Here’s the scenario: a C5 Corvette throws down against a C6 Corvette at a traffic light in The Woodlands, Texas. What happens next is pure stupidity, since drag racing into a corner when you haven’t mastered the basics of car control isn’t likely to end well. The video’s been making the rounds, so our apologies if you’ve already seen the Thanksgiving eve crash. Read More…
I’ll be honest here, I’ve never been a huge fan of autocross. Maybe it’s because my cars are simply too big, or maybe it’s because I just like running on wide open tracks. Whatever the case though, I’ve seen more carnage happen while people blast through the cones then I’ve ever seen on a road course. Take this Corvette driver for example. Throughout his entire run he’s running smooth and solid, feeding on the gas when necessary and braking at the appropriate markers. Then, just when we think all is well and his run is almost over, he gooses the throttle and sends his ride sideways into a large curb – not good. In fact the car hits with such force that it literally flips up on two wheels. So for those of you who think that running an autocross is safer then road course work, think again. Click through for the video.
Source: Youtube.com
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The 2012 Chevy C6 Corvette. Image: GM Corp.
In 2014, Chevy replaces the C6 Corvette with the C7 Corvette, and internet rumors have hinted that the new car will sport a mid-engine, rear-drive V-6 powertrain. Next, it was that the new Corvette would swap the current 6.2-liter LS3 V-8 for a 5.5-liter V-8, at least on base models. Then came word that the car would get a visibility-hampering split rear window, in homage to the 1963 to 1967 Corvettes. Read More…
Left alone the 1960 Chevrolet Corvette is one of the most attractive cars ever created. It’s America’s favorite sports car and in its day, was quite a sight to behold on the open road. Time and technology however have passed it by and unfortunately for the old Vette’s from 1953-1962, so have most people. There is one company out there though who decided to go full-tilt with the old dog and by gosh if they didn’t create one of the baddest Corvettes on the planet Earth. Recently Matt Farah got a hold of the 3G Corvette that was lovingly crafted by the boys over at Art Morrison. It took 3200 man hours to build, has an entirely new chassis and perfect 50 / 50 front to rear weight distribution. Combine that with a rancorous V8 that pumps out 538 hp and you’ve got a car that is simply outstanding. Click through for the video and watch as Mr. Matt giggles his way through a tire smoking test drive.
Source: TheSmokingTire.com
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Well it’s finally happened, Car and Driver has snagged photos of the test mule for the upcoming 2014 Chevrolet Corvette C7. Unfortunately the pics aren’t overly revealing, however one thing they do show is that our beloved Corvette will still keep its standard front-engine layout. Car and Driver is also reporting that things like the existing suspension and current dimensions will all be very similar to the current C6 model. Under the hood though are where the real changes should take place as GM is planning to install a small 5.5-liter V8 in place of the existing 6.2-liter LS3. The new C7 Corvette is one of the most anticipated and important cars that Chevrolet has ever produced. Where cars like the Z06 and ZR1 took the Corvette into exotic car territory, the new C7 will be expected to go even further. As for the styling, we’re not overly concerned with that, as the renderings that have appeared on the web are already pretty damn good. The problem that we see now is that we just have to wait at least another year before anything concrete appears.
Source: CarAndDriver.com
Seven gears huh? That’s a lot of shifting in my opinion, however that’s what we’re likely to see in the upcoming 2014 C7 Corvette. Now granted, the addition of a seventh gear would likely elevate the Corvette’s already amazing fuel economy (26 mpg), but from an enthusiast standpoint, I think it’s simply too much. How about this GM; instead of a 7-speed, give the enthusiasts a choice of a close ratio 5-speed manual or a dual-clutch flappy-paddle 6-speed. Then give the 7-speed automatic to the “look-at-me” crowd. Once that’s done combine the owners choice with a beefed-up LS7 that makes about 500 hp for the base Vette’ and PRESTO! You’ve just built the perfect sports car. Right now the idea of a 7-speed manual is still just a rumor, but according to InsideLine it comes from a very trust worthy source.
Source: InsideLine.com
It’s been around for almost 60 years and in that time has always followed the same basic recipe. Front engine, rear drive, fiberglass and fun. The Chevrolet Corvette is an icon. It’s America’s sports car and over the years has inspired everything from pop songs to motion pictures. At the heart of this machine is the Chevrolet small block V8. An engine that should be known as the 9th wonder of the world since they’ve built about 9-billion of the little buggers. From the 256 cid V8 of 1955, to today’s 638hp supercharged LS9, this engine has been the workhorse of millions upon millions of cars, trucks and vans. Plus, due to it’s size, you can shoehorn one into just about anything. Translogic’s Bradley Hasemeyer takes us on a little journey to GM headquarters to give us just a little more insight as to why this engine may be considered the greatest V8 ever made.
Source: Autoblog
Just a few weeks back we brought you video of the 2012 Corvette ZR1 lapping the Nürburgring in 7:19. Given the ZR1’s near-supercar status, you’d expect that a lowly (and normally aspirated) Z06 would be significantly slower around the Green Hell. The difference between the two cars in lap times is less than you’d expect, which makes justifying the $36,000 price increase for the ZR1 that much harder. How fast is the Z06 around the ‘Ring? Watch the video below to find out, but I’ll give you this hint: it’s significantly quicker than a 2009 Corvette ZR1. Read More…
The 2012 Centennial Edition Corvette. Image: © GM Corp.
Let’s try a little Economics 101: if you have a product with high inventory and low demand, and you want to sell down the existing inventory, would you raise the price or lower the price? The correct answer is “lower the price,” but the folks at General Motors apparently skipped that particular Econ lecture. Despite sluggish sales and dealers willing to sell below invoice to move inventory, the Corvette product line is getting a price hike for the 2012 model year. Base prices will be increasing by $480 to $1,150, depending upon the model. The sole exception will be the Corvette ZR1, which actually gets a price decrease this year – from $111,600 to $111,525. When you’re dropping $112,000 on a car, $75 isn’t a decrease, it’s a rounding error. Read More…
How fast is the 2012 Corvette ZR1? Would you believe six seconds faster around the ‘Ring than a 2009 Corvette ZR1? Would you believe it’s also faster around the Green Hell than a Dodge Viper ACR, a 2011 Nissan GT-R and a Ferrari Enzo? In fact, the only non-hyper-exotic that’s lapped the Nürburgring in less time is Porsche’s latest GT2 RS, which did it in 7:18. The Porsche GT2 RS is a limited edition street legal race car, with a starting price tag of $245,000. The Corvette ZR-1 can be picked up at your local Chevy dealer for less than half of that price, which only makes the Corvette’s lap time that much more impressive. Watch a video of the record run below. Read More…
