Month: August 2011

As we mentioned over the weekend, the Corvette ZR1 was featured on Top Gear USA Sunday evening that culminated with the Americanized version of the Stig taking the supercharged 638-horsepower sports car on a lap attack of TG USA’s test track. How does the Corvette stack up against the competition? Hit the jump and check it out.

The Corvette ZR1 that was tested was a 2011 model year Corvette that is missing some of the options that are found on the 2012 version, namely the ultimate performance package which features a more aggressive transmission and the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires. Give the Stig USA a 2012 Corvette ZR1 and I can see the Chevy easily blowing past the top time set by the Viper ACR.

If you missed the episode, Check out History.com which has the full episode online.

Source:
Streetfire.net

Related:
DVR Alert: Corvette ZR1 to be Featured on Top Gear USA
Clarkson Selects Corvette ZR1 as his Car of the Year
[VIDEO] Top Gear’s Clarkson Outruns Murderous Black Corvette in a Fiesta

 

Motor Trend had the opportunity to test the new 2012 Corvette Z06 Centennial Edition equipped with the Z07 performance package. Although MT tested a similarly outfitted 2011 Z06 recently, the biggest difference between the two model years is that 2012 comes with the updated Z07 Ultimate Performance Package which includes the Brembo carbon ceramic brakes, Magnetic Selective Ride Control and the new ultra grippy R-compound Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires.

Motor Trend put the 2012 Corvette Z06 Centennial Edition through their battery of road tests and in every category save for one, the 2012 Z06 Centennial bested the previous times and performance of the 2011 Corvette Z06. Of particular note is the figure 8 test that the 2012 Corvette Z06 finished in 22.8 seconds @ .098 g – the fastest time ever recorded by Motor Trend with a production car. The 2012 Z06 also posted a 1.13g average around the skid pad, besting the 2011 Z06 by 0.05g and the combination of the PS cup tires and the Brembo brakes brings the sports car from 60 mph to 0 in just 94 feet.

For the quarter mile, the Z06 Centennial hit its mark at 11.9 seconds at 122.5 mph. The only stat to not improve was the 0-60 mph time of 3.8 seconds which was equal to the 2011 Corvette Z06.

Motor Trends uses some of these stats in a bench race against the Z06’s formidable competition: The Nissan GT-R, Ferrari 458 and the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. The new 2012 Corvette Z06 stopped 4 feet shorter than the 911 GT3 RS, was a half a second faster around the figure 8 track than the GT-R, and the Z06 pulled more than a full 0.1 g over the Ferrari 458.

Of course we get the familiar “seats suck” refrain which is tired and old, but dollar for dollar, the 2012 Corvette Z06 Centennial Edition continues to be one of the best performance bargains available in the sports car marketplace today.

Source:
Motor Trend

Related:
Motor Trend: The Truth about the C7 Corvette
[VIDEO] Corvette Z06 vs GT500 vs GT-R: Motor Trend’s 5-Figure Supercar Shootout
[VIDEO] Motor Trend Compares 2011 Corvette ZR1 vs 2011 Porsche 911 Turbo

 

Drive 2-Porsche 911 Turbo ,Chevrolet Corvette AB@5G0 Drive 2 %0@L:>2! Porsche 911 Turbo ,Chevrolet Corvette From: RBMproduction Views: 1 0 ratings Time: 00:51 More in Autos & Vehicles Thu, 04 Aug 2011 09:10:03 +0000 TOP SPEED OF A STOCK 1987 CHEVY CAMARO Gumball 3000 Present NY 2010, chevy camaro of Gumball 3000 Times Shape NY 2010 Person Terminate …

LeftLaneNews.com has five images from spy photographer Brian Williams (Brenda Priddy & Co) that appear to show the next generation Corvette will indeed retain its front engine/rear wheel drive layout. The engineering mule is disguised as a Cyber Gray Grand Sport Coupe, but you can see how the proportions of the body are slightly larger than the mule’s wheelbase which gives the impression of the wheels being “tucked in”.

Another visible clue that this is a mule is the spacing of the quad exhaust pipes. Unlike the C6 which has dual pipes separated by about 6 inches, the test mule shows the four exhaust pipes together sort of like the layout on the Corvette Stingray Concept.

Those that heard the mule describe the sound as very “Ferrari-like”. We’re not sure if that’s good or bad but its believed the next generation Corvette will get its power from an all new 5.5L V8 engine with around 440 base horsepower.

The C7 Corvette is expected to arrive in 2013 as a 2014 model.

Check out all five spy pictures at LeftLaneNews.com

Source:
LeftLaneNews.com
Photo Copyright Brian Williams for Brenda Priddy & Company

Related:
Motor Trend: The Truth about the C7 Corvette
[RUMORS] C7 Corvettes to Offer a Small-Displacement Turbo V8?
[RUMORS] Automotive News Proclaims 2012 as Last Full Year of C6 Corvette Production

 

Corvette Racing Celebrates Homecoming as Le Mans and Mosport Winner

LEXINGTON, Ohio, Aug. 2, 2011 – Situated between the Corvette assembly plant in Bowling Green, Ky., and Corvette Racing’s headquarters in suburban Detroit, the historic 2.25-mile Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is the spiritual home of the Compuware Corvettes. The Corvette Racing team is hoping for a homecoming celebration in the fifth round of the American Le Mans Series, the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge, on Saturday, August 6.

Corvette Racing returns to Mid-Ohio with momentum after a victory by Jan Magnussen and Oliver Gavin in the No. 4 Corvette C6.R at the preceding round at Mosport International Raceway on July 24. In June, teammates Tommy Milner, Olivier Beretta, and Antonio Garcia triumphed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Gavin and Magnussen’s win in Mosport narrowed the ALMS GT championship race; the Corvette duo is second in the drivers’ standings, 23 points behind BMW’s Dirk Mueller and Joey Hand, and Chevrolet is second in the manufacturer standings by 22 markers. With a maximum of 120 points on the table in the next five races and series-mandated balance of performance adjustments taking effect at Mid-Ohio, the GT championship is wide open at the midpoint of the ALMS season.

After scoring seven wins in the GT1 category at Mid-Ohio, Corvette Racing debuted its GT class Corvettes at the Ohio circuit in August 2009 with a runner-up finish by Magnussen and Johnny O’Connell. Last year at Mid-Ohio, Gavin and Beretta finished second in the fiercely contested class. Now the team is focused on moving up one spot on the podium with a victory.

“Mid-Ohio is quite a good track for us, and we’ve been very strong there from the first race with the GT car,” Magnussen said. “This year we’ve been a little behind because of the regulations, but this may change at Mid-Ohio. It could be our time to shine.”

“Last year we were really, really close to a win at Mid-Ohio,” Gavin recalled. “Our car came alive in the race and we had a great battle in GT. I managed to get past the BMW and Porsche, and then I had an excellent fight with Jamie Melo’s Ferrari in the final minutes. I think we had a car that was fast enough to win, but didn’t quite get the breaks to get a victory. I just hope we can continue on an upward trend.

“The Mid-Ohio circuit is rather narrow and it can be quite tricky to pass, but we proved last year that we could do it,” Gavin explained. “Getting the car through the Keyhole is challenging because you’re braking uphill and then the track falls away as the car goes over the crest. Coming into the corner at the end of the back straight is another challenge because the braking zone can be quite slippery. It’s a track where you need to be precise with your lines, precise with your braking, and have a car that rotates well.”

Tommy Milner will drive a Corvette for the first time at Mid-Ohio after finishing third there in 2009 and 2010. “I’ve had success at Mid-Ohio in the past, and combined with Corvette’s previous success, I hope to get a good result this year,” Milner said. “Mid-Ohio is a showcase for the GT class; there are areas where it’s tough to pass, but there are enough opportunities for the prototypes to get by. The elevation changes and the variety of corners make it a great place to race.”

The Mid-Ohio round is well attended by Corvette Racing’s friends and extended family, and the team is supported by hundreds of Corvette owners and enthusiasts in the Corvette Corral.

“It’s not far from the team headquarters, and a lot of the people who design and build the cars come from the race shop,” said Beretta, who is slated to make his milestone 100th ALMS start this weekend. “I hope we will have a good result with both cars. The track is quite interesting because the grip is not constant. The best strategy is to get out front and stay there!”

The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 6. Live video coverage will available on ESPN3.com in the US and americanlemans.com for international users. ESPN2 will televise the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge on Sunday, August 7, at 10 p.m. ET.

Source:
CorvetteRacing.com
Photo Credit: Richard Prince/GM Racing

Related:
[SPOILER] Corvette Racing at the Grand Prix of Mosport
Corvettes Qualify Sixth and Eighth for ALMS Grand Prix of Mosport

 

GM released July’s sales report yesterday and we continue to like what we see. Sales of Corvettes remained steady at 1,291, just nine less than June’s total of 1,299. The July 2011 figure is also 7.7% better than the 1,199 Corvettes sold in July 2010. For the calendar year to date, Corvette sales are pacing 8.4% higher than 2010 with a total of 8,187 Corvettes sold January-July.

We are currently tracking an estimated national inventory of 2,346 Corvettes. 354 are 2012s, 2,147 are 2011 models and there are 199 available 2010 Corvettes.

The incentives for buying a new Corvette remain the same. 2011 Corvettes receive $3,000 Dealer Cash or 1.9% financing up to 60 months. For the remaining 2010 Corvettes that are still in dealer showrooms, $4,000 in Customer Cash is available or finance it for 72 months at 0% interest.

 

Corvette Stock Report:

A check of Jeff Hardy’s website shows
a total of 2,346 Corvettes on the ground. Last month’s total was 3,375 for a
net change of -1,029 Corvettes. Here is the breakdown by years and models:

• 2012 Corvettes – 354
• 2011 Corvettes – 2,147
• 2010 Corvettes – 199

2011 Corvette Inventory Breakdown:

• Corvette Coupes – 595
• Corvette Convertibles – 170
• Corvette GS Coupes – 717
• Corvette GS Convertibles – 369
• Corvette Z06 – 143
• Corvette ZR1 – 153

2010 Corvette Inventory Breakdown:

• Corvette Coupes – 62
• Corvette Convertibles – 49
• Corvette GS Coupes – 18
• Corvette GS Convertibles – 21
• Corvette Z06 – 9
• Corvette ZR1 – 40

Bowling Green Production:

• 2012 Model Year Production in July 2011: 616
• 2012 Model Year To Date Through July 2011: 1,317
• 2011 Calendar Year to Date through July 2011: 7,541

Source:
GM.com
JeffHardy.com

Related:
June 2011 Corvette Sales
May 2011 Corvette Sales
April 2011 Corvette Sales

 

The world’s biggest car show is, without a doubt, the Woodward Dream Cruise.  It is held one Saturday every August on Woodward Avenue, spreading out north of Detroit, Michigan for about twenty miles.  This year the Dream Cruise falls on Saturday, August 20.

City after city opens its doors to receive a total of some 40,000 classic and sports cars from all over the world!  These 40,000 vehicles of interest attract well north of a million viewers.  The crowd has been estimated as high as 1.5 million in some years.  I know.  I’ve been there in the traffic jam.  Yes, many times.

This year, once of the sponsors is Chevrolet.  Chevy will be prominent with billboards, a sound stage, and tons of classic metal in the tony downtown area of Birmingham.  We are in the lead up to the celebration of the Chevrolet Centennial, so it’s Chevy, Chevy, Chevy everywhere!

One of the activities leading up to the Woodward Dream Cruise that is of special interest to Corvette lovers is Corvettes on Woodward.  Larry Courtney is the man in charge, and he has a dizzying number of activities lined up for participants.

Wednesday, August 17, Noon to 7:30 pm – Hundreds of Corvettes jam the lot at the Radisson Hotel in Bloomfield Hills for seminars, canned goods collection for a food pantry, socializing, and then htting the four lanes wide southbound Woodward Avenue with an estimated 400 Corvettes.  Police cordon off the road, and let the Corvettes flow out of the hotel lot for an hour!  There is also an optional tour of the GM Heritage Center (which is seldom open to the public).

 

Thursday, August 18 – Road tours to Advanced Automotive Technologies, Specter Werkes, and the GM Performance Build Center Open House.

Friday, August 19 – Road tours to Katech Engines, Alternative Automotive Technologies, and the Lingenfelter Collection.

Saturday, August 20 – Corvette fans will find a heavy concentration of sweet Vettes owned by members fo America’s Corvette Club in the Borders parking lot, on Woodward in Birmingham.

Yes, there is indeed something for everybody!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ZL1 SLP’s natural state is doing a burnout. It’s practically an arsonist. Scott Jacobs for Edmunds 31 Photos See more photos in this gallery>> Road Test There’s a word for any driver who thinks he’s in charge when behind the wheel of the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 SLP: delusional.

Carlisle Event’s Lance Miller and family visited Kerbeck Corvette in Atlantic City NJ over the weekend to pick up their new Carlisle Blue 2012 Corvette ZR1. In addition to sporting the special color paying homage to the 30th anniversary of Corvettes at Carlisle, the ZR1 also comes equipped with the new PDE Performance Package which adds the Cup wheels, Michelin PS Cup tires, full width racing style spoiler and the MH3 Close Ratio transmission.

Lance said he wasn’t 100% sure about the new Carlisle Blue color, but once he saw it in person he realized it shows the lines of the vehicle well. “Pictures don’t do it justice…”, Lance writes on the Corvette Forum. He added “After seeing it in person I’m really happy with our choice.”

The PDE Performance Package comes with a Black cup wheels, but Lance opted for the upgrade to the Machine Face wheels. Kerbeck’s Dave Salvatore also chimes regarding the new transmission calling the gear shifter “insane” and says “That is how a supercar should feel when you are shifting it!”.

Attendee’s to this year’s Corvettes at Carlisle will be able to see Lance’s new ZR1 as its the featured Corvette in the display called “The Road to Carlisle Blue”. The display will feature each of the 34 shades of blue produced on Corvettes since 1953. If you have a blue Corvette and want it to be featured in this special collection, contact Jodi Morrison directly. Corvettes in the “Road to Carlisle Blue” display at Carlisle will be parked right inside the Gate 3 entrance.

If Lance Miller trusts Kerbeck Corvette for his new Corvette, then you can too. If you’re interested in a new 2012 Corvette, talk to one of Kerbeck’s Corvette Specialists about a custom order to meet your specifications. Visit Kerbeck Corvette on the web at www.kerbeck.com or call Dave Salvatore at 877-537-2325.

Online registration is now open for the 2011 Corvettes at Carlisle show. The show runs from Aug 26 – Aug 28, 2011.

Source:
Corvette Forum

Related:
[PICS] More 2012 Carlisle Blue Corvette Photos from Bloomington Gold
Corvettes on eBay: Lance Miller’s 2009 Corvette ZR1
Maximizing Performance: New Packages and Upgrades for the 2012 Chevrolet Corvette

 

Carlisle Event’s Lance Miller and family visited Kerbeck Corvette in Atlantic City NJ over the weekend to pick up their new Carlisle Blue 2012 Corvette ZR1. In addition to sporting the special color paying homage to the 30th anniversary of Corvettes at Carlisle, the ZR1 also comes equipped with the new PDE Performance Package which adds the Cup wheels, Michelin PS Cup tires, full width racing style spoiler and the MH3 Close Ratio transmission.

Lance said he wasn’t 100% sure about the new Carlisle Blue color, but once he saw it in person he realized it shows the lines of the vehicle well. “Pictures don’t do it justice…”, Lance writes on the Corvette Forum. He added “After seeing it in person I’m really happy with our choice.”

The PDE Performance Package comes with a Black cup wheels, but Lance opted for the upgrade to the Machine Face wheels. Kerbeck’s Dave Salvatore also chimes regarding the new transmission calling the gear shifter “insane” and says “That is how a supercar should feel when you are shifting it!”.

Attendee’s to this year’s Corvettes at Carlisle will be able to see Lance’s new ZR1 as its the featured Corvette in the display called “The Road to Carlisle Blue”. The display will feature each of the 34 shades of blue produced on Corvettes since 1953. If you have a blue Corvette and want it to be featured in this special collection, contact Jodi Morrison directly. Corvettes in the “Road to Carlisle Blue” display at Carlisle will be parked right inside the Gate 3 entrance.

If Lance Miller trusts Kerbeck Corvette for his new Corvette, then you can too. If you’re interested in a new 2012 Corvette, talk to one of Kerbeck’s Corvette Specialists about a custom order to meet your specifications. Visit Kerbeck Corvette on the web at www.kerbeck.com or call Dave Salvatore at 877-537-2325.

Online registration is now open for the 2011 Corvettes at Carlisle show. The show runs from Aug 26 – Aug 28, 2011.

Source:
Corvette Forum

Related:
[PICS] More 2012 Carlisle Blue Corvette Photos from Bloomington Gold
Corvettes on eBay: Lance Miller’s 2009 Corvette ZR1
Maximizing Performance: New Packages and Upgrades for the 2012 Chevrolet Corvette