Next year will mark Chevrolet Corvette’s 65th model year, so a celebration is in the works. To be offered on top trim levels of the Grand Sport and Z06, the Carbon 65 edition will be limited to only 650 cars. To put that into perspective, only 300 cars were built in 1953 and each one was white with a red interior. Dealers didn’t know how to sell a straight six fiberglass car with an automatic transmission, so many sat on the lot well into 1954. It wasn’t until Zora Duntov wrote Chevrolet a scathing letter addressing the car’s faults did marketing and engineering realize its potential.
Anniversary edition Corvettes have been a hit or miss with collectors, as there were no restrictions on production in the old days. The 25th-anniversary model was so popular that dealers ordered over 6,300 of them! My own misfortune was in spending every dime I had on a 50th-anniversary model in 2003, only to see them everywhere in just a year. But instead of focusing on the numbers, let’s look at what will make the Carbon 65 one for the ages. The new exterior is Ceramic Matrix Gray, and it has many pieces of exposed carbon fiber. Convertibles will have a blue soft top with carbon fiber tonneau cover, and all cars will have black wheels. It will be known as option code Z30, with a price tag of $15,000.
Other changes for 2018 include magnetic ride as a stand-alone option. It was first offered in 2003 on the anniversary cars only. It is the best suspension I have ever encountered, so we’re glad it’s available on base model cars now. Cosworth has upgraded the Performance Data Recorder to include four more data channels. Individual tire speeds, intake air temperature, suspension loading, and yaw rate are now recorded. Base model wheels are now 19″ front and 20″ rear with 5 new wheel options. If your dealer doesn’t receive an allocation for the Carbon 65, our dealers will be happy to reserve one for you. Stay with us for more Chevrolet news and congratulations to Team Corvette for this historic milestone.
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