For some, a 1999 Callaway C12 Coupe is still a dream car, the ride that got away which they desperately want to own still today. For others, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a larger-than-life NASCAR hero, a god among men. When you put the two together you get an online auction which soars to heights which are shocking to some.
Watch a Corvette Z06 race a police car.
That’s exactly what happened when Junior’s old ’99 Callaway C12 landed on Bring A Trailer recently. Once the dust settled on February 11, the American sports car sold for a whopping $115,000. For anyone who thinks this is just a C5 Corvette with a body kit, that amount sounds absolutely insane.
First of all, the Earnhardt name carries a lot of cache among gearheads, as this auction clearly exhibits. But we think this car still would’ve fetched a pretty penny even had it never been owned by anyone notable. After all, a mere 19 reportedly were built, so it’s not like you go to the local car meet and see several Callaway C12s pulling up.
The design was ahead of its time in many ways. It ditched the flip-up headlights in favor of a more aerodynamic and cleaner design, making it look more like a C6. There are more touches in the nose and rear fascia one might argue helped influence the C6 and C7 designs.
Where this sports car really shines is the SuperNatural V8 modified by Callaway. Through different tweaks, it pulses out a nice 482-horsepower and 466 lb.-ft. of torque. Carbon-fiber covers added to the futuristic look, although now that’s nothing too amazing. A 6-speed manual transmission adds to the overall fun of this ride.
Other desirable features which weren’t commonalities back then are also included. Among them is speed-sensitive power steering, dual-zone automatic climate control, plus Bose speakers. It all hearkens back to a simpler time.
As the proverbial cherry on top, Junior himself signed the headliner. How many people can say they’ve shredded rubber in the same car as one of the most famous NASCAR drivers? That alone makes this ride cool and surely helped fuel some of the interest. People can debate how much that added to the price, combined with the rarity and nostalgia of this American sports car.
Images via Bring A Trailer
