GM GT3 Program
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Drifting
Joined: Aug 2018
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GM GT3 Program
https://us.motorsport.com/imsa/news/...3-gtd/5667921/
Klauser, . . . suggested racing will remain part of the C8.R’s future, but the precise form it will take from next year is still being mulled over at GM’s top level.
“There’s quite a bit of re-engineering to do to turn a car from GT Le Mans class into GT Daytona class,”
“The other big thing is, it’s quite a different mentality to go down a customer platform route with a GT3 car than when you build a GTE car that you know is going to be factory-built and -run.
“You have to pull a lot of cost out of something that you designed to be factory-run to make it affordable for the customer.
“So one of the things that we’ve had to look at when trying to figure out where we want to race is the fact that if we go GT3 racing with Corvette, to use the racecar we have today would involve a huge tear-up.
We’re likely looking at cutting the car’s cost in half and moving forward from there.
So it’s no small feat and, to be honest, I see it as likely being a brand new program; you’re not totally starting from scratch… but really you are!”
“The program team is all-in when it comes to us campaigning the car on the racetrack, they’re all into the idea of building the production car and the racecar side by side.
One thing not mentioned in the article is that a customer available GT3 car with the DOHC flat plane engine solves the problem of production engine qualification WITHOUT using the engine in other cars. Only need to build and sell 300 GT3 cars. Purchase price?
Klauser, . . . suggested racing will remain part of the C8.R’s future, but the precise form it will take from next year is still being mulled over at GM’s top level.
“There’s quite a bit of re-engineering to do to turn a car from GT Le Mans class into GT Daytona class,”
“The other big thing is, it’s quite a different mentality to go down a customer platform route with a GT3 car than when you build a GTE car that you know is going to be factory-built and -run.
“You have to pull a lot of cost out of something that you designed to be factory-run to make it affordable for the customer.
“So one of the things that we’ve had to look at when trying to figure out where we want to race is the fact that if we go GT3 racing with Corvette, to use the racecar we have today would involve a huge tear-up.
We’re likely looking at cutting the car’s cost in half and moving forward from there.
So it’s no small feat and, to be honest, I see it as likely being a brand new program; you’re not totally starting from scratch… but really you are!”
“The program team is all-in when it comes to us campaigning the car on the racetrack, they’re all into the idea of building the production car and the racecar side by side.
One thing not mentioned in the article is that a customer available GT3 car with the DOHC flat plane engine solves the problem of production engine qualification WITHOUT using the engine in other cars. Only need to build and sell 300 GT3 cars. Purchase price?
Last edited by Kodiak Bear; Mar 10, 2021 at 05:01 PM.
Popular Reply
Mar 11, 2021, 06:45 PM
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 4,029
Likes: 2,598
From: Northern VA, USA
A Corvette GT3 car is probably $500K+
The Mercedes is about $475k, the Acura is like $560K Plus a mandatory $100k spares package.
The Camaro GT4 car is $260K, and a GT3 car is way more....
Don't think "GT3" like some cars put stickers on their street cars. These are all out race cars.
The Mercedes is about $475k, the Acura is like $560K Plus a mandatory $100k spares package.
The Camaro GT4 car is $260K, and a GT3 car is way more....
Don't think "GT3" like some cars put stickers on their street cars. These are all out race cars.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2009
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From: Colorado
Tech Contributor
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 10,445
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From: Northern VA
"Ask Tadge" Producer
https://www.lsxmag.com/news/in-retro...he-race-track/
Many didn’t know, but from 1999 to 2001 you could buy a Corvette C5 ‘kit car’ straight from GM’s service and parts division; however, there were some drawbacks. The car didn’t come complete, hence “kit car.” Basically, what you got was a C5 chassis, motor, drivetrain, and other necessities, with the details left to the buyer to sort out. Due to some logistical problems, customers didn’t get their body panels until a few weeks after ordering the car.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,532
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From: NSL UT
Originally Posted by lrobe22
It would be nice to see gm finally support privateers like every other oem does.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 4,029
Likes: 2,598
From: Northern VA, USA
And Corvette isn't totally unsupported (although not supported like many others). Corvette selected Callaway to build and run their C7 GT3 program, and you could have purchased one for years now -- and even run it in GTD. But that wasn't really GM support, just an outsourced GT3 program. They also sold a handful of GTE cars to customers that were run in ALMS and Le Mans, but no one seems to be running those anymore.
I've also responded to the OP in the other thread that it was posted in, because there are some inaccuracies there.
Last edited by z28lt1; Mar 11, 2021 at 03:36 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 5,529
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From: Austin Texas
About $150,000-$200,000.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 2,598
Likes: 1,593
If you follow racing long enough, you realize that its a sucker's game.... the rules change all the time... the sanctioning bodied want to get manufacturers involved ($$$$$) and then realize that whoever spends the most money wins, and everyone else drops out, so they re-jig the rules to keep the losers competitive, and everybody gets fed up, and and they invent a new "formula"..... and on and on...
I've loved racing since I was a kid, and raced cars for over a decade, and its in my blood.... but it's still a sucker's game....
I've loved racing since I was a kid, and raced cars for over a decade, and its in my blood.... but it's still a sucker's game....
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 4,029
Likes: 2,598
From: Northern VA, USA
A Corvette GT3 car is probably $500K+
The Mercedes is about $475k, the Acura is like $560K Plus a mandatory $100k spares package.
The Camaro GT4 car is $260K, and a GT3 car is way more....
Don't think "GT3" like some cars put stickers on their street cars. These are all out race cars.
The Mercedes is about $475k, the Acura is like $560K Plus a mandatory $100k spares package.
The Camaro GT4 car is $260K, and a GT3 car is way more....
Don't think "GT3" like some cars put stickers on their street cars. These are all out race cars.
Last edited by z28lt1; Mar 11, 2021 at 06:46 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,083
Likes: 1,230
From: Chalfont PA
A Corvette GT3 car is probably $500K+
The Mercedes is about $475k, the Acura is like $560K Plus a mandatory $100k spares package.
The Camaro GT4 car is $260K, and a GT3 car is way more....
Don't think "GT3" like some cars put stickers on their street cars. These are all out race cars.
The Mercedes is about $475k, the Acura is like $560K Plus a mandatory $100k spares package.
The Camaro GT4 car is $260K, and a GT3 car is way more....
Don't think "GT3" like some cars put stickers on their street cars. These are all out race cars.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 2,598
Likes: 1,593
Hello...if you race in a higher end "Amateur" race series, like PCA, ... and be competitive to win, or at least consistently podium in a competitive class...
Here's the numbers.... $40-100K for the car, $20K for set-up... bare-bones, $5K per weekend for expense if you do all your wrenching yourself, but go to $8-10K for a full "arrive and drive"..(which you need to do BTW).... not including any misfortune, like a trip into a tire wall, or blown-up engine... put some $00,000 on that, (and holds the onions). That's Howdy Doody racing, there friends....
Doing an IMSA race, if you can't **** 6 figures out your ***, don't knock on the door....
Here's the numbers.... $40-100K for the car, $20K for set-up... bare-bones, $5K per weekend for expense if you do all your wrenching yourself, but go to $8-10K for a full "arrive and drive"..(which you need to do BTW).... not including any misfortune, like a trip into a tire wall, or blown-up engine... put some $00,000 on that, (and holds the onions). That's Howdy Doody racing, there friends....
Doing an IMSA race, if you can't **** 6 figures out your ***, don't knock on the door....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 5,000
Likes: 2,261
A Corvette GT3 car is probably $500K+
The Mercedes is about $475k, the Acura is like $560K Plus a mandatory $100k spares package.
The Camaro GT4 car is $260K, and a GT3 car is way more....
Don't think "GT3" like some cars put stickers on their street cars. These are all out race cars.
The Mercedes is about $475k, the Acura is like $560K Plus a mandatory $100k spares package.
The Camaro GT4 car is $260K, and a GT3 car is way more....
Don't think "GT3" like some cars put stickers on their street cars. These are all out race cars.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 962
Likes: 187
Akin to what they did early in the C5 years, after the hardtop coupe was released. They "built" (heh) some 200 or so hardtop cars for racers to purchase. Mostly un-assembled.
https://www.lsxmag.com/news/in-retro...he-race-track/
Perhaps something similar for this generation?
https://www.lsxmag.com/news/in-retro...he-race-track/
Perhaps something similar for this generation?
Last edited by Robert R1; Mar 13, 2021 at 01:26 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 962
Likes: 187
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 24,017
Likes: 634
St. Jude Donor '10
