You might not able to see the bow-tie badge when the 2013 Corvette 427 Convertible zooms pass you on the road. It is the fastest convertible ever with a 0 to 60 miles per hour acceleration achieved in just 3.8 seconds. Plus it has the old, big, and mean LS7 V8 under its hood. It can also confidently say that it has a better power-weight ration than the Porsche 911 Turbo S.
Before the revelation, the closes thing you can ever get to a Z06 convertible is to have the Grand Sport Convertible which on final analysis lacks the powerful 427 cu. in. of the Z06.
Now Chevrolet makes use of the C6 body, installs that powerful heart in the engine bay and a whole lot of go-fast components to make the 427. The setup consists of a 505 hp lS7 linked to a 6-speed manual gearbox. The Magnetic Selective Ride Control plus a battery mounted on the rear comes standard with the Z06 rear axle and driveline.
The 427 will roll on 19 and 20 inch cup rims hugged by Michelin PS2s. Z06 lovers will be able to spot the fenders and hood made from carbon fiber.
Top speed is expected to hit more than 190 miles per hour.
Corvette will also have its 60th Anniversary Package. You can purchase your Corvette this yaer and you will able to ask for a special finishing that comes with an exterior of Arctic White and Blue Diamond leather and suede inside. The special edition also gives you ZR1-like spoiler, a ton of logos and badging, and racing stripes.
You can also get this option if you are getting a 427 Convertible. A unit of which will be auctioned later this month for the benefit of the a charity foundation aiming to ease hunger in poverty stricken countries.
If you’re in Europe and you’ve been dying to get your hands on a Corvette ZR1, you may be in for quite a challenge. Shortage of the model’s demand is reported today. It might not be able to meet the European demand. No worries, GeigerCars came up with a solution. After all, they’re not nicknamed the “German tuner of American Iron” for nothing. The company tinkered with the Corvette Grand Sport and was able to boost it up to near-ZR1 levels.
First of all, GeigerCars installed a 6.2L V8 engine on the Grand Sport. This boosted the car’s power from 430HP to a tantalizing 588HP on the tracks. This definitely made it possible for Gieger GS to hit the 60-mark in less than 4 seconds. It might not be quite as fast or powerful as the ZR1 supercar, but 639 horsepower and a 3.3 sprint are certainly figures worth boasting about.
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When Corvette released the Z06 in 2006, they gave consumers a bridge to connect with the racing world. The ZR1 even got production cars closer to racing. Tract to street tradition is further strengthened this year when Chevrolet releases the Limited Edition Corvette Z06 Carbon.
The limited edition Corvette is a celebration of 50 years of memory when the car first joined the 24-hour race in Le Mans. The new Corvette is a combo of the 7.0L V8 LS7 of the Z06 and the brake package and suspension setup of the ZR1. The peak output is still pegged at 505 horsepower.
The aggressive stance of the car can be attributed to the 20 inch rear and 19 inch front wheels hugged by PS2 Michelin tires. Carbon ceramic brakes from Brembo make sure you can stop on time. The suspension employs a Magnetic Selective Ride Control. Completing the package are carbon fiber elements to accessorize the car.
Consumers who want to get mechanical upgrades can get the performance package for Z07. When you get the upgrade, you will have your 2011 Z06 pimped with all the chassis upgrades and the new wheels.
Another carbon package for your regular Z06 is the CFZ Z06 which will give it carbon fiber rockers, roof panel, splitter, and spoiler (by the way, word on the street is that Hertz is planning to use some of these carbon fiber items on their next-gen Corvette ZHZ Convertible). You can get these with or without the Z07 package.
The Corvette Z06 Carbon Limited Edition upgrades will be rolling out this summer. By the way, there will only be two colors for this setup, you can get Supersonic Blue or Inferno Orange.
So with the acknowledged success of the Camaro, and even the (dare I say it) the Mustang, one thing is clear to the automotive industry: retro is back, in a big way. And with the pending redesign of the classic American sportscar, the Corvette, slated for 2012, many Chevrolet car fans and Corvette owners are asking an increasingly pressing question – what does the future (or in this case, the past) hold for this brand-leading icon? And how do current Corvette owners satisfy their retro-car thirst in the meantime?
Retro Corvette C7
From the standpoint of pure anticipation, there’s much speculation but little hard fact to go on at this point regarding the C7. But recent revelations seem to indicate that Chevrolet will try to duplicate the success it has had with the Camaro by drawing upon the Corvette’s illustrious design history. In fact, as recently as September the head of global design for General Motors, Ed Welburn, was quoted by Inside Line as saying that the split-window design seen on the Corvette Stingray concept in the second Transformers movie is something he “expect(s) for the next Corvette.”
For Chevrolet car fans, this is a tantalizing glimpse into the mind of the man responsible for the Camaro, and who also holds sway over the future of the ‘Vette. What then, do you do if you thirst for a retro look and feel from a ‘Vette you already own while you are waiting on the release of the C7?
If you’re saving your pennies for the rumored 2012 release of the redesign, you might satisfy your retro-car thirst by adding an aftermarket product to your ‘Vette like a muscle-car sounding SLP Corvette Exhaust to give you a muscle car look and sound without burdening yourself with a new car payment. Or if you have a truly retro C4, you could get the benefits of modern engineering with a Corvette C4 exhaust and get the best of both worlds.
So while many hold their breath and wait to see the first spy photos of the real prototypes, they can enjoy the rich design history and the improvements of modern engineering on current and past generations of Corvettes – waiting, of course, on the C7.
Chevrolet announced plans to update their whole line for the 2010 models of the Corvette brand. The changes will affect the entry level Corvette to the ZR1 supercar.
Corvette will be releasing the Grand Sport Model which will have a suspension system fit for the race tracks and wider body architecture. The Grand Sport Coupe is said to have a sticker price beginning at $55720 while the Grand Sport Convertible will require $59530.
The tag for the coupe increased by $6205 compared to the 2009 base model while the convertible is $5360 more expensive against the previous year’s release. Corvette owners say though that it is worth all the money.
The Grand Sport line can race from 0 to 60 in a matter of 4 seconds. Handling issues from the Z51 has also been improved with new gearing, stabilizer bars, spring configurations, revised shock absorbers, and wider rims and tires.
The LS3 engine is 0.2 second faster than the 2009 model’s performance. Consumers also have an option to upgrade the exhaust system to two modes which can boost the power from 430 horsepower to an impressive 436 hp. The torque will also be improved from 424 to 428 lb-ft.
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After the momentous release of the Corvette ZR1 and the Competition Sport, Chevrolet has unveiled a new addition their family, the Corvette GT1 Championship Edition.
This Corvette edition will be available in three models, a convertible, a coupe and Z06. All are to commemorate the finale of the Corvette C6.R team’s partaking in the GT1 class of Le Mans and ALMS.
The model road cars will begin its processing by spring. They will be released in a yellow base with black accentuation, or a black base with yellow accentuation. The design of the car is crafted with the “Jake” Corvette Racing logo. On the lower portion of the car it will display the racing team’s triumphs.
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