Barrett-Jackson to auction commemorative Z06 Corvette for museum fundraiser

In honor of the Chevrolet Corvette's inaugural appearance and victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans some 50 years ago, Chevrolet built a special 2011 Corvette Z06 wearing the same paint scheme--Arctic White paint, blue stripes and the number "3"--to pay tribute to the class-winning 1960 Cunningham Corvette.

Chevrolet and the General Motors Design Center built and added several special one-off features for this car, which has vehicle identification number 001:

-- Competition Gray headlamps, mirrors and wheels

-- Special 50th-anniversary of Le Mans racing logos

-- Blue brake calipers

-- Z07 performance package with Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes

-- 19-inch front/20-inch rear 20-spoke Competition Gray wheels with Michelin PS2 tires

-- Magnetic Selective Ride Control

-- Black carbon-fiber front splitter and rockers

-- ZR1-style rear spoiler

-- Ebony leather-wrapped interior with Competition Gray trim

-- Carbon-fiber fenders and floor panels

Corvette Racing fans will recognize the special-edition Z06 as a participant in the Legends of Le Mans event at Laguna Seca in 2010. Driven by Corvette Racing legend Ron Fellows, the Z06 was accompanied by the 1960 Cunningham, the 1967 Bondurant/Guldstrand, the 1973 BF Goodrich and the C6.R GT2 Corvettes for a parade lap on the track.

Barrett-Jackson will auction the one-off Corvette Z06 at its Scottsdale event, with all proceeds to benefit the National Corvette Museum's planned 500-acre motorsports park in Bowling Green, Ky. The park will feature road courses, an autocross course, a skid pad, a karting track and a drag strip. Go to www.corvettemuseum.com for more info on the car.

The car will go to auction on Jan. 21 between 9 and 11 p.m. Eastern at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction, which will be broadcast live on Speed.

Watch video of the Legends of Le Mans Corvette below:

By David Arnouts