Has General Motors got something in the works to pay homage to Corvette’s first Chief Engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov? Earlier this month, the automaker filed a trademark application for “Zora” under the category of “Vehicles and Products for locomotion by land, air or water”. Could a future special or namesake edition Corvette be in the works? […]
GM’s Reuss Confirms the C8 Corvette is Already in Development
During an event last week to promote the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix, General Motors global product manager Mark Reuss addressed the crowd and talked about some of the issues facing the automaker in the wake of a series of recalls and an ongoing investigation into faulty ignition switches.
Being the Global Product Manager, Reuss also made a few comments about the future of the Corvette that will make any crossed-flags fan happy.
Reuss said that the automaker is already working on the next generation Corvette, the C8. Details are light of course as Chevrolet is still in the first year of C7 production, but that won’t stop speculation for the future of America’s favorite sports car.
According to the Detroit Free Press, Reuss would not rule out a hybrid or electric Corvette either, echoing comments he made last August to the LA Times.
High-end sports cars are already utilizing hybrid technology and energy recapturing systems like the KERS on Ferrari’s La Ferrari and the McLaren P1. Of course, the trick for Corvette’s engineers is to find a way to make such technology cost effective for Corvette’s price point.
But there’s plenty of time between now and the next Corvette to work out these questions. The C7 Stingray is still in its inaugural year of production with the flagship Corvette Z06 coming in 2015. If we estimate a five to six year production run for the C7, now we’re looking at a 2018-2019 time frame for introducing the C8.
Source:
Detroit Free Press
Related:
Is a Hybrid in the Future for Corvette?
[VIDEO] GM’s Mark Reuss Talks Corvette Stingray with Motor Trend’s WOT
[VIDEO] Chevrolet Introduces the “Big Nasty†Corvette Z06 Convertible
© 2014 CorvetteBlogger.com. The article GM’s Reuss Confirms the C8 Corvette is Already in Development originally appeared on the website Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle at www.CorvetteBlogger.com. If you are reading this content other than our RSS feed or one of our select partners, then you’re on a website who is using this feed without permission.
Debunking a Stupid Rumor About a Special Series of 2014 C6 Corvette ZR1s
Checking the news this morning after a long weekend, I found this story on AutoSpies.com proclaiming that Chevrolet isn’t quite done with the C6 generation ZR1 yet. For 2014 and 2015, Chevy will still be offering not only the ZR1 in C6 form, but a special edition that’s been modified to run a 0-60 mph in 2.65 seconds and has a quarter mile time of 9.7 seconds at 140.2 mph.
AutoSpies is referring to this magical series of C6 ZR1s as the “Final 638″, a special run of 50 Corvettes which will begin production on May 26th with a sticker price expected to be $129,000 – $130,000. The author claims the first of the “Final 638″ cars was sold on Saturday to a buyer who paid $185,000. That car, a Jetstream Blue ZR1 is reportedly shown above as the first actual “Final 638″ ZR1.
The spec’s for this C6 Corvette are crazy too. The curb weight has been reduced by 375 lbs to bring it down from 3,344 pounds to 2,969. Add the aforementioned quarter mile and 0-60 mph times and this would qualify as the most powerful Corvette ever built by Chevrolet.
Except its a myth.
Why would Chevrolet come out now with a more powerful Corvette based on the last generation body style which ended production over a year ago. Why would Chevrolet allow a previous generation car to compete with the coming sale of its new flagship, the Corvette Z06, a car that has already bested the previous C6 ZR1 on GM’s Milford Ring Course? How is Chevy going to build these C6s when the production line for them no longer exists. Are they going to be built by hand?
Also, no car like this exists in Chevrolet’s order system so how could one be sold already while 49 have still to be built. A corporation like General Motors isn’t going to order a special run of 50 handbuilt supercars willy-nilly no matter how much we think of the Corvette.
This story is so bunk that the only thing missing is the part where the exhaust from the “Final 638″ special edition Corvette ZR1 smells like unicorn farts. We’ll be looking forward to the follow up on this story once these “Final 638s” fail to materialize.
Here’s an update from GM Authority with Chevrolet’s response to this rumor:
ZR1 ended in 2013 model year. All of the tooling is gone, replaced when the plant was shut down for six months to prepare for the launch of the Stingray.
Just as we thought!
Source:
AutoSpies.com
Related:
Is This Vice President Joe Biden’s New Corvette Stingray?
Chevrolet to Introduce New C7 Corvette Variant at the New York Auto Show
Chevrolet Closes the Door on Building a C7 Corvette ZR1
© 2014 CorvetteBlogger.com. The article Debunking a Stupid Rumor About a Special Series of 2014 C6 Corvette ZR1s originally appeared on the website Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle at www.CorvetteBlogger.com. If you are reading this content other than our RSS feed or one of our select partners, then you’re on a website who is using this feed without permission.
Is This Vice President Joe Biden’s New Corvette Stingray?
Auto Evolution is running a photo of a Velocity Yellow Corvette Stingray on the back of a rollback truck that it reports could be on its way to Vice President Joe Biden.
The website points out several reasons to believe what it calls this “unconfirmed but really interesting news from Washington.”
First of all, it’s no secret that Biden loves American sports cars as he is the longtime owner of a 1967 Corvette Big Block that was a wedding gift.
The VEEP was even lampooned for his love of cars when The Onion faked a photo of a shirtless Biden washing a white Pontiac Trans Am in the White House driveway.
If you look at the Stingray photo, you’ll see the prestige tag says “THE VP” and it’s a Washington, D.C. plate. Of course, that would be easy for some jokester to fake with Photoshop. Somehow, we don’t think the Vice President of the United States would have a vanity license tag saying THE VP – just doesn’t seem very vice presidential, does it?
Of course, we do know a couple of things for sure. In January, Biden came away very impressed with the new Corvette Z06 during a visit to the Detroit Auto Show and publicly praised the bailout of the American auto industry, including General Motors.
We’re not giving the story too much credence, but maybe just maybe he decided to show “Government Motors” his support with his own checkbook.
Source:
Auto Evolution
Related:
[VIDEO] VP Joe Biden Really Really Likes the New Corvette Z06
[PICS] Vice President Joe Biden Visits the Corvette Display at NAIAS
Colin Powell’s Passion for Corvettes and Speed
© 2014 CorvetteBlogger.com. The article Is This Vice President Joe Biden’s New Corvette Stingray? originally appeared on the website Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle at www.CorvetteBlogger.com. If you are reading this content other than our RSS feed or our partners at CorvetteForum.com, then you’re on a website who is using this feed without permission.
Chevrolet to Introduce New C7 Corvette Variant at the New York Auto Show
Just when we thought we had the 2015 Corvette model lineup set after the introduction the high performance Z06 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January, a report from Autoblog on Friday suggesting a new C7 Corvette variant will be introduced at the New York Auto Show has certainly raised our interest.
Speculation on the intertubes ranges from a cheaper 5.3L V8 base version, a Stingray “Grand Sport”, a Z06 Convertible, or a high performance C7 ZR1.
Still, others are saying that we could be looking at a special edition like the “Black Widow Stingray” or perhaps a Premiere Edition Corvette Z06 for the high-volume Corvette dealers to sell. Finally, let’s not forget the idea of a special track-focused C7 Z06 like the 2011 SEMA Z06X Concept.
Our friends at Chevrolet aren’t talking, but the show opens next week so we’ll be sure to keep an eye on all the happenings from the Big Apple.
Do you have an idea on what the next C7 Corvette variant will be? Sound off in the comments below.
Source:
Autoblog.com
Related:
The Legend Returns – Introducing the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
Introducing the 2014 Corvette Stingray Convertible
[PICS] The 2015 Corvette Z06 Revealed at NAIAS
[PIC] Hansen ART Imagines the 2015 Corvette Z06 as a Convertible
2015 Corvette Stingray Will Get The New Eight-Speed Automatic Transmission
This morning, General Motors put an end to speculation that the new 8L90 Eight-Speed Automatic Transmission would not make it into the base C7 Corvette next year by announcing the availability of the new high performance automatic for the 2015 Corvette Stingray.
The new 8L90 automatic was designed and built by General Motors at its Toledo, Ohio plant specifically for its high performance cars which includes the Corvette Z06 and Stingray. The transmission is expected to contribute up to 5-percent greater efficiency compared to the previous six-speed automatic which means that the Stingray could see 30 MPG Highway fuel economy with the new transmission.
“Corvette Stingray’s new eight-speed automatic delivers the comfort and drivability of a true automatic transmission, as well as lightning-fast shifts and the manual control that enhance the performance-driving experience,” said Bill Goodrich, assistant chief engineer for eight-speed automatic transmissions. “It was designed to enhance the Stingray’s driving experience, with performance on par with dual-clutch designs, but without sacrificing refinement.”
The eight-speed auto for the Stingray is based on the same transmission that will go into the high performance Z06, but it features a unique clutch and torque converter matched to the Stingray’s 6.2L LT1 engine.
GM says the transmission features a new control system and unique algorithms that deliver shift performance that rivals the dual-clutch/semi-automatic transmissions found in many supercars – but with the smoothness and refinement that comes with a conventional automatic fitted with a torque converter. The controller analyses and executes commands 160 times per second. Wide-open throttle upshifts are executed up to eight-hundredths of a second quicker than those of the dual-clutch transmission offered in the Porsche 911.
The new transmission has four gearsets and five clutches and the smaller steps between gears keep the engine withing the sweet spot of the RPM Band, making the most of its horsepower and torque to optimize performance and efficiency.
Source:
General Motors
Related:
New Eight-Speed Auto Transmission Could Boost Corvette Stingray to 30 MPG Highway
A Closer Look at the 8-Speed Automatic for the 2015 Corvette Z06
REPORT: 2015 Corvette Stingray Will Not Get Eight-Speed Auto Transmission
New Eight-Speed Auto Transmission Could Boost Corvette Stingray to 30 MPG Highway
Who would have thought there would ever be a time when we’d be talking about great fuel economy with a high-performance car with an automatic transmission?
But these aren’t ordinary times, at least when it comes to the seventh-generation Corvette.
Chevy announced earlier this year that its new 8-speed automatic transmission is on the way in 2015 for the 625 horsepower (at least) Z06 and will likely also be an option for the 2016 base Corvette Stingray.
Already there is talk that the new automatic will more than likely add at least a couple of miles to the gallon for the Stingray, which would mean the 460-horsepower base model would be delivering at least 30 miles per gallon on the highway. We wouldn’t be surprised if on a long trip, that figure is even higher. Even my base model C5 gave me 27 mpg on my last trip from Georgia to Bowling Green.
Is that amazing or what?
If you have a classic Corvette, that 30 mpg figure sounds like a miracle, especially when your C2 or C3 is lucky to crack the 10 mpg mark.
Chevy’s engineers, however, have done their homework on the new transmission, and it’s likely to be a great marketing tool for the Stingray to be able to boast of that fuel economy for a car that can go from 0 to 60 in less than 4 seconds and can climb to nearly 200 mph.
While most folks who are shelling upwards of $60,000 to $70,000 for a Stingray aren’t too worried about fuel economy, it still adds another reason for enthusiasts not to feel too guilty about the effect the Corvette is having on the environment.
Look for the media to go ga-ga over the Corvette even more if Chevy does indeed deliver on the 30 mpg level.
Source:
TorqueNews.com
Related:
A Closer Look at the 8-Speed Automatic for the 2015 Corvette Z06
REPORT: 2015 Corvette Stingray Will Not Get Eight-Speed Auto Transmission
The 2014 Corvette Stingray’s 6-Speed Automatic is Rated 16/28 MPG by the EPA
New Eight-Speed Auto Transmission Could Boost Corvette Stingray to 30 MPG Highway
Who would have thought there would ever be a time when we’d be talking about great fuel economy with a high-performance car with an automatic transmission?
But these aren’t ordinary times, at least when it comes to the seventh-generation Corvette.
Chevy announced earlier this year that its new 8-speed automatic transmission is on the way in 2015 for the 625 horsepower (at least) Z06 and will likely also be an option for the 2016 base Corvette Stingray.
Already there is talk that the new automatic will more than likely add at least a couple of miles to the gallon for the Stingray, which would mean the 460-horsepower base model would be delivering at least 30 miles per gallon on the highway. We wouldn’t be surprised if on a long trip, that figure is even higher. Even my base model C5 gave me 27 mpg on my last trip from Georgia to Bowling Green.
Is that amazing or what?
If you have a classic Corvette, that 30 mpg figure sounds like a miracle, especially when your C2 or C3 is lucky to crack the 10 mpg mark.
Chevy’s engineers, however, have done their homework on the new transmission, and it’s likely to be a great marketing tool for the Stingray to be able to boast of that fuel economy for a car that can go from 0 to 60 in less than 4 seconds and can climb to nearly 200 mph.
While most folks who are shelling upwards of $60,000 to $70,000 for a Stingray aren’t too worried about fuel economy, it still adds another reason for enthusiasts not to feel too guilty about the effect the Corvette is having on the environment.
Look for the media to go ga-ga over the Corvette even more if Chevy does indeed deliver on the 30 mpg level.
Source:
TorqueNews.com
Related:
A Closer Look at the 8-Speed Automatic for the 2015 Corvette Z06
REPORT: 2015 Corvette Stingray Will Not Get Eight-Speed Auto Transmission
The 2014 Corvette Stingray’s 6-Speed Automatic is Rated 16/28 MPG by the EPA
[VIDEO] Early 2014 Corvette Production Stats from Harlan Charles
![[VIDEO] Early 2014 Corvette Production Stats from Harlan Charles](http://www.corvetteblogger.com/images/content/2014/013114_4b.jpg)
The Corvette Stingray has been in production since August 2013 and thousands of new C7s have already found their way to customers. At the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, Corvette Product Manager Harlan Charles was asked about providing some production stats for the new Stingray and he happily obliged.
According to Harlan, a total of 16,000 Corvette Stingrays have either been built or there are orders to build in the system. He says they are building about 3,000 Corvettes per month in Bowling Green.
The top three exterior colors so far are Torch Red, Black and Arctic White. He also mentioned that Cyber Gray and the new Laguna Blue were also “up there” in terms of customers’ ordering preferences. The Black interior is still tops while the new Adrenaline Red is very popular as well.
In the past, the Chrome wheel options were typically the top choice from buyers, but Harlan says the new black wheels are very popular and now it’s really close between black and chrome for the most popular color of wheels.
The Z51 package has been running close to 60% of all Corvettes ordered which Harlan claims is about all they can handle. Magnetic Selective Ride Control is on more than half of the Z51 orders.
Finally, Harlan says the most popular equipment group is the top-of-the-line 3LT.
You can watch Harlan along with Exterior Design Manager Kirk Bennion talk about the new C7 Corvette Stingray and Z06 from the Corvette Corral at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona last weekend. Thanks to Jake Drennon of the C5/C6/C7 Corvette Registry for sharing the video:
Just one tidbit about the new 2015 Corvette Z06. Harlan was asked if there would be a true Corvette Z06 convertible to which he replied, “I don’t really have an announcement at this time.” Hey, that’s not a denial so stay tuned!!
Photo Credit: DigitalDtour.com
Related:
[VIDEO] 2015 Corvette Z06 – Chevrolet Supercar Technology
[PIC] Hansen ART Imagines the 2015 Corvette Z06 as a Convertible
[VIDEO] Corvette Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter Answers Our Questions about the 2015 Corvette Z06
REPORT: 2015 Corvette Stingray Will Not Get Eight-Speed Auto Transmission
Those Corvette enthusiasts who are thinking of holding out for a 2015 Stingray to get the new eight-speed automatic transmission might want to rethink that position.
The new transmission may be available at first only in the 2015 Corvette Z06, according to chief engineer Tadge Juechter.
You see, it’s not as simple as just announcing that the transmission is available in any car and then letting customers put a check beside “Transmission, Eight Speed Automatic” on the order blank.
Each model has to be engineered specifically for the transmission, a process that isn’t all that simple when it comes to the Stingray.
“You would think, ‘OK you’ve validated the high horsepower one, so validating the low horsepower one is like falling off a log, you just judge it.’ But that’s not true,” Juechter tells Autoguide.com.
Juechter says his crew will have to recalibrate everything, not just the powertrain calibration.
“It’s all the stability systems because you’re managing torque,” he says. “So traction control, launch control, performance traction management, all that stuff has to be re-done when you just change the transmission.”
The chief engineer says his team already has “a lot on our plate to get done” with bringing the highly anticipated Z06 to market in about a year, so that may not leave much time to tinker with the base Stingray in 2015.
Don’t fret, though, because the eight-speed transmission is apparently destined to become a workhorse for General Motors, which wants to spread its development cost across as many lines as possible. That means the tranny will definitely make it into the Stingray one day, just maybe not as soon as some customers would prefer.
General Motors truck engineer Jeff Luke hinted at the recent North American International Auto Show in Detroit that it will also be used in GM’s lineup of trucks, too, to help compete with the huge weight loss recently announced by the new Ford F-150. Juechter said re-calibrating the eight-speed for a non-transaxle use will be relatively easy.
Source:
Autoguide.com
Related:
Report: 2015 Corvette to Get 8-Speed Automatic Transmission
The 2014 Corvette Stingray’s 6-Speed Automatic is Rated 16/28 MPG by the EPA
Introducing the 2015 Corvette Z06