2009 CALLAWAY C16 SPEEDSTER

NEWS & REVIEWS One of our biggest gripes with the latest C6 Corvettes is that they all kinda look the same. To the untrained eye, a $105-grand ZR1 looks a lot like a cooking $46,000 coupe. That’s the big appeal of Callaway’s latest C16 coupe and convertible—it’s a Corvette under the skin, but on the outside, every body panel is changed. And from its ’50s Ferrari-grille opening to its curvy rear and carbon-fiber wheels, the C16 oozes sports-car style. It also has the power to match its rakish lines, courtesy of a Callaway-developed, supercharged 6.2-liter LS3 V-8, cranking out 650 hp and enough torque to bring down houses. The standard C16 package is good enough to launch the car to 60 in just 3.3 seconds and go on to a top speed of 200-plus mph. And there are also hundreds of options to choose from. Our favorite: the hand-stitched leather interior for a cool $24 grand. PHOTOS: click photos to enlarge

2008 CALLAWAY C16 SPEEDSTER

NEWS & REVIEWS Want bugs in your teeth at 200 mph? Sign up for one of Reeves Callaway’s stunning Corvette-based C16 Speedsters. This no-windshield, no-roof, two-seat supercar is the third in a trio of new Callaway C16s after the coupe, then the roadster. It’s the spiritual successor to the 1990 Callaway Speedster and 1998 C12 Speedster and is aimed at those who want the ultimate open-air driving experience. You might need to invest in a full-face helmet because this baby is fast. Power comes from a supercharged and intercooled 6.2-liter hand-built V-8, packing a massive 700 bhp and 660 lb-ft of torque. Callaway claims zero-to-60-mph sprinting in just 3.2 seconds and a top speed of more than 210 mph. While the Speedster is based on the latest C6 ’Vette, every body panel is replaced with resculpted versions. Instead of a regular windshield, there are twin wind deflectors. Rain? Who cares? PHOTOS: click photos to enlarge