News: Turkish Delight
August 1, 2008
Dynamically, chevrolet’s Corvette Z06 is swift and beautifully balanced. However, from an aesthetic perspective, there may be room for improvement. At least that’s the opinion of Ugur Sahin, who has created the stunning new Z03 concept. The Turkish-born designer has recently earned attention for producing variations on familiar automobiles that artfully blend historical reverence with modern sensibilities, including last year’s Audi Locus and Ferrari Dino concepts. Says Sahin, "The most important goal of this project was to determine the correct balance between the past and the present design language of the Corvette brand."
Unlike Sahin’s earlier computer-rendered daydreams, the Corvette Z03 is actually bound for the assembly line. Mechanically, the Z03 hews closely to the production Z06, although the 7-liter LS7 V-8 will range from the stock 505 hp to a startling 750 hp. Sahin and business partner Axel van Mourik plan to commission 100 examples, with deliveries optimistically scheduled to commence later this year.
Inspired by third-generation Corvettes built from 1968 to 1982, Sahin’s Z03 features a carbon-fiber composite body that is notably edgier, more compact, and purportedly as much as 100 pounds lighter than the current production ’Vette. "For me," says Sahin, "it was all about those exaggerated proportions, those muscular lines, and wavy curves that made [the third-generation Corvette] stand out in the crowd."
Ugur Sahin Design, www.ugursahindesign.com
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