No Split Decision – C7 Corvette Goes Retro! No comments yet

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?

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 bares plans for Corvette line No comments yet

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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Chevrolet Corvette GT1 Championship Edition unveiled No comments yet

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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