There’s no two ways about it: the Corvette C8 got off to a bad start in life. After
all, Chevrolet switched to a mid-engine car after 65 years and seven
generations of front-engine Corvettes. This was bound to raise an initial hue and
cry from its fans. But as often happens, the new and unusual will eventually
become less daunting, disapproval will wain and more and more fans will learn
to come to terms with the C8. It’s new concept undoubtedly offers enough
reasons for a reconciliation. The US car specialists from GeigerCars.de in Munich
also recognized the huge potential of the new model straight away and came
up with an extensive package to further optimize various aspects on behalf of
their tuning label “Geiger Performance”.
• Carbon front and rear spoiler for improved longitudinal dynamics
• Optimized vehicle dynamics through coilover or club sports suspension
• Brake upgrades for better deceleration
• OZ Racing alloy rims in 19 and 20 inch or 20 and 21 inch
The Corvette C8 already boasts an extremely snappy look and sharply
contoured styling in its standard design. This is further underscored by the front
and rear spoilers, developed and made by Geiger in Germany, whereby a
number of surfaces and contours have been picked up on and adopted to
ensure a seamless integration in the factory-set look. After being designed in
CAD, the first prototypes for installation and road tests were produced by 3D
printing. The finished spoilers are made from high-quality prepreg carbon and
have corresponding parts certificates – Geiger itself performed the necessary
tests of the splintering behavior and lift measurements for these certificates. The
spoilers were developed to not only improve the look of the car but also its
aerodynamics: the goal was to achieve sufficient downforce and at the same
time cause as little drag as possible so as to gain advantages for the
longitudinal dynamics and top speed.
GeigerCars were able to achieve a further improvement in aerodynamics and
drag with the help of an air duct for the front bumper. This makes for a better
flow of air beneath the vehicle, which also results in a higher contact pressure at
the front.
GeigerCars offers a number of OZ Racing wheel sets for the C8 to further
customize its look: customers who set more store in stylish aspects cannot go
wrong by choosing the Leggera HLT alloy rims in 20 inch for the front axle and 21
inch for the rear axle, with Michelin tires in 245/30R20 and 305/25R21. Drivers who
also want to use their C8 as a track tool on the racetrack can go for the
Ultraleggera in 19 inch for the front and 20 inch for the rear axle instead. These
are 20 kilos lighter than the original Corvette wheels. The resulting reduction of
the unsprung mass in connection with the outstanding grip provided by the
Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R semi-slicks in 245/35R19 and 305/30R20 guarantees a
hugely improved track performance.
This is further enhanced by a new suspension for the Corvette. A Geiger club
sports suspension is currently being developed in collaboration with KW
Suspensions that should appeal to particularly ambitious track day racers. The
spring and damper characteristics as wells as the additional Unibal top mounts
are attuned on the circuit with the expert help of Daniel Keilwitz, a professional
racecar driver. Alternatively, GeigerCars also offers a 5-way coilover suspension
version that has also been designed together with KW Suspensions. This is based
on the displacement piston technology that is familiar in motor sports and can
be adjusted four times with 14 clicks each – the compression and rebound
stages separately for the low and high speed range. It goes without saying that
both version come with a corresponding parts certificate.
Other handling advantages are undoubtedly obtained from the Geiger
Performance chassis struts, which were also designed using CAD. A stainless
steel strut brace for the front axle guarantees greater stability and support at the
front damper mounts, promising a more precise response from the suspension
damping. The stainless steel struts in the engine bay complete with crosslinks
replace the factory-set aluminum struts and at the same time guarantee even
greater torsional stiffness and stability. Thanks to a clearance certificate, the
powder-coated struts (available on request) need no formal registration.
Anyone who drives fast should also have a stable brake system on board to
bring them to a standstill without any problems if necessary. GeigerCars can
offer a number of different solutions here too. These begin with an upgrade of
the standard Z51 bakes with the help of steel-flex lines and sports brake linings.
An even snappier alternative is a complete AP Racing track brake system for
the front and rear axles, each with 6-piston brake calipers on two-part discs as
well as steel-flex lines. This is equally suitable for combination with the standard
wheels or the 19 and 20 inch OZ Ultraleggeras. Before a corresponding parts
certificate could be issued, GeigerCars tested both the operational stability as
well as the braking power in extensive road tests. To stop the brakes from
overheating, for example in tough permanent use on the track, the offer also
includes CAD-built, additional brake cooling for the rear axle.
A belt strut to fasten a 4-point harness can be optionally installed in the
Corvette C8.
