Corvette’s carbon fiber exterior look is real, not fake

Fake anything does not fit the Corvette image. So, when it came to adding one of the coolest looks for fast, hot cars like carbon-fiber weave, Corvette engineers wanted to do more than just paint on the look for key exterior surfaces.

For the record, exposing real, weaved carbon fiber to the rays of the sun degrades the material on the exterior surface.

Solution: Get a bunch of super-charged engineers into the picture and voila! We have an industry-first technology breakthrough called “sunscreen” specifically introduced for the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1.

Per my research via media.gm.com, Mark Voss, senior design engineer for the ZR1 along with his team labored for three years on their own time. As a result, they developed a glossy, UV-resistant clear coat that allows exposed carbon fiber to be used on the body of the car. Furthermore, the coating also shields the carbon fiber components from chips and scratches.

In the GM web article, Voss was quoted as saying, “Other automakers have opted for fake attempts at a carbon-fiber look. With the Corvette ZR1, we wanted to give customers the real deal.”

Carbon fiber on the Corvette emerged from the technology transfer between the production Corvette and the Corvette C6.R that race in the American Le Mans Series. Carbon fiber was used because it reduces weight, approximately one-fifth the weight of steel and one-third the mass of traditional composite panels. Furthermore, it improves stiffness compared to steel. That means a lighter, more fuel-efficient vehicle with a lower center of gravity for better handling on the road and on the race track.

For consumer vehicles, exposed-weave carbon fiber, with its honeycombed appearance, offers the fuel efficiency of painted carbon fiber, but has a unique aesthetic flair. For example, the ZR1 features exposed-weave carbon fiber on the roof panel, roof bow, rocker moldings, front fascia splitter, and the underside of the hood. The ZR1 has carbon fiber floor panels as well, although not in the exposed-weave format. For the Corvette Z06, carbon fiber fenders and floor panels come standard with an optional package that includes splitters, rockers and roof panels.