A Look Back at the Black Manta C6 ZR1
The Big Stage
The Black Manta Corvette stole the show at the 2015 Manila Auto Salon. But for the 2016 SEMA show in Las Vegas, the folks at Gi Automotive knew the car would need to be bigger and bolder than ever. This meant enlisting the help of the Philippines-based company, Car Porn Racing, and designer Jon Sibal.
The Original
The original Black Manta was based on a C6 Corvette with a C7 facelift and custom body kit. But for the 2016 SEMA show, there would be some changes.
The Revamp
The Black Manta's revamp would mean using a 2013 Corvette ZR1 as the basis of the project. Then, parts from the original car were molded, test-fitted, and grafted onto the ZR1 after they were shipped to the U.S.
Hand Sculpted
Since the Black Manta is, essentially, a one-off build, the folks at Gi Automotive hand-sculpted the 3D scaled design to get everything just right. These efforts weren't in vain as the car looks totally on point.
New Engine
As mentioned, the latest Black Manta is based on ZR1. Since the ZR1 uses an LS9 engine, the car's hood needed to be modified to accommodate its supercharger. This beast spits out 800 horsepower and lets everyone know about it through a Varex variable exhaust system. The car also has a remote control quiet start system, for mornings when you don't want to wake the neighbors.
A New Look
While the previous model was all black, this version sports two shades of satin camo and silver highlighters which complements the Black Manta's gloss carbon body perfectly. The car now sits on 20" x 13" gold DPE wheels which are wrapped in 305mm Toyo tires at the front, and 345mm patches at the rear.
The Ride
Keeping the Black Manta Corvette stable around corners are Johnny O'Connell signature sway bars which were provided by Pfady Race Engineering. And, ensuring this car's passengers are kept firmly in place, are Alcantara and Recaro seats.
