If the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 isn't quite what you're looking for in a supercar, you might want to take a look at the Ares Modena S1.
Available in Speedster and Gullwing flavours, the S1 takes the 2024 C8 Corvette Stingray and elevates it into a supercar in its own right with a distinctly European design from Italian coachbuilder Ares Modena.
C8 Corvette on European steroids
The S1 retains the 6.2-litre naturally aspirated LT2 power plant from the Stingray, but it now makes a meaner 441 kw with 639 Nm of torque. For comparison, the standard Stingray with the Z51 package generates 364 kW and 639 Nm of torque. It's not the Z06's flat-plane crank V8 with 492 kw, but we reckon it does the job here.
Still the cross-plane V8 on the S1 sends power to the rear wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. It goes from 0 to 100 km/h in around three seconds before reaching its top speed of 296 km/h. That's lower than the standard Stingray's 312 km/h figure, but the S1 does have a modified body with added downforce.
One look at the S1, and you'll see Ares Modena has changed many things about the C8 Corvette.
"With its low, cab-forward driving position, wraparound windscreen, top-mounted exhaust, active aerodynamics and rising wheel arches, the Ares S1 is our own unique take on an endurance racer for the road," said Gianluca Condua, Head of Design at Ares Modena.
"Created using the latest bespoke coachbuilding methods and equipped with cutting-edge technology inside, the S1 showcases Ares Modena's unmatched capability in designing and developing some of the most exclusive performance vehicles on the road."
A closer look, specifically on the inside, reveals the S1 still has C8 Corvette DNA. It gets the same steering wheel, push-button shifter, drive mode selector, and air vents, albeit with Ares Modena styling.
The coachbuilder has added plenty of carbon fibre, leather, and Alcantara elements to spruce up the vehicle. It also gave the S1 a 9-inch driver's touchscreen and a 9.5-inch centre toucshreen, with the latter being larger than the stock display.
Overall, Ares Modena has done a commendable job at elevating the C8 Corvette to a more desirable (and expensive) vehicle. The S1 starts north of $1 million, and customers can choose between the Speedster or Gullwing versions.
