You know, it’s bad enough that Americans don’t get to enjoy the 12-hours of Bathurst, but now Chevy has decided to rub it in by releasing a special Corvette Z06 Bathurst Edition that the good folks in the US of A can’t have either.
It’s a bit of a double-edged sword, however. In a somewhat cruel twist, Chevy has said that this is the entire allocation of Z06s being sent down under for model year 2026.
As for how bad that is, picture a dozen eggs in your fridge. That’s exactly how many Australians (or Kiwis, as they can technically buy these too) will end up with a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Bathurst 12 Hour Specialty Edition on the driveway. Or any MY26 Corvette at all. Production is limited to 12 units, each individually numbered.
In addition to the individual numbering — and some Bathurst track decals — there are a few other cosmetic tweaks present in the special edition. This includes a “jet black and Santorini blue napa leather” interior and blue seatbelts. A “switchblade silver” paint finish on the outside, and black forged aluminum wheels accented with blue brake calipers.
Purchase of the vehicle also includes a “Bathurst 12-hour Experience.” Chevrolet has confirmed this includes custom artwork and Corvette merchandise, including “a cap, polo, and jacket,” but hasn’t mentioned whether the “Experience” includes any experiences. Like a VIP invite to the race, or a few laps of the iconic track in your massively expensive new supercar.
Mechanically, the Z06 Bathurst Edition isn’t totally unique. Yes, it’s noticeably more powerful than the standard Z06, but that’s because it’s essentially identical to the Z06 with the optional Z07 Performance Package. This includes improved suspension, Brembo carbon ceramic antilock brakes, and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires along with the downforce boosting Carbon Fibre Aero Package.
So while it’s special, is it as special as the event it’s named after?
Why is Bathurst so special? We have endurance races, right?
You may be wondering why Bathurst is anything to brag about. After all, the USA has plenty of elite endurance races: the Rolex 24 at Daytona, 12-hours of Sebring, Petit Le Mans. Then there’s the Indy 500 for prestige, or NASCAR calendar staples like Talladega or Daytona again for general debauchery.
But all of those have nothing on Australia’s most infamous race.
First, there’s the violence — which has calmed down a lot in recent years, admittedly, but its shadow still hangs over Bathurst like the only cloud in the sky. Traditionally, there were two kinds of Aussies. The ones that drove Fords and the ones that drove Holdens (which were manufactured by General Motors). Bathurst essentially uprooted Motor City’s historic rivalry, blended it with a bit of 1980s British football hooliganism, and dumped it in the middle of New South Wales.
Thousands of intoxicated Aussies would descend upon a small city’s racetrack to get hammered, watch racing, and then boot each other’s teeth out over their respective vehicular preferences. And yes it’s a touch barbaric, and frowned upon in this more civilized age, but you can’t say the folks involved didn’t have passion.
Then there’s the booze angle. The Bathurst 1000 (A different race to the Bathurst 12 hours, and to be honest the one my previous violence related point mostly applies to as well) decided to restrict the amount of booze spectators could bring to the event. It had gotten a touch too rowdy, so attendees were strictly limited to “one “slab” (24-30 cans) of beer/cider or 4 liters of wine per person, per day.”
Obviously, this was nowhere near enough to get the most dedicated race fans through a seven-hour event. So in a beautiful moment of foresight, a good number of spectators were found burying extra cases of booze on the Bathurst grounds like a pirate stashing his booty.
I don’t like giving the Australians credit unless it’s absolutely necessary, but they had the best cricket team in the world back in the early 2000s, and they still hold the world title for race weekend debauchery.
