In 1963, Zora Arkus-Duntov’s dream of building a Corvette to dominate international racing took shape in the form of the Corvette Grand Sport. With its paper-thin, lightweight fiberglass body and advanced engineering, the car weighed just 1,800 pounds — nearly 1,000 pounds lighter than a standard Sting Ray. Paired with engines producing over 500 horsepower, it was designed to be a Cobra-killer on the track.  But GM’s corporate ban on factory racing killed the project after just five cars were completed. Despite this, the surviving Grand Sports went on to race privately, often holding their own against Cobras and Ferraris. Today, these rare machines are celebrated as some of the most important and valuable Corvettes ever built — proof of what could have been if GM had backed Duntov’s vision. For Larry W.
Jay Leno drives one here.