[1]Available on the Z06 3LZ trim, the Carbon 65 Edition celebrates 65 years of Corvette with a new Ceramic Matrix Gray paint color and visible carbon fiber exterior elements, including a carbon fiber hood and rear spoiler.
What do you do if you’re Chevrolet and you’ve got TWO of the biggest events in Corvette history on the boil–the C7 ZR1 and a secret mid-engine car–but you can’t talk about them because they’re still in gestation yet you still have to carry on with business as usual?
If you’re Chevy, you do what you’ve done since the Silver Anniversary C3 debuted in 1978. You keep improving the breed with new colors, improvements and a cool special edition thrown in for good measure. Just because you have big product news coming doesn’t mean you can skip moving the metal sheet molded compound today.
[2]The Carbon 65 Edition features special graphics on the doors and front fenders.
Additionally, Chevrolet released it’s ordering guide for the 2018 Corvette yesterday as well and it’s telling in many ways. What isn’t in the guide is probably most significant.
Alas, there is nary a peep about the ZR1, so as previously mentioned, here’s the sizzle until then.
First off, there’s the cool Carbon 65 Edition. According to Chevy Media:
“Chevrolet is commemorating the 65th anniversary of the Corvette with a new Corvette Carbon 65 Edition offered on 2018 Grand Sport 3LT and Z06 3LZ models.
Limited to only 650 numbered vehicles globally, the distinctive Carbon 65 blends visible carbon-fiber exterior elements — notably, a new carbon-fiber rear spoiler and quarter ducts — with a new Ceramic Matrix Gray exterior color and special interior appointments, including a new carbon-fiber-rimmed steering wheel.
[3]Exclusive Carbon 65 sill plates greet driver and passenger.
“Corvette is one of the most storied names in Chevrolet and sports car history, with a heritage few can match,” said Paul Edwards, U.S. vice president Chevrolet Marketing. “The new Carbon 65 Edition honors that legacy, while offering customers another unique, special-edition model that personalizes the ownership experience.”
The Carbon 65 Edition package (order code Z30) will include:
- Available on Grand Sport 3LT and Z06 3LZ trims
- Ceramic Matrix Gray exterior (blue top on Convertibles)
- Unique fender stripes and door graphics
- Black wheels with machined grooves paired with summer-only tires* (Cup-style wheels for Grand Sport and Blade-style wheels for Z06)
- Blue brake calipers
- Visible carbon-fiber ground effects, hood section and roof (Coupe models) or tonneau inserts (Convertible models)
- New visible carbon-fiber spoiler (all models) and quarter intake ducts (Coupe)
- Center caps with Carbon logo
- Carbon Flash badges and outside mirrors
- Jet Black suede-wrapped interior with blue stitching
- Carbon-fiber steering wheel rim and gloss carbon-fiber interior trim
- Competition Sport seats
- Carbon 65 Edition sill plates
The Corvette Carbon 65 Edition package will cost $15,000 and will be available this summer, along with the rest of the 2018 Corvette lineup.
[4]Limited to 650 vehicles globally, and available on Grand Sport 3LT and Z06 3LZ trims, the Carbon 65 Edition features visible carbon fiber exterior elements, a new Ceramic Matrix Gray exterior color and special interior appointments, including a new carbon fiber-rimmed steering wheel.
At $15K it ain’t cheap, but it is loaded up with some cool stuff and with only 650 produced, you probably won’t see a duplicate at the local show and shine.
[5]
[6]
[7]
End of the road for these three...
Speaking of special editions,the 2018 ordering guide is conspicuous in the absence of three former special edition models. ZLD/ZLE/ZLG Design Packages are deleted though you can still get bits and pieces of the old models as separate options, like the interior colors 198 Jet Black and 755 Spice Red.
Another AWOL option is the Engine Build Program. Too bad as this was extra cool, but a t $5K it might have been to steep for many takers.
Deletions:
- (GGB) Sterling Blue Metallic exterior color
- (12*) Dark Gray Z06 interior
- (205) Twilight Blue interior
- 18″ front/19″ rear Stingray wheels (QG6/QX1/RPK/QX3) and (XBK) 18″ front/19″ rear Stingray tires
- (ZLD/ZLE/ZLG) Design Packages (198 Jet Black sueded and 755 Spice Red interiors still available)
- (Z25) Grand Sport Collector Edition
- LPO wheels: 5YU/5YV/5YZ/5Z2/5YX/5YW/5Z8 (all still ACO)
- (PBC) Customer Engine Build Program
- (PD5) Buyers Tour with engine build experience
New Features
- (G9F) Ceramic Matrix Gray Metallic exterior color
- (Z30) Carbon 65 Edition for 3LT Grand Sport and 3LZ Z06
- (RNP) Z51-style 5-split spoke, Black-painted with Yellow stripe aluminum, 19″ x 8.5″ front and 20″ x 10″ rear wheels
- (RNM) Torque directional Silver-painted aluminum, 19″ x 8.5″ front and 20″ x 10″ rear wheels
- (R2Q) Torque directional chrome aluminum, 19″ x 8.5″ front and 20″ x 10″ rear wheels
- (RNN) Motorsports Black-painted aluminum, 19″ x 8.5″ front and 20″ x 10″ rear wheels
- (Q9C) Z06 Black-painted aluminum with Yellow Stripe, 19″ x 10″ front and 20″ x 12″ rear wheels
- (37S) Blue custom leather stitch
- HD radio
[8]Black wheels with machined grooves and Carbon-logo center caps come standard on the Carbon 65 Edition.
Changes
- 2LT interior adds color instrument panel brow (now common with 2LZ)
- (141/143/144/145/146) Gray interior now available on Z06
- (755) Spice Red interior is now available on 3LT/3LZ
- (198) Jet Black sueded interior is now available for 3LT/3LZ and includes (FCC) high-gloss carbon fiber, instrument panel and (N2Z) carbon fiber and sueded microfiber-wrapped rim, flat-bottom steering wheel
- (80T) Spice Red convertible top now available
- (196) Jet Black sueded interior not available with color stitch options, now use (198) Jet Black sueded interior
- (36S) Yellow/(37S) Blue/(38S) Red custom leather stitch now requires (195) Jet Black interior and (FAY) carbon fiber instrument panel trim; or (198) Jet Black sueded interior
- (UQT) Performance data and video recorder updates include additional toolbox data available: All 4 individual wheel speeds, All 4 suspension displacements, Yaw rate, Intake air temperature, Ambient air temperature
- (Q7S) Z51-style 5-split spoke, Silver-painted aluminum, 19″ front/20″ rear and (XFJ) P245/35ZR19 front/P285/30ZR20 rear, performance, summer-only tires now standard on Stingray
- (R86) Motorsports polished aluminum wheels are now available for all Stingray models
- (Q8U) Z06 10-spoke blade Pearl Nickel-painted aluminum wheels are now available for all Z06 models
- Standard Rear Vision Camera now has a wide view
- (DUR) Grand Sport Satin Black Center Stripe Package now available with (Z15) Grand Sport Heritage Package
- (FE2) Magnetic Ride Control no longer includes spoiler or wheel change
- (J57) Ceramic disc brakes now available on Grand Sport without (Z07) Z07 Performance Package
One last tidbit, Chevy says the new models will be available this summer “along with the rest of the 2018 Corvette line-up…” Will we see the ZR1 then? Summer is just three months away so we should know soon…Hang on to your hats folks.
[9]Limited to 650 vehicles globally, and available on Grand Sport 3LT and Z06 3LZ trims, the Carbon 65 Edition features visible carbon fiber exterior elements, a new Ceramic Matrix Gray exterior color and special interior appointments, including a new carbon fiber-rimmed steering wheel.