SV 9 Competizione Corvette news - Taking it to the Competizione - 2009

When Italian coachbuilders get their hands on a Corvette, the results can be, er, varied.

On the one hand, it might end up like that terrifying Castagna Aznom we saw a couple of years back. But on the other, it might end up like this rather lovely SV 9 Competizione, a Corvette C6 reskinned with a whole bunch of added Italianicity.

OK, there's a bit of a game of ‘spot the design influence here' - plenty of Alfa 8C Competizione about that back end and the wheels, and would it be fanciful to suggest a little Nissan GT-R in the flank? - but it's a nice-looking thing nonetheless.

And it's quick, too. SV has tweaked the power of the C6's 6.2-litre V8 from a weedy 431bhp to a nice round 450bhp.

Along with a sticky new set of Pirelli P Zero tyres, that's good for a 0-60mph time of four seconds flat - a third of a second quicker than the stock C6 - and a 12-second time for the quarter mile. It'll also generate 1.3 g of lateral grip and brake to a stop from 60mph in just 31 metres.

SV has big plans for the Competizione: it wants to build a full 1,000 cars, with prices starting at around £61,000. Anyone tempted?