Reeves Callaway (right) stands with automotive designer Paul Deutschman (center) and Callaway Cars Managing Director Mike Zoner in front of the company's Old Lyme, Connecticut, headquarters.
Reeves Callaway is a man of many talents—educated, articulate, and a lover of art, travel, fine foods, computers, and, of course, automobiles. Twenty-five years ago his company, Callaway Cars, became the first firm to be authorized by GM to modify new production Corvettes. These cars carried RPO B2K option and could be ordered at Chevrolet dealerships. After the cars were built in Bowling Green, they were shipped to Callaway's Old Lyme, Connecticut, headquarters for conversion. A total of 184 (121 coupes and 63 convertibles) were built for the 1987 model year. The modified, twin-turbo L98 produced 345 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque, enough to push top speed to 177.9 mph. (The output figures later climbed to 382/562.) The B2K option continued through 1991 and generated reams of favorable press for Callaway Cars.
This is one of the 121 B2K...
This is one of the 121 B2K twin-turbo coupes built in 1987. Meade Briggs currently owns this historic Callaway, seen here on display at the National Corvette Museum.
Early in the B2K run, Callaway and his team decided to create a rolling test bed to probe the maximum speed potential of the Corvette platform. In 1987 they participated in Car and Driver magazine's "Gathering of Eagles" speed test, taking top honors with a terminal velocity of 231 mph in a twin-turbo C4. Determined to stay ahead of the competition, the Callaway crew created "Sledgehammer," a fully streetable supercar featuring a stock interior with A/C. Automotive designer Paul Deutschman penned a new body for the C4 to reduce its aerodynamic drag.
In early October 1988, the 898hp twin-turbo Corvette was driven from Old Lyme to the Ohio Research Transportation Center in East Liberty, Ohio. On October 19 Sledgehammer set a top-speed record for a streetable production car when the late John Lingenfelter pushed it to an amazing 254.76 mph. After setting the mark, the Callaway team drove Sledgehammer back to Old Lyme. It was an amazing feat for a small engineering company.
In 1988 Reeves Callaway attended the 1988 Geneva Auto show, where his friend Dick Guldstrand introduced him to Ernst Woehr. Woehr and his partner, Giovanni Ciccone, owned a tuning and body-shop business in Leingarten, Germany, where they serviced Guldstrand's GS80 C4 Corvettes for European customers. Callaway and Woehr became friends, and Woehr's shop soon began servicing Callaway twin-turbo Vettes.
The incredible Callaway Sledgehammer...
The incredible Callaway Sledgehammer reigned as the world's fastest street car for many years, with a top speed of 254.76 mph.
When the L98 production run ended in 1992, Callaway introduced a new Corvette, the LT1-based SuperNatural. In 1993 Woehr signed a young driver named Boris Said to drive one of these cars in the German ADAC GT series. With his rock-star hair and aggressive driving style, Said soon gained cult status with German racing fans. The SuperNatural took many top finishes and created a lot of buzz for Callaway.
In 1994 Callaway and Woehr formed Callaway Competition and set about developing the Callaway LM. This GT supercar was based on the C4 and featured a modified nose and carbon-fiber body. The LM finished Ninth overall at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans and Second in the GT class. In 1996 an LM driven by Almo Coppelli won the SCCA World Challenge Championship. Carlisle Events' Lance Miller currently owns the Coppelli car and plans to vintage race it.

Sledgehammer's engine comprises...

Sledgehammer's engine comprises a four-bolt "Bow Tie" block fitted with Brodix heads. A pair of intercooled turbos swell output to 898 hp and 772 lb-ft of torque. Contrast that with the stock '88 Vette's 240-245 hp.

Boris Said drove this Doug...

Boris Said drove this Doug Rippie–prepped '91 twin-turbo Callaway in that year's Bridgestone Supercar series. Organizers added 500 pounds of ballast to slow the car, effectively removing it from contention. It is now part of the Miller family collection.

This Callaway LM competed...

This Callaway LM competed at the 1995 24 Hours of Daytona. The heavily modified C4 featured a new nose and a carbon-fiber body constructed by Giovanni Ciccone in Leingarten, Germany. The car experienced transmission trouble during the race and finished 34th.

Ciccone (left) and Ernst Woehr...

Ciccone (left) and Ernst Woehr have been business partners since 1985. Ciccone is an expert in developing carbon panels, while Woehr is a first-class automotive fabricator. This team is responsible for the development and success of the Callaway Z06.R GT3 Corvette.

Many of the lessons learned...

Many of the lessons learned in the LM program spilled over during the construction of this Series II Callaway Speedster. Powered by a twin-turbo LT5, it produces 755 hp and 682 lb-ft of torque, and is fitted with a one-of-a-kind removable hardtop. It's part of the Berry Collection.

The C12 debuted at the 1998...

The C12 debuted at the 1998 Geneva Auto Show. A total of 27 were built at Callaway's facility in Leingarten, Germany. The voluptuous body was developed to minimize the car's aerodynamic drag.
This C12 competed at the 2001...
This C12 competed at the 2001 24 Hours of Le Mans and captured the pole position by more than 2 seconds in the GT class. It led that category for 13 hours, until a head gasket failed when the engine overheated after an off-course excursion.
After the LM platform was retired in 1996, Callaway and Woehr began developing a new Corvette-based racer for Le Mans called the C7. It was a radical front-engine GT car that saw little success because of strict rule interpretations by the Le Mans organizers. Only two cars were completed. The original is now in a private collection, while the second one resides in the Old Lyme showroom.
A new C5-based Callaway called the C12 was introduced at the Geneva Auto show in 1998. Built by Woehr and his team in Leingarten, the C12 featured advanced aerodynamics on a stunning body. Only 27 of these beautiful Callaways were sold.
When the C6 arrived in late 2004, Callaway Cars immediately began modifying one. Carlisle Events' Lance Miller commissioned the project, which would ultimately receive a heavily upgraded LS2 engine, along with a tweaked suspension and brakes. Lessons learned from this project helped in the development of a Callaway supercharger package that became available in 2006.
Meanwhile in Germany, Woehr and company were developing a new race car based on the C6 Z06. Named the Z06.R GT3, it was built to compete in the new FIA GT3 championship. The car turned out to be a huge success: To date it has won four FIA GT3 and two UAE GT Championships. Twenty-three examples have been built, and they race in series all over the world (though not in the US).
Reeves Callaway stands by...
Reeves Callaway stands by his company's first C16, which was introduced at the 2006 LA Auto show and is still in production today. Note the bulged hood, whose design is now shard with all supercharged Callaway Corvettes.
Around the same time, longtime Callaway collaborator Paul Deutschman completed the design of a new body for a C6-based supercar. Named the C16, the car first appeared at the 2006 LA Auto show. It remains available to this day.
The supercharged-C6 program is another ongoing venture that has proved a tremendous success for Callaway Cars. The package is available on the standard C6 and Grand Sport models (in coupe and topless forms), as well as on the Z06.
To celebrate the B2K option's 25th anniversary, a new limited-edition B2K Corvette was introduced at the National Corvette Museum in April. Reeves Callaway, who was inducted into the NCM's Hall of Fame in 2008, was the keynote speaker. It was a fitting achievement for this modern Renaissance man.

Christian Hohenadel and Daniel...

Christian Hohenadel and Daniel Keilwitz won the 2010 FIA GT3 Drivers Championship in this Z06.R GT3. The car was built from a totaled '07 Z06 that had fewer than 100 miles on its clock.

The supercharged C6 has been...

The supercharged C6 has been a big hit with Callaway buyers. It can be ordered as a coupe, convertible, or Z06, and with a choice of transmissions (where applicable). Each car carries a Callaway serial number and is fitted with special badging, floor mats, and exhaust.

The supercharger fitted to...

The supercharger fitted to the factory LS3 has proved to be a reliable addition to this sturdy powerplant. A blown Callaway Grand Sport test car has completed more than 120,000 trouble-free miles.
Callaway Corvette production began at the Bowling Green Assembly Plant in 1987. Twenty-five years later, the facility built a sequential run of '12 Cyber Gray Grand Sports bearing the same RPO designation.
B2K Returns
Earlier this year, Reeves Callaway unveiled a 25th Anniversary Callaway Corvette at the National Corvette Museum. Only 26 of these special-edition C6s have since been constructed (one for each year, plus a pilot car), all of which will be sold through the Callaway dealer network. With the exception of the #00 pilot vehicle, the run—consisting exclusively of Cyber Gray Grand Sport coupes and convertibles—was built in sequence at the Bowling Green Assembly Plant, then delivered to a Callaway facility for completion. Many had been pre-sold at press time.
The LS3's output has been...
The LS3's output has been increased to 620 hp at 6,700 rpm and 555 lb-ft torque at 4,100 rpm. Each engine includes Reeves Callaway's signature on the coil covers.
In recognition of Callaway's contribution to Corvette development, Chevrolet reinstated RPO B2K for these cars. Originally assigned to the '87-'91 Callaway twin-turbo Corvettes, it's the only RPO GM has ever issued to an outside manufacturer.
The engine in the 25th Anniversary cars develops 620 hp—a 14hp increase over the standard supercharged Callaway Corvette. An Eaton TVS2300 blower and upgraded fuel system provide the bulk of the increase, while aluminum 1.80:1 rocker arms, specific valvesprings, and pushrods increase the redline to 6,700 rpm. To support the increased manifold pressure, high-tensile-strength head studs and fasteners replace the OEM bolts. Quarter-mile acceleration is rated at a ZR1-slaying 10.9 seconds at 127 mph.
The chassis includes Nürburgring- developed dampers built to Callaway specs by Bilstein. The carbon splitter, rocker panels, and rear spoiler, meanwhile, are manufactured by Callaway. Each car's interior includes a plaque identifying it as a 25th Anniversary edition.
The package includes a leather,...
The package includes a leather, Alcantara, and carbon steering wheel with a Callaway 25th Anniversary center. The interior is available with red or black stitching, and features a special dash plaque, sill panels, and floor mats.
The result is a wolf in sheep's clothing that's equally at home cruising to the store or tearing up the racetrack. The new B2K carries a three-year/36,000-limited warranty (a five-year/100,000-mile powertrain service contract is optional) and an MSRP of $52,980 on top of the price of the car.