Italy-based coachbuilder Ares Modena has produced a couple of new variants of its Project S1 Concept unveiled in the fall of 2020 (see video). The car still runs on Chevrolet C8 Corvette underpinnings and is closer to production than ever before.
Only 24 coupes and the same number of speedsters will be made. The production start date remains unannounced, but you can already leave a pre-order with Ares.
The new version of the car differs a lot from the original concept, leaving only a few details intact. These include large wheel arches with air intakes, rear end outlines, and vertical tailpipes in the back. Like before, the overall shape of the body resembles that of Koenigsegg cars.
The bumpers and lighting all around are all new, and so is the glass in the case of the speedster. There is a simple solid windshield instead of a couple of visors the concept had, and only one hump behind the rear seats instead of two. The company argues that this new design will provide adequate aerodynamic protection for the interior.
For the first time on record, we are given a peek inside the car. The dash panel layout divided into dedicated zones for the drive driver and the front passenger will look familiar to any Corvette owner. The panel itself has become larger, and new triple-screen infotainment system has been added for a richer multimedia experience.
Ares will trim the interior with expensive leather and Alcantara according to the customers’ wishes, throwing in naked carbon fiber details here and there to rhyme with the all-carbon exterior.
The chassis and the powertrain stay stock Corvette C8, but Ares adds a custom exhaust system here that should “improve the output significantly”. Specific numbers remain to be announced.
Back when the car debuted in the autumn of 2020, the production was set to begin in roughly two years’ time. Pricing was estimated at €500,000, but this has not been confirmed since. Interested buyers are invited to contact Ares directly for a quotation.