Retired GM Performance Division director John Heinricy hitched a ride with us to the Nashville airport, since it was on our route. Heinricy is an accomplished engineer and a multi-time SCCA National Championship winner, so we traded seats on one leg of the drive to get his opinion of the car. He really liked the prototype binders, calling them "Autobahn Brakes." Heinricy is certainly qualified to apply the moniker, since he has tested plenty of cars on the German high-speed road (not to mention the Nürburgring).
After we dropped Heinricy off, we had a chance to corroborate his brake assessment. The pedal provides instant response when pressure is applied, and stops are quick and smooth, with no drama or fade. This package has since become available as the Le Mans GT Brake System, and we'd consider it a must-have addition to any new Callaway Vette.
After Knoxville we headed to Chattanooga, to visit the owner of our former C5 project car, the Pewter Rocket. The old car still sounded strong and looked good sitting next to the Callaway.
7 All Callaway conversions...
7 All Callaway conversions receive an ID plaque like this one. This car's VIN ends in 59, making it one of the first '10 Corvettes off the assembly line.
8 Every new Callaway Vette...
8 Every new Callaway Vette gets a "Double D" exhaust and an identifying badge on the rear bumper. This development car is also fitted with a prototype carbon-fiber spoiler.
9 Heading south we stopped...
9 Heading south we stopped in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to visit our old Pewter Rocket project car. The Rocket now resides in one of its new owner's six-car garage spaces.
Back on the highway the GS just loafed along in Sixth gear, with the tach hovering around 1,800 rpm. One push on the throttle, however, provided an instant reminder of the monster residing under the hood. After a few stops along the way, we arrived at our headquarters in Tampa, where Editor Heath got his turn behind the wheel. He was similarly impressed with how tight, quick, and pleasant to drive this high-mileage car was.
We then journeyed to Key West, and, 14 days and 3,000 miles later, we handed the key fob back to Chessnoe in Bowling Green. The car used no oil during its stay with us, and no cabin leaks could be discerned during a heavy rainstorm. We think the 606-horse GS still has a lot of good miles left in it.
Callaway's goal was to reach 100,000 miles at the 2011 Corvettes at Carlisle show, and it hit this target easily. As of this writing, the car shows more than 120,000 miles and is still going strong. In conclusion, don't worry about racking up the miles on your Callaway Corvette; it's designed to handle it. What else would you expect from a company that builds "Powerfully Engineered Automobiles"?
10 Duval Street in Key West...
10 Duval Street in Key West is a long way from Bowling Green, but the Callaway fit right into this island community's surroundings.
11 Retired GM Performance...
11 Retired GM Performance Division director John Heinricy drove the Callaway back to the Nashville airport. He was impressed with the car's
12 The wide-open road on...
12 The wide-open road on the way to Knoxville allowed us an opportunity to evaluate the Grand Sport's road manners at speed. The abundant torque made cruising effortless, even in Sixth gear.
13 On the return trip to...
13 On the return trip to Bowling Green we hit the only inclement weather on our entire trip. The sticky Michelins cut through the downpour without any drama.
14 We thought it only fitting...
14 We thought it only fitting to stop by the car's birthplace before returning it to Chessnoe at the NCM. When we handed over the key fob, the clock read 80,500 miles.