Callaway Cars today announced it will unveil the C16 Cabrio, the company’s convertible variant of the limited production C16, at the New York International Auto Show.


To create the C16, Callaway integrated powertrain, brakes and suspension enhancements into the current Chevrolet Corvette platform. Six-speed manual or paddle-shift automatic transmissions are available with either standard 560 or optional 616 horsepower engines.

The C16 Cabrio, like the C16 Coupe, was drawn and modeled by designer Paul Deutschman who has a twenty-year portfolio of Callaway designs.

“With this car, we’ve maintained the C16’s class-leading performance, while creating a gorgeous ‘Cabrio’ version, based on one of the best sports car platforms available anywhere,” says company founder Reeves Callaway. “In true Callaway tradition, it incorporates our race-proven technologies, painstaking testing and validation efforts, and expert craftsmanship in an arresting and appealing style.”

The C16’s Callaway-supercharged 6.0L engine provides world-class power, producing 560 bhp at 6,200 rpm and 529 lb-ft of torque at 4,750 rpm. The optional 616 HP Performance Package raises the bar to 616 bhp and 582 lb-ft of torque, propelling the paddle-shifted Cabrio from 0-to-60 in 3.5 seconds. Quarter-mile acceleration tests consistently record low 11-second elapsed times. Maximum speed of the C16 Cabrio is estimated at just over 200 mph. Equally impressive is its fuel efficiency rating of 18 city/28 highway. Callaway’s warranty covers the equipment for 5 years or 100,000 miles.

Inside the C16 cockpit, door sill panels, dash pad, and steering wheel are upgraded and carry signature Callaway badging. The optional “Deutschleder” package completely retools the interior in fine German leather and Alcantara, featuring seats manufactured for Callaway by Recaro. Clients choose exterior and interior colors to suit individual taste. Each C16 Cabrio is built to order, serialized and identified by its build plaque.

The handling precision of the C16 is courtesy of the newly developed Callaway/Eibach Multi-Pro coil-over suspension. This joint development effort produced an advanced spring/damper system, featuring 10-position compression and rebound adjustability, allowing the driver to customize settings for specific track or road conditions. The sophisticated design provides excellent response while avoiding racecar-like rough ride characteristics.

To bring the C16 Cabrio from 200+ mph to rest, Callaway utilizes a StopTech brake system featuring 6-piston front and 4-piston rear calipers gripping 355mm x 32 mm rotors.

Callaway/Dymag wheels weigh approximately half that of their aluminum counterparts, providing significantly reduced unsprung weight for improved acceleration, cornering and braking. These TUV- and DOT-certified wheels feature forged magnesium spiders surrounded by carbon fiber rims and measure 19” by 10” front and 20” by 12” rear. Another of Callaway’s technology partners, Yokohama Tire, developed their “AdvanSport” specifically for the C16 in 285/30ZR19 front and 325/25ZR20 rear sizes.

Pricing for the C16 Cabrio starts at $128,765 USD. Callaway C16 components are also available individually for 2005 - 2007 Corvettes through Callaway authorized retailers and installers.

Reeves Callaway will be in New York this week to officially unveil the convertible version of his latest monster Corvette creation, the C16. Unveiled in LA back in November, the C16 packs a mighty wallop underhood thanks to its blown LS2 V8, which pumps out 616 horsepower and 582 lb-ft of torque. Buyers who deem that powerplant too extreme can select a 560-horse "base" engine package instead. Tires may weep at the sight of the new Callaway, but we find smiles on our faces (the words "Callaway Corvette" have done this to us since our teenage years in the '80s). According to the automaker, 0-60 is just 3.5 seconds away, and the C16 Cabrio is apparently an 11-second quarter-mile car, to boot. Nasty.

Like its coupe brother, the Cabrio sports a distinctive familial visage with clear ties to past Callaway products. Around back, the Corvette's posterior has been replaced by a Callaway unit that incorporates single round taillamps that immediately call to mind Aston Martin's DB7 Zagato Roadster. Pricing for the C16 Cabrio starts at $128,765, and existing C6 Corvette owners can also choose from a variety of C16 upgrades to their cars as well. We'll have in-person impressions of the ragtop, as well as a chat with Reeves Callaway, from New York later this week.