GM Putting $890Million in new LS Development
Well, the LS line of engines is already one of the nicest and most popular in the world today, and GM is committed to ensuring that they remain such for a long time to come. Few things are as iconic as a Chevy small block V8, and GM just dedicated $890 Million towards the R&D on the next line of them. This is good news for Corvette and Camaro lovers everywhere, as the LS engine is a staple in those respective vehicles.
So, that's a lot of money you say. Yeah, it is, but is doesn't appear to be for naught. GM has plans to improve the build and technology for the new LS engine, beginning with the materials and constructing an all-Aluminum engine block. Adding to this the direct-injection technology and the fuel-efficient push GM is making, it's very likely that the new LS engine will be one of the most efficient (power/mpg) engines ever built. GM has also ensured that the new LS engine will E85 Ethanol compatability, certainly another move being made to continue to meet the risingly stringest fuel efficiency demands over the next decade without losing vehicle power.
Another positive of this move by GM is that guarantees to create or retain more than 1,600 jobs, which is something that can be much appreciated in the current economic situation. All in all, this is good news on the Corvette front, as we can expect to see the next generation of LS engine powering Corvettes in the future, continuing to promote the vehicle's popularity and performance strong-hold against competitors. As time goes on I'm sure we'll see more and more information on the engine, but for now we can just speculate and dream. Is there any specific function or feature you would like to see included in the R&D of the new LS?
Corvette: Kentucky State Car
Following up on a story I had reported on a while back, it has now become official that the Corvette is the State Sports Car of Kentucky. The State Senate passed the bill naming the Corvette such by a vote of 100-0, and the new bill is being passed along to the State Governor Steve Beshear to be signed in to law and made 100% official. This is pretty cool news, as it seemed not too long ago that the bill itself was dead as it had been passed to a state legislative committee. Why so much deliberation was necessary to pass something which was eventually unanimous is beyond my reasoning though. The Corvette plant in Bowling Green and the Corvette Museum both draw huge amounts of tourism dollars in to the state of Kentucky, bringing in over 50,000 and 150,000 visitors each year respectively. Good and fun news coming from the home of America's Sports Car.
GM’s Race to Win Corvette Sweepstake
What, you might ask, could possibly be better than a Corvette? How about a free, brand new, Corvette? Sounds pretty nice, doesn't it? Just head over to GM's www.racetowincorvette.com and answer a few short questions and fill out the form to be entered for a chance to win yourself a brand new Grand Sport. Don't worry the three questions are easy (almost too easy!) and the grand prize will be drawn for on July 7th. Also, be sure to refer friends to the contest, as there is a refer a friend prize as well.
March Corvette Sales Numbers In
Well, Corvette sales numbers were up for the month of March to 955, which is a solid and respectable number for a 5th year model vehicle, but one that I'm sure GM would like to see rise. Of course, the 331 rise in sales over the February numbers is a good sign, even though it is down 20% from the same time last year, a year in which sales were depressingly low for the flagship GM vehicle. Thankfully, the Corvette's little brother Camaro is selling well enough to ensure that GM has no serious worries, and should continue to until the C7 is released.
On the C7 front, Road and Track recently published a small article on the C7's plans. Apparently, GM had originally planned on making it a mid-engine car, but their bankruptcy issues forced them to put that aside for now. I'm kind of happy they did, personally. I understand that performance benefits that a mid-engine vehicle offers, but I am a bit of a purist and love the front-engine design of the Corvette. Anyways, the info we have about the C7 suggests a better-performing, more fuel efficient, design-enhanced monster, and the hints towards a supercharged Z06 are very promising. We'll see what the future holds for GM, and for the Corvette, and hopefully the sales will stay strong through the rest of the year.
Rapier SL-C – Vette Powered Supercar
This is only sort of 'Vette news, but was cool enough to warrant me writing about it (especially right now, when Corvette news has been coming in very sparsely). A custom super-car company out of Boston, known as Rapier, has just released their first vehicle. A mid-engine, all hand TIG-welded frame, LS powered beast of a car. Available with three different power plants, the base 6.2-liter 480-hp LS376 V-8, the 7.0-liter 505-hp LS7 V-8, or the 6.2-liter supercharged 638-hp LS9 V-8, this 2,300 Lb vehicle will certainly fly. I can absolutely understand too how an engineer sitting around would pick those engines to the basis of their super car. I mean, honestly, if you were going to build a super-car, where would you begin? How about a Chevy LS engine!
Full article from EIN News:
Boston, MA - March 31, 2010 -- Rapier Automotive is betting that its new supercar will capture the very essence of the thin, light, fast, and well-balanced thrusting swords that were made infamous by the sport of Fencing and that also carry its name. Based out of Boston, Massachusetts, Rapier Automotive has been methodically preparing its mid-engine supercar for the past five years and is now taking orders. Billed as the 'most exclusive hand-built supercar on the planet', the Rapier Superlight Coupe, or SL-C for short, offers a multitude of unique engineering specifications, power-plant offerings, exterior colors, interior schemes and a host of other fully customizable options.
The car utilizes an all-aluminum, tig welded monocoque chassis/space frame hybrid and is finished with high-quality composite body panels that given the SL-C a LeMans racecar-like look. The Superlight offers three Chevrolet-derived engine choices, all of which can be transplanted underneath a clamshell hood behind the passenger compartment: the base 6.2-liter 480-hp LS376 V-8, the 7.0-liter 505-hp LS7 V-8, or the 6.2-liter supercharged 638-hp LS9 V-8. The monstrous power created by each one of these engines is diverted to the rear wheels through a six-speed Ricardo manual transmission. With a curb weight of only 2,375 lbs.—nearly 1,000 pounds less than the Corvette ZR1—performance is nothing short of extraordinary. With the 505-hp LS7, zero-to-60 mph takes 3.2 seconds, the quarter mile will pass in 10.6 seconds, and the top speed is a staggering 222 mph. To slow the car back to legal speeds, the SL-C uses 13-inch rotors in the front and 11.8-inch rotors in the back, both of which are pinched by six-piston calipers.
The majority of the Rapier Superlight is hand-built around the dimensions of the buyer; floor level, headroom clearance, steeling and pedal position, even the seat size... the entire car is built to the owners' unique specifications. Many of the components start as a bare block of aluminum and spend the first 50-60 hours coming to life on a CNC machine. The suspension is by Indy-style pushrod actuated coil-over shock units, of which the rear ones are arranged longitudinally.
Rapier Automotive has incorporated superior components from around the globe to finish off the Superlight; a complete Aeromotive Fuel System, QA1 Aluminum Double Adjustable Shocks, CCW Wheels and Alpine, Pioneer, & Beltronics entertainment electronics.
A test drive can be arranged out of Boston with one of two shows cars, chassis number one and chassis number two. If after the test drive a buyer wishes to place a 50 percent deposit towards the purchase of a SL-C, which start at the comparatively reasonable price of $179,000, Rapier will pay for the entire trip to the New England-based city. Rapier Automotive offers a very competitive payment plan that will allow its customers to have the car completely paid off by the time the car is ready for delivery, approximately nine months later.
Besides the fourteen diverse exterior colors and hand-stitched leather and optional carbon fiber inserts for the interior, the Rapier also offers a plethora of sound system interfaces and wheel options that come in chrome, gloss, satin black or painted to match to the rest of the car. The DigiDash display puts all the pertinent information in the driver's face and keeps track of an assortment of vital statistics and analytics; allowing the owner to do everything from optimizing the engine tuning to simply keeping track of his or her lap times.