Superformance is the go-to team creating new versions of some of the greatest cars ever built. If you want a Shelby Cobra, Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe, Ford GT40, or even a Caterham, then you need to talk to Superformance.
One of its more recent creations is also arguably its greatest, and that is the recreated 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport. It's a mint fresh version of one of the best classic Corvettes, and Jay Leno spent time with the car and the people behind it.
Lance Stander is the man in charge of Superformance. The South African is a passionate car lover, and he's typically seen driving his powerful creations all over Southern California. A lot of that power is crafted by Ken Lingenfelter, the creator of Lingenfelter Performance Engineering, which supplies a number of the powerplants for Superformance...specifically the ones that find their way between the fenders of a new Grand Sport build.
Adding the Corvette Grand Sport to its Stable, Superformance has made a smart play. Chevrolet only built five original examples before the higher ups nixed the project. So if you want an original Grand Sport of your own, you probably can't afford it if there's even one for sale. You can, however, find your way behind the wheel of a "new" Grand Sport. It won't be cheap, though, with the starting price somewhere in the neighborhood of $170,000.
Bringing this project to life wasn't an easy journey for Stander, as it took him eight years to convince General Motors that this was a good move. You can understand why the automaker wouldn't immediately jump at the idea of someone else building a car with Corvette badges, but Stander persisted and there are fresh Corvette Grand Sports entering the world.
It's built to the same standards as the original. The steering is improved but the rear suspension still uses transverse leaf springs. It's a loud, raucous, race car for the street, and it's amazing to look at. It's even better to drive though, as The Hooniverse found out a few months back.
After getting a walkthrough of the history of Superformance and Lingenfelter's path to bringing this car to the road, Leno finally gets his own chance behind the wheel. He likes the noise, and remarks that the car feels like "1963", which he clearly means as a compliment to the attention to detail with the build of the car.
