( Motor Authority )- Ugur Sahin, the Dutch-based designer of the previous Ferrari Dino study, has plans to put one of his latest creations, the stunning Z03 Corvette concept into production. The car looks similar to the Dino concept, as well as the Ferrari 599-based Vandenbrink GTO but is designed around a much cheaper donor car to make it more accessible.
The Corvette Z03 concept is in fact based on a humble Corvette Z06, a car that already features an excellent chassis to build upon. Co-founder of Ugur Sahin Design, Axel van Mourik, was impressed by the Z06's proven track record in motorsports and this ended up making it an attractive choice for the design company.
The Z03 concept features significant modifications to the exterior as well as the engine and interior. The end result should see peak power reach close to 750hp from the LS7 V8 in a fully specced model. There will be other engine options, ranging from 500 to 750 horsepower and with three choices in total. The car is expected to weigh somewhere around 1375 kg, making it 50 pounds lighter than the Z06 although there have been other reports stating that it could be up to 100 pounds less than the Z06.
The car will be produced in a limited production run of just 100 and demand is expected to be high. The exact details surrounding the Z03 will be announced in March with deliveries for the US market expected around the end of 2008, giving the manufacturers quite an ambitious deadline.
The project has had help from various partners, including former Corvette chief engineer, Dave McLellan, which should ensure that the Z03 drives as well as it looks.