Corvette Racing is “going wide” in its quest for the 2012 ALMS GT championship.

Changes in the GT class rules for 2012 have resulted in new Corvettes that are 2 inches wider than the preceding version (80.6 inches overall width).

Gary Pratt, Corvette Racing team manager says, “The 2-inch wider track required all-new bodywork and revised suspension components. The updated Corvette C6.R has to go through the homologation (approval) process again, so we had an opportunity to make additional refinements within the parameters of the GT regulations. GM Powertrain engineers went through a similar process with updates in engine tuning and calibrations to improve driveability and throttle response.”

“A wider car transfers less load under cornering, and consequently it has more lateral capacity,” explained Doug Louth, Corvette Racing engineering director. “It’s not as simple as just making wider fender flares, however. The project involved CFD analysis, surface optimization and wind tunnel testing. Longer front control arms produce different loads that required new fatigue calculations, durability testing and packaging studies.

“A key objective was to minimize drag as much as possible with the wider body, while maximizing the downforce potential that it provides,” Louth noted. “Even on a high-speed circuit like Le Mans, the net result favors a wider track width in terms of overall lap time.