Carbon Corvette No. 1 brought $297,000 when it crossed the auction block at Barrett-Jackson’s April 3 sale in Palm Beach, Fla. As expected, the car caused as much of a stir as the limited-run Corvettes that Barrett-Jackson has sold in the past.

What is a Carbon Fiber Corvette? As the Barrett-Jackson auction catalog stated it: “This new 2011 Corvette Z06 Carbon Special Edition Corvette embodies 50 years of Le Mans racing technology and heritage for the street.”

The stunning new entry from Corvette combines a ZR1 chassis with the lightweight and balance of a naturally aspirated LS7 Z06 engine, making it the best Corvette ever produced for the track. The Corvette Z06 Carbon Special Edition Corvette will be a limited-edition collector’s item, with only 500 models being produced.

The Corvette Z06 Carbon Special Edition Corvette is being made available in either Inferno Orange Metallic or Supersonic Blue with suede interior and body color stitching. It also features black mirrors and headlamps and body color door handles. Other carbon fiber body pieces include a black front splitter, black rockers and a raised hood.