Posted on

De Soto Firedome sells for $6,250

Not every Hemi-powered Mopar of the past pushes auction bidding into purple haze territory, as we saw this past weekend when a 1955 De Soto Firedome, one of a number of inexpensive cars to cross the block at Mecum’s Houston auction, sold for $6,250.

Posted on

De Soto Firedome sells for $6,250

Not every Hemi-powered Mopar of the past pushes auction bidding into purple haze territory, as we saw this past weekend when a 1955 De Soto Firedome, one of a number of inexpensive cars to cross the block at Mecum’s Houston auction, sold for $6,250.

Posted on

Corvette ZR-1 On Display at Mercury Marine Museum

Corvette ZR-1 Featured at Mercury Marine Museum

When we think of Corvettes, we naturally think first of the National Corvette Museum.

But that’s not the only place you’ll find rare Corvettes on display.

Mercury Marine – which built the 5.7-liter, 375-hp LT5 engine that powered the legendary C4 ZR-1 in the late 1980s and early 1990s – marked its 75th anniversary with the opening of a museum in Fond du Lac, Wis.

Naturally, that museum features a prime example of the ZR-1 Corvette, done in a sinister black with its hood up to show off the LT5 engine.

The roots for the ZR-1 powerplant actually go back to 1985 when Chevrolet first teamed up with Lotus Engineering to design the LT5 that was ultimately manufactured by Mercury’s MerCruiser division in Stillwater, Okla.

Tony Rudd, engineering director for Lotus, had promised GM 400 horsepower, but it was not until 1993 that he delivered and then some, when the LT5’s output climbed to 405 hp thanks to changes in cam timing, engine porting, and exhaust and intake.

The engine became the first for GM to win the automaker’s highest-quality certification: GP3 Level 1.

On the track, the ZR-1 was a standout, with a team of drivers led by Tommy Morrison setting a 24-hour endurance world record by averaging 175.9 mph over 4,221 miles at the Firestone test track in Fort Stockton, Texas, smashing the old mark by nearly 15 mph.

ZR-1s also took the top two spots in the 24-hour World Challenge race in Canada two years later.

Despite its powerful performance, the ZR-1 saw sales steadily falling throughout its run, and production of the LT5 came to a close in 1994. But not without a big show. That year, 70 ZR-1 owners brought their Corvettes to join “Thunder in Stillwater” and arranged their cars on the Oklahoma State University football field to spell out LT5.

You can learn more about Mercury’s development from its start in 1939 at the Mercury Marine Museum, or by visiting the museum’s website.

Source:
Autoweek.com

Related:
College Scholarship Created in Honor of 2nd Corvette Chief Engineer Dave McLellan
Corvettes on eBay – Ultra Low Mile 1987 Callaway B2K Convertible
[VIDEO] Harlan Charles and Chevrolet Pay Tribute to the C4 Corvette Generation

 

© 2014 CorvetteBlogger.com. The article Corvette ZR-1 On Display at Mercury Marine Museum 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.

Posted on

Country Music’s Jake Owen Buys a Corvette Stingray and Visits the Plant and NCM

Country Music's Jake Owen Buys a Corvette Stingray and Visits the Plant and NCM
Photo Credit: Jake Owen @ twitter

Jake Owen will go “Anywhere With You” on an “Eight Second Ride” since these are definitely the “Days of Gold” for the rapidly rising country singer.

You might say this is definitely not “The One That Got Away” and Jake is probably in “Heaven” and hollering “Yee Haw” since he climbed behind the wheel of his beautiful new Corvette Stingray.

If you’re not a country music fan, we’ll take a moment to explain that we took the titles of some of Jake’s songs to make the sentences above.

Owen recently became the latest fan to buy one of the 2014 Corvettes – an Arctic White Z51 edition with Adrenaline Red interior, black wheels, and Carbon Flash-painted rear spoiler and outside mirrors.

“I’ve always been a big fan of Corvettes,” Owen told Nashville’s WSMV-TV. “I was just never at a point in my life where I could afford one.”

With his songs climbing the charts consistently over the past few months, Owen definitely has the jangle in his pocket to buy the Stingray. (By the way, the story on countryweekly.com says that Owen now has one of the most expensive cars on the road – more than $100,000 – but Corvette aficionados know that the Stingray is actually one of the best sports car bargains around. Owen’s car, a Z51 Coupe with a 3LT interior, probably listed for around $70,000.)

Like many other Corvette owners, Owen took full advantage of the experience of buying a new Stingray and visited the Corvette assembly plant and the museum in Bowling Green, where he even played a gig on April 24.

Owen even got a chance to look at one of the hottest tourist attractions around these days – the sinkhole in the middle of the National Corvette Museum.

“In a roundabout weird way,” Owen said, “it’s part of the history now. It’s unfortunate it happened, but it’s also a part of the story now. It’s the story of a Corvette.”

Source:
CountryWeekly.com
WSMV-TV

Related:
Sir Paul McCartney and his Blue C5 Corvette Seen in Beverly Hills
[PIC] Robert Downey Jr Takes His 1965 Corvette for a Sunday Afternoon Drive
[PIC] Financial Guru Dave Ramsey Picks Up His C7 Corvette Stingray at the Corvette Museum

 

© 2014 CorvetteBlogger.com. The article Country Music’s Jake Owen Buys a Corvette Stingray and Visits the Plant and NCM 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.

Posted on

[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash

[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash

Each year the Bash kick starts the National Corvette Museum’s car show season. The Bash provides attendees the opportunity to view Corvettes from the upcoming model year, attend various seminars and road tours, as well as meet with members of GM’s Corvette team. Our wrap up and photos from this year’s NCM Bash await you just after the break.

This year there were 2 main draws for the Bash. First was the 2015 Corvette Z06. This was the first time outside of the New York auto show where the public could see the newest supervette in person. Next, of course, was the infamous sinkhole. The skydome was open throughout the bash for attendees to see the chasm that opened up on February 12th. Seeing this part of Corvette and NCM history in person is something we’ll never forget. It’s truly amazing that no one was injured when the floor collapsed and that all 8 cars were actually able to be pulled from the hole.

Seminar topics this year included the new 2015 Z06 and Stingray content as well as the crazy cool Performance Data Recorder. Adam Boca discussed how the NCM Insurance Agency can help protect your collector vehicles while NCM Director Wendell Strode and Western Kentucky University staff recapped the sinkhole experience and talked about next steps. Former Bowling Green Plant Manager Will Cooksey showed off his new book “No Time to Cry” and signed autographs. We also got an update on the NCM Motorsports Park and learned the Michelin had stepped up to sponsor the new facility. Keep it tuned here for videos of most of these seminars coming up in the next few days.

Other activities throughout weekend included live and silent auctions and several road tours to local attractions. The Corvette Mechanic Paul Koerner and Brittany George conducted their popular technical seminars and held drop-in assistance sessions all 3 days. Two lucky raffle entrants even went home with brand new Corvettes last weekend while existing owners showed off their rides in a pair of Celebrity Choice car shows.

Our friends at Bloomington Gold and MidAmerica Motorworks were setup in Vendors Row throughout the weekend and Corsa Performance installed new exhaust systems right outside the front of the museum. Heartland Customs also debuted their new Specvette which is available with Museum Delivery.

The 2014 NCM Bash is officially in the books and it was another top notch event. Other than some early morning rain on Friday, there was barely a cloud in the sky all weekend. 2014 was this blogger’s first trip to the Bash and it won’t be the last. If you’ve never been to the NCM Bash we highly recommend that you add it your must-attend list of Corvette events.

Here’s a gallery of Bash photos from last weekend in Bowling Green.

[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash
[PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash

Related:
[VIDEO] What’s New for the 2015 Corvette
[VIDEO] National Corvette Museum and Michelin Announce Sponsorship for NCM Motorsports Park
New Atlantic and Pacific Corvette Design Packages Offered on 2015 Stingray Models

 

© 2014 CorvetteBlogger.com. The article [PICS] The 2014 National Corvette Museum Bash 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.

Posted on

Corvette Racing at Laguna Seca: Gearing Up For Monterey Repeat

Corvette Racing at Laguna Seca: Gearing Up For Monterey Repeat

Riding high after first victory for Corvette C7.R at Long Beach

DETROIT (April 29, 2014) – Fresh of its first victory of 2014 with the new Chevrolet Corvette C7.R, Corvette Racing heads back to California where it looks to win for the third straight season at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The two-hour Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix is the fourth round of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, and Corvette Racing looks to keep rolling as well as moving up in the GT Le Mans standings.

Like many other places on the TUDOR Championship schedule, Laguna Seca has witnessed its share of Corvette Racing highlights. The team has six victories at the track since 2004, five pole positions – including three straight by Magnussen from 2007-09 – and seven fastest race laps.

Laguna Seca also is where the Corvette C7.R broke cover in public during last year’s Monterey Historic Festival weekend. Milner drove the new racecar – in camouflaged livery at the time – for a couple of laps. This time around, it’s a safe bet the C7.R will be traveling quicker and more aggressive around the circuit.

Success is difficult to come by there, however. The climate in the Monterey area is notorious for changing often throughout a weekend. Track temperatures can rise and fall suddenly, and sand frequently blows onto the circuit – both can create slick and slippery surface conditions. As a result, handling and stability will be at a premium. That should play into the hands of Corvette Racing given the construction of the Corvette C7.R.

Based on the 2015 Corvette Z06 production car, the C7.R’s rigid frame gives the car improved cornering ability and stability. Those factors plus the Corvette’s impressive braking performance and tire management will be key to the team’s success this weekend.

Live television coverage of the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix starts at 5:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1.

The TUDOR Championship is the result of a merger between the ALMS and GRAND-AM’s Rolex Sports Car Series. Corvette Racing will compete in 11 races around North America plus the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Corvette Racing Display: For the Fans in Monterey

As if the on-track action at Laguna Seca isn’t enough for fans, the Corvette Racing display will have a number of activities and vehicles for spectators to take in, including:

  • Production vehicles such as the North American Truck of the Year, the Chevrolet Silverado, as well as the Camaro, Sonic and Impala.
  • Showcars on location include a Corvette C7.R, and both a Corvette Stingray coupe and convertible, the North American Car of the Year.
  • Fans can see a sample of engines, parts and accessories available for purchase from Chevrolet at their local Chevrolet dealer.
  • Other activities at the Corvette Racing Display include a variety of interactive games for adults and kids.
  • Fans who sign up with Corvette Racing will receive a special commemorative t-shirt.

The Corvette Racing display opens 9 a.m. Friday and 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R

(Race outlook) “We are going back to Laguna with a different format; the last three years I ran there in long-distance races. Last year was especially close – mostly because of the yellows – but at the end it was a big win for us. It was the first win of the year for the No. 3 car and where things started to turn in our favor for the championship. Between Jan, myself and the whole No. 3 Corvette team, we’ve always felt pretty confident at Laguna Seca. No one is exactly sure how the new Corvette C7.R will work there, but there is no reason to think it won’t work better than the C6.R. The other manufacturers will be strong so we need to keep performing the way we have this season – especially the way we did at Long Beach.”

(Keys to success) “Laguna is always very difficult to approach because you never know the temperature and how the tires are going to work. It can be a really cold race or a race with very nice temperatures. It will be very important to anticipate that in order to make the car work. The track is a little narrow so you really need to make the tires work otherwise there is a point where you can struggle quite a bit.

“It will be a shorter race but also a two-category race. So that means things may be very clean. As a result, it is very important to keep in touch with the lead car… if it’s not us. It could be another race like Long Beach with no yellows. Personally, I’d very happy to run another race like that where we led from Lap 1 with no yellows!”

JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R

(Track impressions) “Laguna Seca is one of my absolute favorite tracks. I’ve always enjoyed driving there and it’s in a fantastic area. The track is very interesting. The layout suits the Corvette and suits my driving style. It’s always a great feeling driving there. We have had some success there in the past. Last year, we won the race and it was what really kicked off our championship run. I’m looking forward to another good result. It would be nice to back up the Long Beach win with another one at Laguna Seca.”

(Last year’s race) “The thing that stands out is that while Antonio was in the lead for all of his stint, the rest of us on the No. 3 car were sitting there thinking what was going to go wrong. We had been so close to winning races in 2012 and the smallest mistakes cost us wins. It wasn’t really until the car crossed the line that we accepted we had won the race! We were so used to losing it in different ways. So that was fantastic and really started our championship run. It proved to everyone that our car could win. It was the first win for Antonio and me. Hopefully we can have another great race with a bunch of points and maybe another win.”

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R

(Track thoughts) “Laguna Seca is a great race track. It’s one of the premier tracks in the U.S., and one that everyone enjoys going to. It’s a great part of the world, and the layout is a unique one. It’s a challenge to get a good lap together there. Generally it’s a low-grip surface and you can be punished for mistakes. But it is a circuit that has a great flow to it and one that you get a lot of satisfaction driving around.

(The past and present) In the last few years – particularly with the GT car – Corvette Racing has been very competitive there. The No. 3 car won there last year, and Tommy (Milner) and I won there the year before. It seems that whatever setup we land upon seems to one that work well there. Our car is solid on the brakes and seems to rotate in and to the apex of the corners, and we can bear down on the apexes pretty well in most of the medium- and slow-speed corners. It just seems that our car can work efficiently there and I can see that the C7.R is strong in all those departments. We’ve improved the traction with the new car, and all of those things should help us going back to Laguna. I’m buoyed by our performances in all three events we’ve done so far in the TUDOR Championship. We have a fantastic car in the C7.R, and I feel that right now we can fight with everyone for the victory. That’s a great position to be in. We are in a nice spot where we can attack and hope to come away with great results.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R

(Progress so far) “I’m not surprised that we had good results at Long Beach. We saw in all the testing and racing during the first few events that the Corvette C7.R was quick and competitive. Each time we go to a track this season, it’s the first time there with the C7.R, but there is still lots of carryover from years past and a wealth of knowledge that we can pull from. Judging from how the car has performed, we should be extremely competitive at Laguna.”

(Rolling out the C7.R last summer in Monterey) “That was obviously something that was pretty cool. It was my first experience sitting in the car. It’s great to now go back there with the race car. The two laps I did at the Historics were not really in anger… I was very conscious of the fact that I needed to be sure that nothing went wrong! It’s exciting to go back to Laguna where the public first saw the car. It would be great to win there, and it would be even better if it were Oliver and I to get a victory this time!”

(Laguna preparations) “Laguna is definitely tough in regards to tire wear and balance of the car. There’s not as much sand as there used to be that comes on the track but there is still quite a bit. The track has definitely improved that by putting curbing in certain areas which makes it difficult to bring sand on the circuit. But it’s definitely a prominent feature of the track. Laguna is a place that if you don’t have the balance of the car spot on, you’ll suffer throughout a stint. Getting the setup spot-on is pretty important. So far this year, we’ve rolled off the truck with cars that have been pretty well-balanced. I’m optimistic that it won’t be a problem for us. Depending on how our pace is compared to our competitors, you work that much harder to find any advantage. The schedule is pretty compressed so it’s important for the guys back at the Corvette Racing shop to make sure they get the balance as good as it can possibly be so we can fine-tune things in practice instead of swinging wildly at it.”

DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER

“It’s always great to return to the Monterey Peninsula, especially coming off our well-deserved victory at Long Beach. Laguna Seca is one of the sport’s iconic venues and a place where Corvette Racing has a long history of success. To win there requires a car with great braking and handling along with proper tire selection, pit stop execution and good track management by the drivers. I think the C7.R, the crew and our drivers have clearly demonstrated all those capabilities in the first three events this season. Combine all that and it should make for another exciting weekend of racing for all our Corvette fans!”

TUDOR Championship – GTLM Standings

Driver Standings

  1. Bill Auberlen/Andy Priaulx – 90
  2. Richard Lietz/Nick Tandy – 88
  3. Michael Christensen/Patrick Long – 86
  4. Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 84 / John Edwards/Dirk Muller – 84
  5. Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen – 82

Team Standings

  1. No. 55 BMW Team RLL – 90
  2. No. 911 Porsche North America – 88
  3. No. 912 Porsche North America – 86
  4. No. 56 BMW Team RLL – 84
  5. No. 4 Corvette Racing – 84
  6. No. 3 Corvette Racing – 82

Manufacturer Standings

  1. Porsche – 100
  2. BMW – 94
  3. SRT – 90
  4. Chevrolet – 89
  5. Ferrari – 80

Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix – TUDOR Championship (all times PT)

  • TUDOR Championship Practice 1: 9:35 a.m., Saturday, May 3
  • TUDOR Championship Practice 2: 3:45 p.m., Saturday, May 3
  • GTLM Qualifying: 5:15 p.m., Saturday, May 3
  • TUDOR Championship Warmup: 8 a.m., Sunday, May 4
  • Grand Prix of Monterey (Prototype and GTLM): 2:45 p.m., Sunday, May 4

Laguna Seca: Watch It!

Sunday, May 4

  • 5:30 p.m. ET (FOX Sports 1)

Source:
CorvetteRacing.com

Related:
Corvette Racing at Long Beach: First Victory for New Corvette C7.R
Corvette Racing at Long Beach: First Pole Position for Chevrolet Corvette C7.R
Corvette Racing at Sebring: Disappointing End in Florida Classic

 

© 2014 CorvetteBlogger.com. The article Corvette Racing at Laguna Seca: Gearing Up For Monterey Repeat 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.

Posted on

[VIDEO] What’s New for the 2015 Corvette

[VIDEO] What's New for the 2015 Corvette

At the National Corvette Museum’s Annual Bash, Corvette’s Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter and Corvette Product Manager Harlan Charles went through the highlights of the 2014 Stingray. The new C7 fared pretty well last year, picking up more awards than any other car. In fact, they said that it was most likely the most awarded car ever.

Following the 2014 highlights, Tadge and Harlan jumped right into the “What’s New for the 2015 Corvette” talk, starting with the all new Corvette Z06 coupe and convertible.

Tadge set the tone for the Z06 discussion by talking about how this will be the most capable Corvette ever built. On it’s first outing to the MRC track at Milford, the Z06 set a new track record, besting the previous C6 ZR1s time as well as setting a new record for a Z06 around the ring course. Tadge gives credit to improved computer models but also said its a result of the technology transfer between the race program and the production car.

The Z06s design marks the widest production Corvette yet. The design of the car is still not quite locked in as the team continues testing the car and making changes. Tadge said the final rear spoiler will actually be larger than the one shown on the show car. He also mentioned they will be testing the Z06 on tracks “all around the world”. Hope that means we’ll finally get a Nurburgring video for the C7.

The Z06 will be offered in three levels of downforce. The standard package has a unique front splitter and an aggressive rear spoiler. The second level offers the addition of the “CFZ/CFV” carbon fiber aero package. The CFZ is carbon flash painted while CFV is visible carbon weave. The package contains a carbon fiber front splitter, rocker panels and a new “wicker-bill” rear spoiler. The Z07 performance adds the larger winglets on the front spoiler, and the adjustable-height center wicker-bill on the rear spoiler. The Z06 with the Z07 delivers more downforce of any production car ever tested at the GM wind tunnel.

What's New for the 2015 Corvette Stingray What's New for the 2015 Corvette Stingray What's New for the 2015 Corvette Stingray

Finally, Tadge says the Corvette Z06 was previously estimated to have a 0-60 mph time under 3.5 seconds and now he saying it will be under 3.4 seconds.

Production of the Corvette Z06 will begin in 2014 with deliveries beginning in early 2015. The price range will be similar to the the C6 Z06.

Harlan then took over and showed the content available on the interior trim levels. The good news is the 1LZ does have the Heads Up Display as standard. The 2LZ package contains all the driver comfort options including headed/vented seats, the memory package and Bose Premium audio. If you want Navigation and the new Performance Data Recorder, you’ll need to step up to the top 3LZ option.

Regarding the Z06′s interior, the most obvious change is the flat bottomed steering wheel with a Z06 logo. Two interior colors are exclusive to the Z06, dark gray and a blue leather wrapped interior is available only on the 3LZ trim level. Here are the two new Z06 interior colors as shown on these sample boards:

2015 Corvette Z06 Blue Interior Sample 2015 Corvette Z06 Dark Gray Interior Sample

Four wheel options will be available for Z06. Buyers will be able to choose between Silver, Black, Chrome and Spectra Gray with a machined groove.

Harlan transitioned into some of the new options available for the 2015 Corvette Stingray. Two new colors will be available for all Corvettes including the Stingray. They are Shark Gray and the Daytona Sunrise Orange. Shark Gray replaces Cyber Gray while Daytona Sunrise Orange replaces Lime Rock Green.

The Stingray will have new wheels available for 2015. In addition to the current wheel options, Chevy will be offering a black non-Z51 wheel, a Black machined non-Z51 wheel and a black machined Z51 wheel. Four new accessory wheels are also on the options list including the satin black Z51 wheel with either a red stripe or yellow stripe around the lip. There are also two “Motorsports Design” wheels offered in either polished or black.

New Wheels for 2015 Stingray

The 2015 will have two new gauge cluster screens. The Tour Theme will have show speed with vehicle data. The Sport theme will contain a pocket gauge option showing horsepower and there will be an new eLSD status and Wheel Slip gauge available in all themes. These new screens cannot be flashed or installed onto the 2014 Corvette’s gauges.

New Gauge Cluster Screens for the 2015 Stingray

The 2015 Corvette Stingray will no longer be limited to just the black colored exterior vents. Buyers can get them now in standard Black, Shark Gray or body color:

  • EYT – Carbon Flash Exterior Badges
  • EFX – Shark Gray Exterior Vents
  • EFY – Body Color Exterior Vents
  • E57 – Carbon Flash Tonneau Inserts for the Convertible

The Performance Data Recorder is paired with Navigation (I06/UQT) and is optional on 1LT/2LT and included on 3LT packages. The NPP performance exhaust is now included with Z51 and the Suede wrapped upper interior trim (IWE) is now included on 3LT.

Harlan then talked about the new Atlantic and Pacific Design Packages. Again, these are more like a “check one box” allowing the Corvette Stingray to be set up either as a luxury GT-styled Convertible or Performance Coupe.

The Atlantic Design Package (RPO ATI) is a convertible Z51 with 2LT or 3LT interior. Highlights include:

  • Available in all colors
  • Front Z06 style splitter
  • Shark Gray Hood Stinger Graphic, Exterior Vents and Tonneau Inserts
  • Chrome Torque Wheels with Stingray center caps and logo valve stem caps.
  • Stingray Underhood liner
  • Custom splash guards
  • Rear license plate frame
  • Stingray Floor Mats
  • Custom Luggage

Atlantic Design Package
Photo courtesy of the National Corvette Museum

The Pacific Design Package (RPO PFI) is a coupe Z51 with 2LT or 3LT interior. Those highlights include:

  • Available in Torch Red, Black, Arctic White, Blade Silver and Shark Gray
  • Satin Black Z51 Wheels with the Red Stripe and Red Brake Calipers
  • CFZ Carbon Fiber Ground Effects Package
  • Visible Carbon Fiber Roof
  • Satin Black Full Length Racing Stripes
  • Carbon Flash Spoiler and Mirrors
  • Carbon Flash Badges
  • Competition Sport Seats in Black or Red
  • Carbon Fiber Interior Trim Package
  • Stingray Wheels Center Caps
  • Stingray Sill plates
  • Custom Splash Guards
  • Rear License Plate Frame
  • Stingray Floor Mats
  • Indoor car cover in Gray

Pacific Design Package
Photo courtesy of the National Corvette Museum

Finally, the Performance Data Recorder was reviewed in some depth. We learned that this is a system that Harlan has been working on for about 7 years. We’ll have more on the PDR system coming shortly.

Harlan then talked about the 2015 Corvette Z06 Convertible. Once again, the door is apparently closed on any further models in the C7 generation including a Grand Sport or ZR1: “I had the honor of being at the New York Auto Show last week where we introduced the fourth [model] that basically completes the 7th generation Corvette family,” said Harlan to the Bash crowd.

Here is the full video from the What’s New for 2015 seminar. It runs an hour and eleven minutes with the Q&A so grab your favorite beverage and get a comfortable seat because there is a lot of information covered.

Related:
[VIDEO] 2015 Corvette Z06 Convertible Start-Up and Exhaust
New Atlantic and Pacific Corvette Design Packages Offered on 2015 Stingray Models
[VIDEO] Chevrolet Introduces the “Big Nasty” Corvette Z06 Convertible

 

© 2014 CorvetteBlogger.com. The article [VIDEO] What’s New for the 2015 Corvette 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.