 105,000 | 6.2-liter NA V8 | 8-speed DCT | 495 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque |
Hypersonic Grey 3LT Coupe (Limited Racing Style) | 118,113 | 6.2-liter NA V8 | 8-speed DCT | 495 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque |
Yellow/Black convertible (Limited Sport Style) | 128,250 | 6.2-liter NA V8 | 8-speed DCT | 495 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque |
Arctic White/Hypersonic Grey convertible (Limited Racing Style | 128,496 | 6.2-liter NA V8 | 8-speed DCT | 495 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque |
Despite all the exhaustive details and differences between the coupe and convertible versions of the two limited editions, the one thing that remains common is the powertrain itself. Since it’s available with the Z51 Performance package as standard which includes a dual-mode exhaust, the venerable 6.2-Liter naturally aspirated LT2 small-block V-8 develops 495 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque and is mated to an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Other upgrades included in the Z51 package include the revised suspension thanks to adaptive dampers, increased cooling, bigger brakes, and an electronically limited slip differential. With all these upgrades, the Corvette Stingray can accelerate from 0-60 mph in just under 3.0 seconds, making it one of the quickest sportscars out there.
When it comes to prices, the most affordable of the bunch is the Corvette Limited Racing Style Edition which starts at $105,000 (14,900,000 Japanese Yen) for a Coupe 2LT in Arctic White. Positioned above it is the Hypersonic Grey Coupe 3LT that retails for $118,113 (16,900,000 Japanese Yen).
If buyers opt for the Corvette Limited Sport Style Edition then they need to shell out $103,585 (14,700,000 Japanese Yen) for a yellow or black Corvette Coupe 2LT and $128,250 (18,200,000 Japanese Yen) for the yellow Corvette Convertible. Rivaling the likes of the Porsche Cayman GT4 RS, Jaguar F-Type, and the new Ford Mustang Dark Horse, the Corvette limited editions are definitely special for obvious reasons, and yet its unfortunate that we’ll probably never get to see one in the wild.