Corvette (C7) [Official] Chevrolet Corvette (C7)

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[Beemer B773ER]

Oh, how my heart yearns for a Z06! What is it with me and this car?!?

Damn you GM, damn you for not bringing this thing in RHD. There's something so massively appealing (probably because it's so different) about this true blue (no not Ford oval blue) American supercar.

Mate, you can only use 'true blue' to refer to anything Australian! Please add that to the forum rules.

 

[Rainer271]

Callaway Corvette Z06 announced, promises to deliver "astounding power"

Callaway Corvette Z06

Callaway has announced plans to introduce their new tuning program for the Corvette Z06 at the National Corvette Museum C7 Bash in Bowling Green, Kentucky later this month.

Designed to deliver "astounding power," the car will feature a 6.2-liter V8 engine that has been outfitted with a GenThree supercharger that has 32% more displacement than the stock Z06 unit. The engine will also be equipped with a new manifold, a triple-element intercooler and a high-flow air intake.

Besides the performance tweaks, the Corvette will have a carbon fiber engine cover, embroidered floor mats and anodized aluminum door sill plates. Options include a short-throw shifter, a sports exhaust system and an embroidered car cover - among other things.

Performance specifications are still pending but Callaway confirmed the performance package will be priced from $16,995.

Source: Callaway via Autoblog

 

[tristatez28lt1]

2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Convertible Automatic
A folding top and an automatic can't dilute the Z06.

• Apr 2015
  
• By TONY QUIROGA
• Photography By FELIX SALAZAR
• INSTRUMENTED TEST

“Convertible” and “automatic” are two words that can suck the joy out of a sports car the way fat-free and sugar-free can ruin a dessert. But that’s not quite the case with the Chevrolet Corvette Z06. The Z06 convertible proves that there doesn’t have to be a performance penalty for taking the roof off and adding a conventional automatic. Weight rises by an unnoticed 55 pounds, the structure remains stout enough for track duty, and the quick-shifting eight-speed has one additional gear to play with compared to the manual.

Admittedly, a manual Z06 coupe is a wilder ride than an automatic convertible. It’s the stick shift that makes it so. Sure, the automatic allows you to choose the gears, but most of the time you’ll just end up letting it shift for itself. Both can be had with the track-devouring Z07 package that includes, in addition to various aerodynamic enhancements, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 run-flat tires. Thus outfitted, the convertible epoxies itself to the skidpad with 1.17 g of grip. The front tires break away predictably and the rears stay in place provided your throttle inputs remain smooth and slow. On canyon roads, the grip feels endless and you keep diving into corners faster and faster. The steering wheel dances in response to the cornering pressure, and the rack it controls is quick and accurate.

There’s no discernible handling difference between coupe and convertible. Both flow through corners and have ridiculous stick. We’ve previously tested two Z06 coupes, both equipped with the Z07 package, and one gripped better than this car while the other did fractionally worse. If anything, the lack of a roof and a glass hatchback likely brings the convertible’s center of gravity closer to the earth, making the job of the chassis slightly easier. The worst part is what the forces do to your neck.

Another form of physical abuse comes from the 6.2-liter supercharged V-8. With 650 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque pushing 3613 pounds, a two-speed Powerglide might be enough, but there are eight gears in this automatic, which are more than enough. A zero-to-60 run takes 3.1 seconds, a tenth behind our previous test of an automatic coupe. There’s so much power and torque present just off of idle that brake torqueing isn’t necessary to achieve a great time, but careful management of the rush of power is essential to avoid blazing the Michelins—move your foot too quickly and the rear tires light up faster than Cheech and Chong. Get it right, and the Corvette simply bolts. The car’s initial launch—1.3 seconds to 30 mph—is unbelievably quick for a rear-driver.

If the Z06’s g-force abuse still doesn’t have you reaching for the ibuprofen, the brakes will. Carbon-ceramic rotors are part of the Z07 package, and they work flawlessly in conjunction with the Michelin rubber. The braking distances from 70 mph to a stop improved the more attempts we made, settling in at 134 feet. On warm tires, the Corvette digs into the earth while the ABS pumps away, pressing you into the cinched belts.

Off the test track, the Z06 convertible behaves much like the coupe. There’s a brutality to the wheel impacts in Sport and Track modes. Your fatty regions will jiggle. You’ll feel out of shape. The convertible’s structure, however, remains solid and free from the shakes. Dial back to Touring mode and things go back to normal.

A blast of 91 decibels can be heard from the driver’s seat as the engine revs toward its 6500-rpm redline. It’s a deep, bellicose, NASCAR snarl and an antisocial shout that your Prius-driving neighbors might not like. Too bad for them. On the road, the Z06 proves to be so quick that the sound doesn’t last long. To keep from getting arrested, we settled for short blasts of acceleration. On the track, where the throttle can stay open for more than a few seconds at a time, the Z07’s aero package—which adds carbon-fiber slats, sails, and a wickerbilled spoiler to the body—stabilizes the car at speed but eventually drags down acceleration at high speeds.

With the top up, the small rear window restricts visibility. Dropping the top remedies any visibility and claustrophobia problems. With the top up, noise levels are low considering the wide tires and the throbbing V-8. But what’s really great about any convertible is rolling the top back, listening to the exhaust, and experiencing the freedom of ground-bound flight. Taking the top off of a Corvette Z06 delivers that magic—plus all the performance.

VEHICLE TYPE:front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door convertible

PRICE AS TESTED:$113,835 (base price: $87,020)

ENGINE TYPE:supercharged and intercooled pushrod 16-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection

DISPLACEMENT:376 cu in, 6162 cc
Power: 650 hp @ 6400 rpm
Torque: 650 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm

TRANSMISSION:8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 106.7 in
Length: 177.9 in
Width: 77.4 in Height:48.6 in
Passenger volume: 52 cu ft
Cargo volume: 10 cu ft
Curb weight: 3613 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 3.1 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 7.1 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 12.3 sec
Zero to 150 mph: 18.2 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 3.6 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 1.7 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 2.2 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 11.3 sec @ 126 mph
Top speed (C/D est, drag limited): 185 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 134 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 1.17 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway: 13/21 mpg
C/D observed: 15 mpg

 

[Rainer271]

2016 Corvette unveiled with minor changes & three new design packages

2016 Corvette Stingray and Z06 Jet Black Suede Design Package

Chevrolet has announced the 2016 Corvette will be available with three new design packages.

Designed to appeal to customers looking for something more unique, the styling packages will be offered on 3LT coupes and convertibles.

First up, the Twilight Blue Design Package features a Shark Gray, Blade Silver, Arctic White or Night Race Blue exterior with Shark Gray vents and black or gray brake calipers. The model also has "polished motorsport" wheels, a rear spoiler, a Twilight Blue interior and Magnetic Ride Control.

Likewise, the Spice Red Design Package adds a Spice Red interior, a rear spoiler and the aforementioned wheels. The package also includes Magnetic Ride Control and is available with a Long Beach Red Metallic Tintcoat, Shark Gray, Blade Silver or Arctic White paint job.

Last but not least, the Jet Black Suede Design Package features satin black wheels, red brake calipers and a rear wing. The model also has a satin black hood extractor, Carbon Flash badges and Magnetic Ride Control. Other highlights include a Jet Black sueded microfiber interior with carbon fiber trim.

Besides the design packages, the 2016 Corvette features a new flat-bottom steering wheel, restyled wheels and an optional carbon fiber hood. The model also has a revised color palette with two new exterior colors: Corvette Racing Yellow Tintcoat and Long Beach Red Metallic Tintcoat.

Source: GM

 

[Rainer271]

LMR C7 Corvette Z06 Stage II churns out 1,017 RWHP


If you’re into all things Corvette, especially those with mammoth amounts of horsepower and torque, you’ll love what Late Model Racecraft (LMR) can do to the C7 Corvette. Dubbed LMR C7 Z06 Stage II Package, this tune is as mind-boggling as Darth Vader playing the Imperial March on a Death Star-shaped guitar.
Though Hennessey Performance Engineering is the better known tuning outfit in Texas, Houston-based Late Model Racecraft makes one of the finest Vette packages out there. The street-legal LMR C7 Z06 Stage II pack is making a case of the outfit’s know-how.

Before all else, let’s remind ourselves that the standard supercharged LT4 small-block V8 develops 650 ponies and 650 lb-ft (881 Nm) at the crankshaft.

Care to guess what a little elbow grease from LMR can do to the blown vee-eight? It hikes output to a beastly 750+ RWHP on 91 octane gasoline. Add two bottles of nitrous to the mix and wheel horsepower goes up to 1,017 ponies and 964 lb-ft (1,307 Nm) of tire-shredding torque. In plain English, that’s a lot.

Squeezing such a gargantuan amount of power from an already potent V8 isn’t a walk in the park. Keep in mind that with added oomph, both the drivability and reliability of a car take a nosedive. In the LMR C7 Z06 Stage II Package’s case, Late Model Racecraft used many interesting goodies to keep things under check. Before pressing play and turning your volume all the way up to 11, do check out the adjacent list of mods.

- Atlanta Custom Wraps blue & black wrap;
- LMR cold air induction system;
- American Racing stainless steel headers with high flow cats;
- NGK spark plugs;
- MSD 8.5-mm spark plug wires;
- 160* thermostat with billet housing;
- LMR (Overdrive) harmonic balancer;
- Gates belt;
- LT4 Camshaft Package (custom grind custom cam, double valve spring kit, push rods, cam phaser kit);
- Crank bolt;
- New fluids.

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http://www.autoevolution.com/news/l...age-ii-churns-out-1017-rwhp-video-95682.html#

 

[sanpt7777]

Am I the only one here who firmly believes Chevrolet's small block pushrod V8s are objectively speaking the best engines ever made? I'm talking about the LS family of small blocks, including variants like LC9 and LQ4.
Also, the new LT1 seems very promising.
I just want to see if they prove to be as reliable as the LS were. If they are, I think the new LT1 will bring a new breed of excellent engines, probably will use less fuel as well.

 

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[Rainer271]

Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport

Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport
With Corvette Racing in its DNA, the all-new 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport is a pure expression of the car's motorsports-bred pedigree. It was introduced at the 2016 Geneva International Motor Show.

Like the 2015 Le Mans-winning Corvette C7.R GTE Pro race car, the new Grand Sport combines a lightweight architecture, a track-honed aerodynamics package, Michelin tires and a naturally aspirated engine.

The 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport offers an estimated 1.05g in cornering capability - and up to 1.2g with the available Z07 package.

Heritage-inspired design cues and exclusive features acknowledge the historic Grand Sport legacy, established in 1963 to take on the world's best sports cars. Only five were built before a corporate decision suspending direct motorsports involvement ended the project.

"Racing has been part of Corvette's essence for more than 50 years and that track experience has helped us build better, more capable cars," said Mark Reuss, executive vice president of Global Product Development and Global Purchasing and Supply Chain. "The global acclaim for the seventh-generation Corvette validates that direct link and the 2017 Grand Sport takes its track-bred technology to a new, exciting threshold."

The Corvette Grand Sport coupe and convertible go on sale in summer 2016 in the U.S. and in fall 2016 in Europe.

No holding back

Engineers adapted the chassis tuning, upgraded cooling systems, and performance technologies of the Corvette Z06 to give the new Grand Sport capability commensurate with its racing-derived history.

"We didn't hold back with the new Grand Sport," said Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer. "For the first time, buyers can equip the Grand Sport with a Z07 performance package - which adds carbon-ceramic brakes, Michelin Sport Cup 2 summer tires, and carbon-fiber aero package that delivers true downforce."

The result is a potent track car. In fact, the Grand Sport with the Z07 package is less than one second off the track record for the previous-generation Corvette ZR1 on the road course at GM's Milford Proving Ground.

Content highlights for Grand Sport include:

• Michelin Pilot Super Sport summer tires: 285/30ZR19 (front) and 335/25ZR20 (rear)
• Specific Grand Sport wheel design: 19x10 inches (front) and 20x12 inches (rear)
• Brembo brake system with (355 mm) 14-inch rotors and six-piston calipers in front and (340 mm) 13.4 inch rotors and four-piston calipers in the rear
• Standard magnetic ride control, specific stabilizer bars and unique springs
• Standard electronic limited-slip differential
• LT1 V8 engine rated at (343 kW) 460 hp, with dry-sump oiling system and active exhaust
• Seven-speed manual transmission with active rev match and available eight-speed paddle-shift automatic with specific performance calibration
• Available Z07 package adds carbon ceramic-matrix brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport 2 Cup tires.

In addition to track-focused aero elements, the Grand Sport also features specific front fender inserts, a Z06-style grille and wider rear fenders - a distinctive design package that gives the car a track-ready attitude.

Grand Sport models are offered with the Stingray's full exterior and interior color palette. An available Heritage package includes hash-mark fender graphics in six colors, with the hash-mark detail carried onto the interior's brushed aluminum trim. Full-length stripes are also offered.

"The choices are almost endless," said Harlan Charles, Corvette product marketing manager. "The packages take personalization to an unprecedented level, enabling customers to create their own Corvette Grand Sport statement like no other."

Grand Sport Collector Edition

The Grand Sport Collector Edition features an exclusive Watkins Glen Gray Metallic exterior with Tension Blue hash-mark graphics, satin black full-length stripes, black wheels and a unique Tension Blue full leather and suede-wrapped interior.

The Tension Blue color is a bold, modern take on the hue historically associated with the Grand Sport. Inside, a three-dimensional representation of an original Grand Sport race car is embossed in the headrests and that shape is also used on an instrument panel plaque that carries a unique build sequence number.

 

[kingjr9000]

The Mid-Engine Corvette's Codename Is "Emperor," Might Be a Hybrid

If sources are to be believed, the supposed mid-engine Vette coming in 2019 will be a whole new ballgame.

We've heard rumors for years. We've seen test mules. And the latest report from The Detroit News says it's happening in 2019. But that report includes another bit of information. Supposedly, the mid-engine Corvette is known internally as "Emperor."

Obviously, all mid-engine Corvette rumors need to be taken with a grain of salt, but if the mid-engine Corvette really is happening, and if it's actually codenamed "Emperor," then that's one heck of a nickname. It's far more grandiose than "King" or "Boss." But how significant is that name?


It's generally accepted that the Corvette's performance would take a huge leap forward if it switched to a mid-engine layout. The Detroit News thinks it'll be more in line with supercars like the Ferrari 488.

And in an email Bob Lutz told The Detroit News, he thinks there might even be a performance-hybrid version. Giving the mid-engine Corvette a 10-to-15-mile all-electric range "would only require a 5-kWh battery, or $1,300 at today's lithium-ion prices (plus motors and control hardware). It would be enough to give it a 50 mpg city label, and the electric motors at the front would enable limited AWD capability."

That sounds a bit like the new Acura NSX or Porsche 918, although presumably at a much-lower price point.

So could the C8's codename be pointing to Chevrolet's intentions of turning the Corvette into a legitimate supercar? Is it actually coming in 2019? Are these all just wild rumors?

We're obviously still incredibly skeptical, but we have to say we're intrigued by the idea of an American-built supercar.

 

[tristatez28lt1]

Next Chevy Corvette ZR1 spied with big wing

It might also have a wider body.
Much of the talk about the Corvette’s future has been about the possibility of a mid-engine version for the next generation. However, Chevy has big plans and a massive wing in store for the current model, which might revive the ZR1 name. These spy shots show the gargantuan airfoil of the back of the coupe at the proving grounds, and they also give us some tiny peeks at the rest of the body.

The huge wing is the first thing you notice about this ‘Vette and for good reason. It appears to be just as tall as the roof. While good for downforce, the position could be aesthetically awkward on the coupe. Chevy could avoid that problem by giving the ZR1 active aero, which would raise and lower the wing.

The rear three-quarters photo seems to indicate other exterior upgrades in addition to the wing. It could just be extra width from the cladding, but the front fenders appear wider than on a stock ‘Vette. There’s also a thick rib running along the lower portion of the door panel, which also might be part of a wide-body kit.

The ZR1 reportedly debuts at the 2017 North American International Auto Show this January in Detroit. Rumors suggest it would be extremely powerful, but there are no firm powertrain details yet. Because the current Z06 produces 650 horsepower from a supercharged 6.2-liter V8, expect more power, less weight, or both as a strategy to give the new variant even more performance.

• 
• 
• 
• 

Next Chevy Corvette ZR1 spied with big wing

 

[tristatez28lt1]

How much horsepower does the new 2018 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 need to have?

2018 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 spy shots - S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
It's no secret that current generation of the Chevrolet Corvette (C7) is going to exit with a bang thanks to the resurrection of the ZR1 nameplate. The question now is: How much power will the new 2018 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 have?

We've spied a prototype of the new 2018 Corvette ZR1 entering GM's Milford Proving Grounds. It was sporting a big wing--though, much smaller than the Dodge Viper ACR's wing--and massive rubber wrapped around Ferrari-style pentagram wheels.

With 707-horsepower Dodge Hellcats roaming the streets and an upcoming 2018 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 with likely more than 700 horses, one has to wonder much how power a new ZR1 will have.

The C7 Corvette Z06 already has 650 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque and it can barely put it all to the ground. While we all love to say there's no such thing as too much power, the reality is there's only so much power that is usable. At some point, you run into the limits of physics.

Obviously, the new ZR1 will have more than 650 horsepower as it needs to sit above the Z06 in the Corvette lineup. It'll likely be powered by a uprated version of the Z06's supercharged LT4 V-8 engine

How much horsepower does the new 2018 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 need to have?

 

[sako97]

Those are some wide tires like the previous ZR1. My guess is 295/30/20 front & 345/30/20 rear Michelin Sport Cup sticky tires.

 

[EKaru]

View attachment 64b894d2db9e8313da00af410feda10e.jpg

BY JASON HARPER
AUG 31, 2016

ONE PERFECT DAY IN A VETTE. It begins as a notion and turns into a mission. The brand-new 2017 Grand Sport is Chevy's latest interpretation of the Corvette, and one is being shipped from Detroit to New York for R&T to test. And so an idea forms. A sunup-to-sundown romp at the onset of summer, in what is, potentially, America's greatest modern sports car. A chance at the perfect driving day.

As a yellow Corvette Grand Sport with a seven-speed manual and the Z07 package is being loaded onto a big truck heading east, planning begins. The summer solstice is only a few days away, so it will be possible to spend 14 hours behind the wheel without ever snapping on a headlight. My local track in the Catskills, the Monticello Motor Club (MMC), is expecting me and the Grand Sport early in the morning. They promise as many unfettered laps on the 3.6-mile course as one could desire. From there I'll head west, to the Delaware River and the border of Pennsylvania and then on to the Poconos and a suite of semisecret, Corvette-worthy roads in the wooded backcountry.

I'll be limited only by the soft, slick rubber of the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s and my own behind-the-wheel fortitude.

Planning perfection is pure folly. It's spitting rain when I wake up; traffic over the George Washington Bridge is clogged, and I don't dare keep up with the flow of 65-mph traffic on New Jersey's 50-mph Palisades Parkway, a notorious speed trap. Which would you pull over, a dull-silver Corolla or a glinting- yellow Corvette?

Then there's the question of the Grand Sport itself. My hopes are high, as the GS is born from two cars we know and love, the C7 Stingray and the Z06. But it could prove less than the sum of its parts. Or, more pessimistically, it could be the worst kind of parts-bin car, without the anima of either parent or any personality of its own. The car is essentially a Z06 with a Stingray engine. Or, as a cynic might say, a Stingray with bolted-on Z06 parts.

The Grand Sport certainly looks like the Z06, with wider rear bodywork and a whole lot of venting. The optional stripes and fender hash marks are a nod to the 1963 Grand Sport race cars and the fourth-generation Corvette variant of the same name. The key elements to the car are on the underside. Suspension tuning mimics the Z06's, but the Grand Sport gets its own springs, anti-roll bars, Magnetic Ride Control tuning, and electronically controlled rear differential programming. The LT1 6.2-liter V8 is the same naturally breathing engine found in the regular car, with 460 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. Essentially, the GS is designed to be meaner than the Stingray and leaner than the Z06.

"The cooling content is as uplevel as the supercharged Z06, which is pretty phenomenal for a naturally aspirated car," says Alex MacDonald, the lead development engineer. "The Grand Sport cooling systems and brakes can handle heavy track duty. I promise you that your lap time will not be limited by the equipment."

Corvette chief Tadge Juechter, who has been with General Motors since 1977 and worked on Corvettes since the C5, says he expects the Grand Sport to become the volume model. "The body, brakes, and tires were originally designed for the Z06, but they work astonishingly well for this car." He laughs when asked if it took the engineers a long weekend to throw it all together. "Even though it looks like plug-and-play, you can't just stick on the Z06 parts and call it a day. You have to do all the normal tuning of springs and bars and all the calibration work. The chassis control is custom, and the weight distribution is different, with less than 50 percent up front. You can take a bunch of great hardware, but unless it's well integrated, the driving experience isn't going to be great. We live and die by this stuff."

The Grand Sport will start at $66,445 for the coupe and $70,445 for the convertible, a $5000 premium over the Stingray Z51. It will also be offered with the Z07 package, a $7995 option that nets the Cup 2 tires and carbon-ceramic brakes over the regular Brembos. The Stage 2 aero package is included, although the Stage 3 with the tallest rear wickerbill is not an option. According to Juechter, it would overslow the GS with its smaller output.

Still, says Juechter, "We're not holding back on all of the aggressive stuff. This is pretty close to the last-gen ZR1." Chevy claims the Grand Sport's lap time at GM's Milford Road Course outside Detroit is less than a second slower than the ZR1's, and that on a racetrack the GS can hold up to 1.20 g's of lateral grip in Z07 form. We measured 1.18 g on a 300-foot skidpad.

THE GRAND SPORT FEELS, WELL, FAMILIAR. The cockpit, with its short-throw manual, cares only for the driver, and the baritone V8 sounds even better without the supercharger. I arrive at Monticello with muddy fenders, but the rain has stopped. Despite those slick Cup 2s, the Corvette is calm around wet corners. MMC is private and pristine, and the course includes a three-quarter-mile-long straight, a lovely uphill carousel, and several off-camber twists that can lure a less-capable chassis into calamity. As the pavement dries, I transition the Grand Sport from Sport to Track mode and then cycle through the subsets: Wet to Dry to Sport 1, Sport 2, and then Race. This tried-and-true system premiered on the Stingray, an example of the C7's gimlet-eyed engineering. It gives you exactly what you ask, with more yaw and less interference with each rung up the ladder. Still, the interface is a pain: Twist the control to Track, double-click the button, then twist through the submenus. Juechter once told me they made it difficult on purpose so novices wouldn't be tempted to get in over their heads.

I've driven both the C6 ZR1 and the current Z06 at MMC, and they were well suited to the fast straightaways and sweeping, momentum corners. But the tendency to power hard into corners was less ideal in the tighter, technical sections. The ZR1's nose once got away from me on an off-camber right-hander and I came close to having an unfortunate moment.

There is a lot of tire under the Grand Sport, and its wide-hipped stability allows for an easy 150-mph sprint down the straightaway before you clamp down hard on the carbon-ceramics. You get only the tiniest of wiggles from the rear under hard braking. The long straight is followed by a short, steep hill and one of the slowest corners on the track, one that speaks to the Grand Sport's abilities. There's a serpent-quick left-to-right turn on top of the crest, the curbs are tall and chassis-rattling, and the transition demands fast hands followed by a slow and conscientious unwinding of the wheel as you power out. It's a kink that's magic in a Miata but gives heavier cars conniptions. The Corvette goes from the Mr. T brutality of the high-speed straight to Fred Astaire flair with odd, almost unnerving ease. I exit the corner more quickly than in just about any car I've ever driven at MMC. I can feel seconds drop off every lap. I keep pushing but feel like the GS will continue extending the envelope. Crazy for a car that costs about $75,000.

But, maybe, it is too easy?

Yes and no. It is easy to go fast, but not in the passive way a Nissan GT-R can feel out here. This is no video game. The GS is familiar and accessible in the right way, like listening to the Boston Symphony Orchestra play Beethoven's Fifth Symphony live. The tune is familiar and you already expect the grandeur of those sawing violins, but it's still a surprise as you hear it unfold.

So, too, is the experience of rocketing around a track in the Corvette Grand Sport. It's a grand culmination: The parts in the bin are working together beautifully. The modern Corvette represents many generations of engineering thoughtfulness at General Motors. The wonder that is the small-block V8, of course, but also smaller innovations like magnetorheological dampers and a head-up display. All those engineers, working over all those years, waking up in the middle of the night with eureka moments.

Forget all the awful nonbolstered seats and the gaps in the fiberglass bodies. What remains today is a car that's shed the missteps but kept the good stuff. You can pummel around Monticello, downshifting perfectly, while the tires and chassis allow you to carry maximum rolling speed, and the head-up display provides the information you need to shift at the proper rpm. The Grand Sport has the Stingray's rev-matching paddles and the Z06's Stage 2 aero package. (Which truly works on places like the uphill carousel. The faster you go, the better it sticks.) You can concentrate on only two things: the car and where you're placing it.

I sidle back to the pits after a cool-down lap. A New Jersey– based Ferrari club has arrived, mostly driving California and FF models. The members are following the Grand Sport with their eyes. I kill the engine and they drift toward the Vette, as if pulled by a tide. They circle, getting closer, and I call them in.

"The car sounds amazing when you power down the straight," says one. Another sticks his head inside and I invite him to sit shotgun. "Would it run with my California?" he asks. I just give him a look. "About half the price, too," he murmurs. Less, I say. More like a third. Then he gives me a look. Sorry, man.

I COULD DO MORE LAPS. A lifetime of laps, actually. But a perfect driving day can't just be one note. Besides, the open roads—or more likely the curving roads—of America are where the Grand Sport will live, the pride of thousands of people who save and save and then go for it.

To them, I'd say: You probably don't need the Z07 package. The stock Michelin Pilot Super Sports will last a lot longer than the optional Sport Cup 2s, and the claimed 1.05 g will still change your world. And if you're going fast enough to feel the aero on a curve, you're probably going fast enough to land in jail. The happiness of the Grand Sport is in the bang-it-turns suspension and the man-it-pulls engine. Four hundred and sixty horses are more than you'll often use, and you can still touch 100 mph in third gear.

THE GRAND SPORT GOES FROM THE MR. T BRUTALITY OF THE HIGH-SPEED STRAIGHT TO FRED ASTAIRE FLAIR WITH ODD, ALMOST UNNERVING EASE.
I know all this because I've left my house at 6 a.m. and by 3 p.m., I've barely exited the car. I feel like I'm only now getting to the best part—rolling through a series of my Greatest Hits. All the roads that make me happy, in one fell swoop, one after the other. (I've also filled the fuel tank twice and made lunch of gas-station ice-cream sandwiches.) There are the open sweepers that rise and fall over the hills and make the Corvette feel like a schooner in heavy Atlantic swells. And the miraculous pavement built high on the cliffs above the Delaware River. And a private hill climb that a friend dubs "G-Force Road." I click off the traction control with a single stab of an index finger and choke the rear tires with smoke as the diff gamely locks and I grind up a perfect switchback.

The balance. The proportion of chassis to power. It's those elements that you keep coming back to. Only a contrarian would term this Corvette underpowered, and the overengineered Z06 brakes and chassis allow supreme confidence on real roads, come what may, like the albino squirrel who darts out or the tree limb lying in your lane when you round a bend.

It's my final Greatest Hits road, just before the gloaming. A 14-mile stretch of bending and elevation-changing asphalt between me and the place in the Poconos where I'll finally rest my head. Fabulously devoid of traffic. A mist hangs just above the asphalt, shaded golden as the sun falls. I hold the car in third gear the entire way, settings in Sport, the V8 pitched high and happy. Any worries I had of a Corvette without personality are gone. The Grand Sport is familiar but also revealing, given life and passion by professionals who love the tune just as much as we do.

The Grand Sport will give you a chance at the perfect driving day. Day after day after day.

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The Road & Track Test: 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport

 

[tristatez28lt1]

The 2018 Corvette Stingray ZR1 Is Going to Have Insane Aero
Consider this look at the super C7 Corvette your early holiday present from GM.

What It Is: The last hurrah and ultimate expression of the current seventh-generation Corvette is in the final throes of testing and development at GM’s Milford, Michigan, proving ground. Armed with significant aero, chassis, and powertrain upgrades, the ZR1 should provide Ferrari 488GTB performance for less than half the price.

Why It Matters: The 2018 ZR1 promises to be the fastest Corvette in recorded history, easily eclipsing 200 mph. We also expect it to accelerate to 60 mph in well under three seconds, top 130 mph in the quarter-mile, and corner with well over 1.00 g of lateral grip.

Platform: The ZR1 proves there’s life left in the classic front-engine, rear-transaxle formula that has served Corvettes since the C5 arrived two decades ago. The core hydroformed aluminum spaceframe integral with a composite-plastic body, transverse monoleaf springs, and aluminum suspension components will be fortified with larger wheels, tires, and brakes. An adjustable rear airfoil that rivals a Cessna Citation’s wing and a substantial front splitter will aid roadholding as speed rises. Gaping air intakes feed and cool the beast within, while substantial hood vents give that flow an efficient exit path.

Powertrain: There are two candidates vying for the honor of providing this Corvette with an estimated 750 horsepower and enough torque to upset the earth’s rotation. The Z06’s faithful LT4 supercharged V-8 with a larger bore, longer stroke, and more boost is the most likely suspect. The dark horse is an all-new four-cam flat-crankshaft V-8 that would be equipped with twin turbos. As rumors go, this engine will leapfrog the LT5 designation used for 1990–1995 Corvette ZR-1s (note the hyphen) and be known as the LT6. (A vote against that code is the fact that 30-plus years ago it was ascribed to a lowly 85-hp 4.3-liter Oldsmobile diesel V-6.) No matter which powerplant is jammed beneath the ZR1’s hood, a seven-speed manual transmission will transfer the engine’s output to the suffering rear tires.

Competition: Audi R8, Ferrari 488GTB, McLaren 570S, Mercedes-AMG GT, Nissan GT-R, Porsche 911.

Estimated Arrival and Price: We expected the ZR1 to bow at January’s 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, although development issues have pushed the on-sale date deeper into 2017. Chevy dealers began accepting customer deposits months ago, and deliveries should commence by late summer. Like the 2009–2013 C6 Corvette that last used the hallowed ZR1 nameplate, this one will cost well over $100,000. Considering its significance as the last of a long and distinguished line of front-engine Corvettes, collectors are clearing garage space for the ZR1’s arrival. They’ll also want to keep a bay open for the mid-engined C8, we suspect.

2018 Corvette Stingray ZR1 Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

The 2018 Corvette Stingray ZR1 Is Going to Have Insane Aero
Consider this look at the super C7 Corvette your early holiday present from GM.

What It Is: The last hurrah and ultimate expression of the current seventh-generation Corvette is in the final throes of testing and development at GM’s Milford, Michigan, proving ground. Armed with significant aero, chassis, and powertrain upgrades, the ZR1 should provide Ferrari 488GTB performance for less than half the price.

Why It Matters: The 2018 ZR1 promises to be the fastest Corvette in recorded history, easily eclipsing 200 mph. We also expect it to accelerate to 60 mph in well under three seconds, top 130 mph in the quarter-mile, and corner with well over 1.00 g of lateral grip.

Platform: The ZR1 proves there’s life left in the classic front-engine, rear-transaxle formula that has served Corvettes since the C5 arrived two decades ago. The core hydroformed aluminum spaceframe integral with a composite-plastic body, transverse monoleaf springs, and aluminum suspension components will be fortified with larger wheels, tires, and brakes. An adjustable rear airfoil that rivals a Cessna Citation’s wing and a substantial front splitter will aid roadholding as speed rises. Gaping air intakes feed and cool the beast within, while substantial hood vents give that flow an efficient exit path.

Powertrain: There are two candidates vying for the honor of providing this Corvette with an estimated 750 horsepower and enough torque to upset the earth’s rotation. The Z06’s faithful LT4 supercharged V-8 with a larger bore, longer stroke, and more boost is the most likely suspect. The dark horse is an all-new four-cam flat-crankshaft V-8 that would be equipped with twin turbos. As rumors go, this engine will leapfrog the LT5 designation used for 1990–1995 Corvette ZR-1s (note the hyphen) and be known as the LT6. (A vote against that code is the fact that 30-plus years ago it was ascribed to a lowly 85-hp 4.3-liter Oldsmobile diesel V-6.) No matter which powerplant is jammed beneath the ZR1’s hood, a seven-speed manual transmission will transfer the engine’s output to the suffering rear tires.

Competition: Audi R8, Ferrari 488GTB, McLaren 570S, Mercedes-AMG GT, Nissan GT-R, Porsche 911.

Estimated Arrival and Price: We expected the ZR1 to bow at January’s 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, although development issues have pushed the on-sale date deeper into 2017. Chevy dealers began accepting customer deposits months ago, and deliveries should commence by late summer. Like the 2009–2013 C6 Corvette that last used the hallowed ZR1 nameplate, this one will cost well over $100,000. Considering its significance as the last of a long and distinguished line of front-engine Corvettes, collectors are clearing garage space for the ZR1’s arrival. They’ll also want to keep a bay open for the mid-engined C8, we suspect.

2018 Corvette Stingray ZR1 Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver

Geez, this looks to be brutal....in the most lovely way, of course.

 

[TopspeedPT]

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[tristatez28lt1]

Chevrolet engineers are currently polishing the final details of what is set to become the swansong of the C7 Corvette generation. We're talking about the 2018 Corvette ZR1, which has recently been spotted testing on Laguna Seca.

It seems that the test car convoy involved four ZR1 prototypes, with the group including two vehicles fitted with an extreme aero package (you'll notice the huge rear wing) and two machines that pack the "standard" ZR1 body.

The biggest question revolving around the upcoming supercar has to do with the contents of its engine compartment and the said sighting only adds fuel to the rumor fire.

Chevrolet's test group also included a 2017 Camaro ZL1 and, as you'll notice in the piece of footage below, the ZR1 has a totally different soundtrack compared to the muscle car.

The video, which comes from Facebook user Ben Hsu, via Corvetteblogger, features looped segments, so you'll easily be able to spot the voices of the Chevys.

Rumors about the heart of the upcoming ZR1 are split, with one of the most likely versions talking about the LT1 V8 animating the Corvette Z06 and the Camaro LT1 receiving a larger supercharger for the newcomer.

Other voices talks about the all-new LT5 DOHC V8, which has been confirmed for the 2018 Corvette, being the engine of the ZR1. We wouldn't bet on this pathway, though.

For one thing, the GM confirmation only regarded the 6.2-liter LT5 powering the a 2018MY 'Vette, but, since we're most likely looking at a naturally aspirated mill, this seems more suitable to the mid-engined C8 Corvette. This theory is not without its questions, though and that's because the engine will land for the 2018MY, while the C8 is expected to be introduced as a 2019 model.

Regardless of the engine, the 2018 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 should feature the new 10-speed automatic GM and Ford have developed together.

Since we compared the 2018 ZR1 and the 2017 ZL1, you should also pay attention to the handling difference between the vehicles, with the Corvette appearing much more planted while flying on the track.

Last year, it seemed that Chevrolet would introduce the new ZR1 at the 2017 Detroit Motor Show in January, so it shouldn't take long until we get to meet the fresh slab of America.

2018 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Spied on Laguna Seca, Sounds Nothing Like Camaro ZL1

 

[tristatez28lt1]

The Lamborghini Huracan Performance is one hell of a machine, blitzing the Nurburgring lap record away from the Porsche 918 Spyder. One of the bull’s secrets is Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva, a fancy name for a fancy active aero system. And boy, do aerodynamics help in setting blistering lap times.

Even if the C7 Corvette Z06 pushes the performance envelope with what General Motors calls “unprecedented levels of aerodynamic downforce,” that’s not nearly enough in this day and age. GM knows it too well if the enormous rear wing of the C7 ZR1 is anything to support this argument.

But fixed wings can only do so much, which is why General Motors went back to the drawing board and started tinkering with active aero trickery. Drawings unsurfaced from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by the guys over at AutoGuide are proof of that, but a few questions still prevail.

“Why is a C7 Corvette featured in the patent drawings?” and “What sort of wheels are those?” are just two of those questions. I have my reservations about the ZR1 or the C7 per se getting this bit of kit, but then again, don’t forget that there’s a mid-engine Corvette due to hit dealership lots in 2019.

Whatever General Motors plans on doing with this technology, there’s no denying that linking the ride height to active aerodynamics components is the sort of thing next-generation performance models have to have. From the Camaro to the Corvette, there are lots of possible applications for this technology. But how do the aero bits in the patent actually work?

General Motors defines active aero components as “one of an adjustable spoiler, an air dam, a splitter, a diffuser, and shutter,” with any of the said parts located at the front or rear of the vehicle. “An ultrasonic sensor or a laser sensor” are also on the menu to detect the ride height of the car “via directly sensing the height of the vehicle body relative to the road surface.”

Then there’s a controller for the active aero system, which can receive information from an accelerometer about acceleration and braking. The peeps over at AutoGuide contacted Chevrolet about this patent filing and the possibility for the Corvette receiving it, and the reply was, “We have no comment at this time.”

 

[tristatez28lt1]

Chevy Corvette ZR1 Spied At The Nurburgring [46 Photos]


All the camouflage in the world can't mask the extreme aero pack highlighted by that massive wing.
If you’re finding the Z06 a bit too soft for some reason, August will allegedly be the month when Chevrolet will finally reveal the ZR1 in all of its range-topping glory. Meanwhile, there’s still a lot of testing that needs to be done to make sure the car will live up to the hype. A heavily disguised prototype carrying U.S. license plates was seen this week at the Nürburgring in Germany and thankfully our spy photographers were in the right place at the right time to capture the test vehicle on camera.

Despite the camouflage, the car is already showing it will adopt a more aggressive design thanks to the enlarged air vents up front where the hood bulge appears to be bigger than that of the Z06. By far the most obvious upgrade is the massive wing at the back, but we should point out previous spy shots have shown the ZR1 might also be offered with a less in-your-face wing.

Seeing as how the Z06 has 650 horsepower coming from its supercharged 6.2-liter V8 “LT4” engine, it would make sense for the hardcore version to top that. It’s not known at this point what sort of engine is lurking underneath that menacing hood, but the huge bulge could indicate it’s supercharged. Maybe an upgraded version of the LT4?

That being said, there are signs of an all-new LT5 considering this engine was listed a while ago for the 2018 Corvette in a General Motors service department internal document. Not only that, but GM trademarked “LT5” last October for the second time, thus fueling rumors about the ZR1 getting the new powertrain benefitting from a dual-overhead cam layout. The very same unit might find its way inside the engine bay of the the next-gen Corvette (C8).

Expect to see the ZR1 in August at the 2017 Continental Tire Road Race Showcase IMSA event. Rumor has it the C7-based ZR1 will peacefully coexist with the mid-engine C8 for a while.

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