Over the last few weeks, the interwebs have been all aflutter with the latest round of mid-engine Corvette rumors. A couple weeks back Car and Driver even posted a rendering of what a mid-engined Corvette might look and surmised that it could be called “Zora”. Since this is our weekly poll, we to hear what […]
Car and Driver Dishes New Report on the Mid-Engine 2017 Corvette ZORA ZR1
Despite the world-class reviews of the C7′s Corvette Stingray and the coming main attraction, the 650 horsepower 2015 Corvette Z06, you would think we would be content to focus on the most advanced Corvettes ever produced. But as always, there are rumors afoot about a next generation Corvette and the main question on everybody’s minds […]
The Rumor Mill Heats Up Again with Talk of a Mid-Engine Corvette ZR1
If you’ve been following Corvettes for sometime, you are probably aware of the oft-repeated rumor will basically goes like this: The next generation Corvette will feature a mid-engine design. As in the engine goes behind the seats, but in front of the rear axle. Motor Trend came out yesterday with a “hot scoop” saying they […]
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
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Harley Earl’s Personal Corvette – Another World’s Record in the Making?
Right on the heels of the record breaking 1967 L88 Stingray which sold for $3.2M at Mecum’s Dallas Auction September 7, Dana Mecum is out to break his own record for the price paid for a Corvette. The “Dealmaker†knew he’d have to do something spectacular for an encore at his upcoming Chicagoland Auction, October 10-12, and as if pulling a rabbit out of a hat he is magically offering the special modified 1963 Corvette given to Harley Earl by GM honoring his contribution to the corporation and Corvette, Harley Earl’s personal Corvette.
The car became Earl’s daily driver while he lived in Palm Beach, Florida, during the first years of his retirement. It is a Nassau Blue, 300 HP, convertible with several one-of-a-kind features: custom through-the-body side exit exhaust, special gauges which included an altimeter, accelerometer, inside/outside temperature, and vacuum pressure. In addition the car has stainless steel door and foot well inserts and plush carpeting, custom blue leather seats with white trim and dual circuit 1965 style 4 wheel disc brakes. The lot number of the car is S110 and will cross the block at Mecum’s Chicago auction in Shaumburg, Illinois, on Saturday, October 12, along with a thousand other collector cars during the three day event.
Harley J. Earl is the father of the Corvette which he conceived in the early 1950’s and introduced to the public in 1953. After a rocky start the Corvette has gone on to be the most iconic car in America. Following his retirement as Vice President of Design for General Motors in 1958, Earl continued to stay on as a consultant, and in 1963 the corporation wanted to recognize his outstanding contribution and had this special Corvette built (shop order 10323) based on the 1963 Corvette show car exhibited at the Chicago Car Show. After Earl designed the LaSalle in 1927, Alfred Sloan, CEO of GM, was so impressed with his talent that in 1928, he created the Art and Color Department of General Motors and appointed Earl as the head. Earl became the dean of Detroit stylists and set the bar for automobile styling in America.
Each year the winner of the premier Daytona 500 receives the vaunted Harley J. Earl Trophy, and in 1965, as Grand Marshall of the season-opening NASCAR event, drove his special Corvette on a parade lap before the race. After selling the car later in the 1960’s its ownership history was temporarily lost until it resurfaced, identity unknown, in 1973. It was purchased at a bankruptcy sale for $1500 by a amateur racers who intended on drag racing the unusual car. But before they moved ahead with their project they decided the car might be significant, so they let the car sit for seven years.
In 1980, they took the car to Corvettes at Carlisle and offered it or sale. The car received a lot of attention, although there were no buyers. One enthusiast, Joe Clark, was particularly interested in the car since it was an aberration having a 1963 VIN and several 1965 components along with custom exhausts which came through the side of the body where the stock 1963 Corvette had side vents. Though he did not buy the car at Carlisle he could not forget it. Research revealed the car resembled the Chicago 1963 show car and decided that the Corvette was more than a customizer’s attempt to mimic the show car. He arranged to re-inspect the car in 1981, and after a month of negotiations with the owners, its identity still unknown, he bought the car. One evening while Clark was dismantling the car with Ken Heckert, another Corvette enthusiast, he discovered a hand-written number code inside a door trim panel: S.O.10323. Following prompting from knowledgeable Corvette enthusiasts, he enlisted the help of General Motors. Clark and his partner in the project, restoration specialist Bob Gold, visited the GM Design Staff and confirmed the car as the very one custom-built gift to Harley Earl.
Once the origin of the car was nailed down it was restored to the exact specifications of the car when it was bestowed on Harley Earl. The Corvette has gone on to become one of the most significant Corvettes ever produced. It has been invited to Bloomington Gold more often than any other car and is a Corvette Hall of Fame inductee. The Harley Earl Corvette is a one-of-a-kind factory special with a historic and illustrious pedigree. Based on the car’s provenance, pedigree, build specifications and one-of-a-kind status, the world’s record set in Dallas earlier this month may very well be a short-lived record.
Source:
Mecum.com
Related:
[VIDEO] Harley Earl’s 1963 Corvette Sells for $925,000
Mecum to Offer Harley Earl’s 1963 Custom Corvette at Indy’s Spring Classic
Deal of the Year? The “Ed Cole†1967 Corvette Coupe L89 sells for $205,000