We weren’t sure what to expect from tuners when it came to the all-new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray at this year’s SEMA show. Although it wouldn’t have been surprising to see an absolute tsunami of the things, in reality, only a handful of them made it into modifiers’ hands in time to trick out for the trip to Las Vegas. At least that was the consensus among several exhibitors we spoke with who didn’t have a C7 Vette—the awesome sports car simply is too new. But that doesn’t mean the Corvettes that tuners did manage to acquire and modify were quick hack jobs. Quite the opposite, in fact. Here are our favorites:
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Gran Turismo Concept
This bright blue Vette set itself apart by its fantasy-racer design theme, complete with a deep front carbon-fiber splitter, a carbon-fiber hood with heat extractors, yellow-tinted headlights (just like the C6.R’s!), and a harness bar. Whipped up to celebrate Sony’s latest Gran Turismo video game, as well as the title’s 15th anniversary, we think the race theme is wholly appropriate. It also wouldn’t make a bad base for the upcoming high-performance Corvette Z07. Speaking of which, can we have that car, like, now please?
LG Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
Wearing a subtle gray-over-black paint job and a nearly stock exterior, this Corvette built up by LG Motorsports would make for one heck of a sleeper. It sits on a mildly lowered suspension with Koni dampers, breathes exhaust and headers described as “not stock,” and has a mild carbon-fiber body kit. In the Jackson Pollock painting that is SEMA, it’s occasionally nice to see a really well-done car that doesn’t call too much attention to itself.
PFADT Race Engineering Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
Okay, we’re aware that we just made the case for the under-the-radar approach to modification, but this blue Stingray worked together by PFADT Race Engineering is just too cool to pass up. On display in the Toyo tire booth, this specific car shows off PFADT’s P58 package for the C7 Vette, which brings a sharp-looking aero kit and carbon-fiber hood with heat extractors, a stiffened and lowered suspension, and more power. As hinted by the P58 name, PFADT’s Corvette pumps out a healthy 580 horsepower—120 more than a stock 2014 Vette with the sports exhaust—thanks to a cold-air intake, headers, and a “sport-tuned” exhaust. Between the two-inch lower ride height, downforce-tastic rear wing, and lightweight three-piece wheels, the P58 represents one of the better routes to amping up the Corvette’s visuals that we’ve seen yet.
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Nowicki Autosport Chevrolet Corvette Concept 7
Compared to the other Vettes listed here, we think Nowicki Autosport’s Concept 7 is by far the best-looking. The completeness of the package not only helps in the eye-candy department, but also is quite impressive given that the tuner only acquired the donor Vette in mid-October. So far, the majority of the car’s upgrades are visual, including carbon-fiber trim for the various intakes, spoilers, rocker panels, diffuser, fender extensions, and A-pillars. The stock hood was tossed in favor of a carbon-fiber unit with a subtle heat extractor, and the wheels are gorgeous bronze HRE pieces measuring 19 inches up front and 20 in the rear. Mechanical tweaks are so far limited to a Brembo GT big brake kit, but Autosports owner Jeff Nowicki says he’s still deciding whether to whip up a header and exhaust combo or a twin-turbo kit for the latest Corvette. So long as the result looks like the Concept 7, we’re good with it.