A legend lost.
Callaway Cars, the high-performance automotive company, announced the passing of its Founder and CEO, Ely Reeves Callaway III, on Tuesday, July 11, at his home in Newport Beach, California. The influential figure in the performance car world succumbed to injuries sustained from a fall. He was 76.
Read more about the C4 Callaway Twin Turbo Corvette here.
Born in 1947, Reeves was a self-taught automotive enthusiast who became a revolutionary figure in the industry. His passion and innovative spirit were the driving forces behind the success of Callaway Cars. The company, founded in 1977 from his garage in Old Lyme, Connecticut, quickly became synonymous with high-performance vehicles and revolutionized the automotive industry.
Over the years, Callaway Cars evolved into a top-tier player in the performance cars industry, creating high-performance versions of popular production vehicles from major manufacturers. The company became particularly famous for its work on Corvettes, offering enhancements that turned already impressive vehicles into extraordinary performance machines.
"Reeves Callaway was a visionary who reshaped the performance car landscape with his relentless pursuit of speed and excellence," the company said in a statement. "His pioneering spirit, coupled with his dedication to innovation, laid the groundwork for Callaway Cars to become the leader in specialty vehicle engineering."
The impact of Reeves Callaway's contributions to the automotive industry was felt far and wide, from fellow car enthusiasts to professional racers and everyone in between. His legacy lives on in the countless high-performance cars that bear the Callaway name and in the hearts of the many who admired his tenacity, creativity, and lifelong dedication to pushing the limits of automotive engineering.
Reeves will be remembered not only as a pioneer but also as a mentor and leader who was generous with his time and knowledge. He leaves behind an enduring legacy in the high-performance automotive world and will be greatly missed by all who knew him or were inspired by his work.
Reeves Callaway is survived by his family who continues to be involved in the company. The company assured in the statement that they remain committed to carrying forward his vision, to continue producing high-performance vehicles that are a testament to their founder's enduring legacy.
