Corvette LMP1

[carreragt10]

Corvette LMP1

What Might Have Been: Corvette LMP1 challenger

Autoblog friend and sports car racing junkie, Mike Laney, recently got the chance to tour Pratt & Miller (a.k.a. Corvette Racing HQ), and besides building the Speed GT Cadillac CTS-V, Pontiac GTO.R & GXP.R, C5-R and C6.R ALMS GT1 Corvettes, the company also makes the ZR1-rivaling C6RS road car. During his tour of the facilities, Mike spotted a wind tunnel model of an unfamiliar race car. As it turns out, the model was the car that P&M had envisioned for Corvette's attack on Le Mans, or rather, a scale model version of that car. As Mike puts it:

"Pratt & Miller had been working on an LMP1 Corvette, due to race in the American Le Mans Series and at the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans. The ACO's proposed LMP1 EVO regulations (then due to go into effect in 2010 or 2011) looked very appealing to GM as it'd give them a way to fight for overall victories and do it with a car that looked decidedly like a Corvette... Due to the economy, regulation changes, and the struggles at GM, this car will unfortunately probably never be anything more than a wind tunnel model."

It's really a stunning model, with just enough Corvette DNA in the styling to make it recognizable as America's preeminent sports car. To think that this might have mounted an assault on Le Mans makes us long for a time not so long ago when the global economic condition was a lot more favorable to racing and the auto industry in general. Heck, we hope General Motors keeps the model around when plans for the C7 get into high gear. Thanks for the inside scoop, Mike!

What Might Have Been: Corvette LMP1 challenger

[carreragt10]

Corvette LMP1 #02

[henk4]

stillborn

[carreragt10]

The Corvette LMP1 project is canceled however Pratt & Miller created a scale model test in wind tunnel

[Roentgen]

Why was it cancelled? It looks pretty cool imo...

[Kitdy]

It was cancelled some time ago - maybe due to the economic crisis and also the LMP Evo rules were canned.

That's what I read at least.

[W.R.]

Looks more like a GT than LMP, still, shame it was cancelled.

[LeonOfTheDead]

in which year was it designed?

[Brix]

carreragt10 where did you get those photos from?

[carreragt10]

Originally Posted by Brix

carreragt10 where did you get those photos from?

Sent by email, I have no idea where these pictures taken

[carreragt10]

Interesting article:

GM Red Flags Corvette's Le Mans Evo C7R Racer

The future of GM's Corvette Racing program is cloudy once again with the decision by the corporation to shelve its mid-engine Le Mans "Evo" platform. The C7R (conceptualized above by Automobile Magazine) was expected to be the first American manufactured race car in 44 years to compete for the overall win at Le Mans, the world's most prestigious endurance race. The move last month by ACO, the Le Mans rule-makers to backtrack on plans to launch the Evo class leaves Corvette Racing without a ride after the 2010 racing season, and my oh my what an awesome ride that would have been.

Back in 2007, new rules were adopted for Le Mans starting in 2010 that would have combined the GT1 and LMP1 into the "Evo" class. The Evo racers would have featured cars designed with closed cockpits in a move to emphasize more of the relationship between the racy road cars and their production siblings instead of the open cockpit formula styled cars currently running in the LMP1 class. However current LMP1 contestants including Audi and Peugeot complained loud and hard about the rule changes to the point that the ACO rules committee will allow them to continue in their current configuration, albeit modified to reduce overall top speeds, for years to come.

As usual, there are conflicting stories and finger-pointing as to the status of the Evo program with Sweet Pete De Lorenzo of AutoExtremist.com saying that the class is very much on and that the "brain trust" at GM was halting the program because a mid-engined Corvette wouldn't have a direct connection to the production Corvette. His "rant" against GM's preference for NASCAR above all other forms of racing is a great read for those of us who prefer the road racing efforts epitomized by the success of Corvette. GM's road-racing program director Steve Wesoloksi said the Evo program has only been suspended due to the questionable regulations surrounding the revised Le Mans classes. And while cost concerns were a factor, he does say the door is open to resuming the Evo program should the class move forward.

Corvette Racing has essentially been racing itself the last two years because of these pending rule changes. With the Evo racer shelved and no competition likely in the GT1 class, a move down to the GT2 class is now looking more certain. GM's contract with Pratt & Miller runs through 2010 so its likely we'll see the team racing the familiar C6.Rs for at least the near future.

Wesoloski also said the FIA, Europe's counterpart to the ALMS, and the ACO are working with GM, Porsche, Ferrari and Aston Martin to produce a single GT class based more on the specifications of production cars, which would allow the companies to compete head-to-head. So despite the loss of the Evo Corvette, another Corvette-based racer is likely to be on the horizon to take on the best the world has to offer.

Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle: GM Red Flags Corvette's Le Mans Evo C7R Racer

[WMUCarGuy]

I took these photos at Pratt & Miller's facilities in New Hudson, MI when I went for a tour a few weeks ago.

In retrospect, I wish I had watermarked them, but oh well...

[carreragt10]

Originally Posted by WMUCarGuy

I took these photos at Pratt & Miller's facilities in New Hudson, MI when I went for a tour a few weeks ago.

In retrospect, I wish I had watermarked them, but oh well...

For all the trophies and awards achieved if q convinces me they are the facilities of Pratt & Miller

The images have been published in another website

[carreragt10]

Corvette GTP

[Ecnelis]

Originally Posted by carreragt10

The images have been published in another website

What Might Have Been: Corvette LMP1 challenger