Corvette-Based ARES Modena S1 Revealed Ahead of Launch

The S1 takes the C8 to the next level, visually speaking.

Hypercar Looks

ARES Modena – formerly known as ARES Design – showed off its take on the C8 Corvette – an interesting model dubbed the S1 – back in 2020 in both Speedster and Spyder form. Now, the company has revealed the official production-ready version of the S1, and needless to say, it looks like a proper hypercar, if nothing else.

Photos: ARES Modena

Different Take

The final design of the ARES S1 looks something like a blend of quite a few existing hypercars, drawing inspiration from Koenigsegg, Bugatti, and McLaren with cool features like an exhaust that exits via the rear deck, while the entire carbon fiber body is new. It’s such a different take that we doubt anyone will realize that the S1 is all Corvette underneath.

Photos: ARES Modena

Dual Purpose Design

Regardless, the intentions behind this design were to conjure up memories of race cars from the past, while also incorporating modern elements and utilizing wind tunnel testing to optimize aerodynamics. That way, the S1 is every bit as stable at high speeds as it is interesting to look at.

Photos: ARES Modena

Retro Modern

Inside the cabin, we can see a few obvious Corvette elements like the steering wheel, but most of the rest have been completely redesigned. One of the cooler features present here is the dual hump dashboard, which is reminiscent of older Corvettes.

Photos: ARES Modena

Lap of Luxury

The center console has also been completely redesigned for a more traditional look than the C8’s sea of buttons unit, while there is a trio of screens in front of the driver and passenger. Nappa and Pienofiore leather, along with loads of Alcantara, provide a truly luxurious look that’s also doused with plenty of carbon fiber.

Photos: ARES Modena

Other Highlights

The S1 is longer, wider, and shorter than the C8, and rolls on a set of 20-inch wheels in the front and 21 inches in the rear, which are wrapped in 275/30 ZR20 and 345/25 ZR21 tires, respectively. On the performance side of things, ARES merely adds its own exhaust system to the mix, which it claims is good for some additional power.

Photos: ARES Modena

Likely Not Cheap

Order books for this bespoke piece of coachwork are open now, but ARES hasn’t yet revealed pricing. It also isn’t saying how many of these cars it will ultimately build, but does call it a “limited edition.” We’re guessing that they aren’t cheap, but for those that can afford it, the S1 will certainly stand out in the local cars and coffee.

Photos: ARES Modena

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