Month: March 2010

Wayne German, Part IV During the mechanical engineering career of Clarke County native Wayne German, he was asked to solve problems that stumped some the largest U.S. corporations.

In the midst of a down economy and high gas prices, consumers are in search of the “perfect commuter car”. Manufacturers are listening and responding to these needs by producing smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles.

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the average commuting driver spends 41 minutes (or 22.5 miles) daily on the road.

So, it’s safe to say – consumers are in need of a fuel-efficient vehicle that also provides safety, comfort, affordability and practicality features.

For those is search of these features as well as a fun, recreational vehicle, the AAA has done their part to research the “perfect” vehicles, which include:

• Mini Cooper
• Chevrolet Corvette
• Buick Enclave
• Mercedes-Benz GL
• Volkswagen GTI
• BMW 3-Series

Wouldn’t you prefer to drive a Corvette sportscar that would still get you good fuel economy (26 mpg on highway)?  We would.

[ SayEducate.com ]

RM Auctions held their Collector Cars of Fort Lauderdale event last weekend which featured 36 Corvettes. Auction results show 23 of the 36 Corvettes were sold for a sales success rate of 64% and total sales topped $1,186,700. Many of the Corvettes came from the estate of collector John O’Quinn and those were sold without reserve. [More]

To revolutionize the way we drive, General Motors has recently introduced the Enhanced Vision System, taking windshield vision to a whole new level.

With safety in mind always, this system’s ultraviolet lasers will paint road lines on the windshield when it’s difficult to see the road due to fog, rain or snow. The system offers enhanced night vision and will even read road-side signs to help with navigation.

How does this work? The use of several front-facing sensors and in-vehicle cameras track the driver’s head and eyes, placing the augmented reality layer on the windshield.

"What’s novel here is it’s the entire windshield — no little headbox I have to have my head in. Here, you can see the image from any position," said GM researcher Thomas Seder.

GM, however, has not announced if/when this system will actually become available in its vehicles.  Stay tuned, any improvement and upgrade to the current Corvette heads up display is welcome.

See a video about the system after the jump.

[ CrunchGear ]

Hennesseya s new supercar promises to be extreme, even by 1000-hp standards. Since 1991, Hennessey Performance Engineering has been in the business of taking crazy-fast cars such as Dodge Vipers, Ford GTs, and Chevrolet Corvettes and turning them into tire-melting monsters for only the most talented of drivers.

Team Nissan, are you serious? Your dealer nameplate should just as well read “Dealbreaker”…

Source:
Corvette Forum via eBay

 

I’m speechless… [More]

The National Corvette Museum recently purchased and installed two new, state-of-the-art driving simulators that will be used to educate the public about various driving scenarios and how best to handle them on the road.

Virage Simulation Inc., a company based out of Montreal, Canada who creates flight simulators used within today’s aeronautic industry, built the driving simulators for the museum.

The simulators are so realistic t’chat teenagers with a learner’s permit in Montreal have the opportunity to use them in order to accumulate drivers training hours. The driver must first fasten their seatbelt before the simulator will even begin. When the engine starts, the driver is able to feel the vibration of the pavement as well as the weight of the vehicle as the driver turns the wheel.

“We are extremely fortunate to have the only simulators of this kind in the U.S.,” said Chris Sweeney, Tours and Admissions Supervisor for the Museum. “They will give us the opportunity to educate drivers of all ages and experience levels – providing useful knowledge and a safe learning environment for students to develop their driving skills.”

The simulators also offer five different programs, including: Emergency Driving Situations; Driving Under the Influence; Speed, Road Conditions and Stopping Distances; Hazard Perception and Fuel Efficient Driving.

The simulators are open to Museum visitors from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. daily at no additional charge. For more information or to reserve a 15-minute slot at admissions, visit here.

[ CorvetteConti.com ]

BK in Georgia submitted this 1978 Silver Anniversary Corvette to Corvette Values:

1978 Corvette T-Top Coupe. VIN: 1Z8748S427XXX Silver Anniversary model, L82 350/220 hp. Automatic transmission. 17,800 original miles. Power steering, power brakes, power windows, AC, tilt-tele steering column, factory wheels. Two-tone silver anniversary paint in good condition as is the interior. No documentation.

Find out how we valued this Corvette after the jump. [More]

As sure as the sun rises and God makes little green apples, there will always be a Chevrolet Corvette.