Month: January 2013

We managed to get our hands on these never-before-seen videos shot during testing of the first generation Corvette. The videos just discovered in the GM Media Archives show a very early Corvette prototype undergoing a series of evaluations at the Milford Proving Grounds and include a cameo by Zora Duntov. Read on to be one of the first people in a very, very long time to view the video.

There are a total of 3 new video clips which we’ve skillfully combined into 1 below. The first video shows Zora Duntov himself evaluating airflow over a Corvette’s trunk and rear end. He fidgets with the side vent window angle and watches the airflow change with each adjustment. Zora was initially hired by GM in May of 1953 as an “Assistant Staff Engineer” so this test was probably conducted while he was still relatively new to his position when this film was recorded.

The 2nd video shows a test driver piloting an early C1 prototype down a straight stretch of road. Note some of the styling feature that did and didn’t make it into production. He appears to be performing some type of stability or lane change test as he takes his hands off of the steering wheel a couple of times in the film. The Corvette seems to perform remarkably well as we presume that it’s riding on old bias ply tires. Anyone who’s driven on old school tires like these know that they rarely follow a straight path even when you’ve got your hands on the wheel.

The final portion of the clip is broken down into 2 smaller sections. The first shows another (or the same prototype) car from above in a hill climb race against an early 1950′s Chevy sedan. The 2 cars launch simultaneously and the C1 easily drives away cresting the hilltop about 5 seconds ahead of the sedan. Next the car is seen drifting Dukes of Hazzard-style around a corner a dirt test road. You can almost hear Waylon Jennings signing in the background.

With the debut of the next generation Corvette coming up this Sunday, it’s pretty timely that these old videos turn up now. Enjoy this long lost look at Corvette’s past below.

Chevrolet will officially lift the skirt on the 2014 Corvette this Sunday January 13th. If you’re not part of the invited media or paying Corvette Museum guests attending you can still watch the reveal live via webcast on the Corvette Facebook page. The public reveal will take place the following day at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

We’ll be in Detroit on Sunday and have full details and photos of the new C7 Corvette as it’s unwrapped.

Source:
GM Archives

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It’s a meme that’s been done before, but with all the interest in the next generation Corvette, enthusiasts will get a kick out of Hitler’s reaction to the 2014 Corvette. Porsche fans, not so much.

In this version of the Downfall meme, the Fuhrer finds out the Americans have built a new Corvette – and they are testing it at the Nurburgring. When Hitler finds out how comparable the C7 Corvette is to his Porsche 911, he loses his temper and lashes out at everyone.

If you liked this video, check out our newest website, www.CorvetteVideos.TV.

Source:
CorvetteVideos.TV

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With the seventh-generation Corvette due to be unveiled Sunday and more than 20 other vehicle launches planned globally in 2013, General Motors announced today that it will also begin a new Chevrolet advertising campaign next month.

That means the end of the road for the “Chevy Runs Deep” slogan, which debuted in 2010 and was met by some with indifference because they thought it was confusing and hard to translate into some languages. Our non-scientific poll, however, showed the overwhelming majority of the visitors to Corvetteblogger.com liked the slogan.

Regardless, with so many new models being launched in the coming months, the new slogan – “Find New Roads” – no doubt is very appropro.

Alan Batey, vice president, U.S. Sales, Service and Global Marketing, believes the time is right for the new campaign and slogan.

“We are continuing to grow globally, especially in key emerging markets,” Batey said, “and Find New Roads will help us drive even more consistency – both internally with our employees and externally with customers.”

Indeed, the company will be hoping to continue a positive trend that has seen Chevrolet sales grow about 38 percent since the launch of the mid-size Cruze sedan, the brand’s first truly global vehicle, in 2009. Find New Roads will carry the banner for the brand as it develops new products and technologies for sale in more than 140 markets.

The new slogan summarizes Chevrolet’s commitment to align its engineering, design, and retail operations behind a single vision and communications platform, GM said.

“Find New Roads embraces the spirit of ingenuity that has been in Chevrolet’s DNA since the beginning and it will continue to guide every aspect of our business moving forward,” said Mary Barra, senior vice president of Global Product Development. “We have sold Chevrolets around the world for almost a century, but this is the first time we have aligned behind one global vision. As we develop new products our designers and engineers will be empowered to find smarter solutions to address customer needs and make their lives better.”

GM CEO Dan Akerson told The Wall Street Journal that the Find New Roads tag line “offers a challenge to people, which will give the tag line longer legs.” He said: “It will also mean different things to different people because the car represents different things to different people.”

In addition to driving internal consistency for Chevrolet, Find New Roads also will be used in advertising around the world, beginning in the United States this quarter.

“Find New Roads will enable the whole company to rally around a consistent theme for the brand, and at the same time serve as an external message that works in all markets,” said Batey. “The theme has meaning in mature markets like the U.S. as well as emerging markets like Russia and India, where the potential for continued growth is the greatest.”

Source:
Automotive News

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Barrett-Jackson is the largest and most extravagant of the five major collector car auctions taking place during the week of January 13. Over 1,200 cars including 125 Corvettes will cross the famous auction block with SPEED providing nearly 40 hours of live gavel coverage. Craig Jackson and his team put on more than an auction…they produce an extravaganza not to be missed.

Though they were hit hard by the market crash in 2008 their sales have been recovering nicely based on their shifting some emphasis from “muscle” and the addition of their “Salon Collection” cars. In 2012 their Scottsdale auction sold $90.5 million a 30% improvement over 2011 with dollar sales climbing back above 2008 levels.

Their focus is on muscle cars (though not to the extent of years past), Corvettes, hot rods, custom/restomods and the “salon” collection, an exclusive offering of rare, upper tier award-winning collector cars with historical provenance, many of which have not been up for sale in quite some time.

In 2012, the first year the Salon collection was added, seven of these cars topped $1 million. Based on that success it is back for 2013. Another move to increase consignments of high value cars, Barrett-Jackson has moved away from an all “no reserve” auction and now auctions some cars that have reserves placed on them. The primary reason for this was consignments of high dollar cars after 2008 had virtually “dried up” due to the huge risk a consigner faced placing a car in a “no reserve” auction in a volatile market.

Jackson admits he has been on both sides of the fence on this issue but understands a consigner’s concern. So to entice consignments of high dollar cars Barrett-Jackson has begun to accept cars with reserves. This policy works well with regards to the “blue chip” consignments, the type of cars in his “salon” collection. This strategic move was also made due to the strength of the high end classic segment of the market during the recession. For Barrett-Jackson it was a move similar to diversifying an investor’s stock portfolio.

In addition to the seeing the C7 Corvette there will be some of the finest Corvettes in the country cross the block, including General Motors Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson’s Regal Turquoise 1958 C1.

Lot #3010 1958 Chevrolet Corvette. All proceeds to benefit Habitat for Humanity. The Corvette Will be sold at approximately 5:30pm on Friday, January 18, 2013.

Lot #5042 1969 L88 Corvette Coupe. One of the “bluest of the Blue Chip” Corvettes to watch closely this year is the documented last L88 Corvette coupe that General Motors ever produced. The car retains its original Corvette order copy, the build sheet as well as a copy of the window sticker. Surprisingly it is a “no reserve” offering!

Spanky Assiter, Craig Jackson’s auctioneer, will be auctioning every generation of Corvette, from Bloomington Gold investment grade cars to outstanding “restomod” Corvettes which have been increasingly popular at auction. At last count Barrett-Jackson had 125 Corvettes scheduled to be auctioned off during the week, 33 C1′s, 44 C2′s, 32 C3′s, 10 C4′s, 5 C5′s and 1 C6.

Lot #1310 1961 Corvette Restomod 5.7L with a Tremec 5-speed. This is a car to drive and enjoy!. The classic Corvette look with a modern power plant, fuel injection, rack & pinion steering and disc brakes.

This year there will be an exceptional offering of 1967 Corvettes, from the silver, numbers matching 327/350hp, 4-speed from the Bob Howard Collection to the Marina blue, tri-power 427/400hp Bloomington Gold Top Flight Convertible. At last count there were sixteen ’67 Corvettes scheduled to cross the block during the week.

Lot #791 1967 Corvette Coupe. From the Howard Collection, 327/ 350 hp matching numbers V8 with a 4-Speed transmission. New condition Corvette with 19,487 original miles.

Lot #1297 1967 Corvette Convertible. 427/400 hp, factory AC and automatic transmission. Bloomington Gold, NCRS and MCACN Triple Crown.

The first generation cars are equally well represented with cars like Akerson’s 1958 to an impressive 1962 red, NCRS Duntov award winning “fuelie”, 360 HP, wide-tire optioned car. It also carries the Triple Diamond Award, Regional Top Flight Award and Corvette Nationals Gold Concours Award.

Lot #1262 1962 Corvette Roadster. 360 hp fuelie, 4-speed transmission, RPO 276 wide wheels, frame off restoration. NCRS Duntov Award, Bloomington Gold, Triple Crown Diamond Award. Documented with judging sheets and award certificates.

P.T. Barnum, known as the World’s Greatest Showman, would be jealous of Craig Jackson and the team at Barrett-Jackson of the extravaganza put on beneath the legendary quarter mile tent in Scottsdale. If they don’t put on the “greatest show on earth” they at least put on the “greatest show in the car collector world”. But for the real enthusiast the reason to be there is not the glitz, the glitter and the showmanship, it’s being surrounded with some of the finest Corvettes for sale in the world. For the real Corvette enthusiast, at last count Barrett-Jackson® is offering 125 reasons for being there, not counting this year’s “cherry on top”, the auctioning of the newest generation of Corvette, the C7.

Barrett-Jackson’s 2013 Scottsdale auction will take place January 13th-20th at Westworld of Scottsdale. Admission prices vary by day $10 to $55 with weekly, senior, and child discounts available. Visit www.barrett-jackson.com for more information.

Source:
Barrett-Jackson
Picture used with permission courtesy of Barrett-Jackson

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