A YouTube user and Corvette fanatic was driving down a public road when he spied an incredibly rare thing: a next generation Corvette out for a drive. Recognizing what he was seeing and acting quickly, the driver equipped his wife in the passenger seat with his smartphone and set to recording some video footage of this camo-wrapped C7 Vette in action. It's a short video, and the aspect ratio and image resolution aren't great, but it shows a C7 Corvette and in terms of automotive spy shots a next-gen Vette is the Great White Buffalo.

So, it's short but sweet. Enjoy the C7 Corvette.

*UPDATE: The video has been removed from YouTube. I'll try and find a mirror for it elsewhere. Looks like GM found out about it.*

Multiple Engine Fires Have Been Linked to Improper Battery Charging or Use of Bargain Battery Chargers in Recent Months

The images are gruesome for any automotive enthusiast: a show quality C6 Z06 Corvette with the engine bay engulfed in flames, the body panels of a Porsche 911 melting under the heat of a battery fire, people’s automobiles destroyed in their driveways and garages. Recently the internet has been buzzing with people reporting battery fires causing costly damage to their car or home. The issue was so large that CTEK, one of the world’s leading battery charger manufacturers, felt the need to warn motorists of the dangers of using a battery charger that lacked what they call “smart functionality”.

C6 Z06 Battery Catches Fire as Result of Faulty Battery Charger

Older or lower cost automotive battery chargers, the sort that many people have purchased from places like Wal-Mart and EBay, have begun to be clearly a dangerous investment. Battery chargers are meant to help maintain the life of a vehicle’s battery, but, those lacking “smart functionality” will continue pumping voltage in to the battery after it has reached maximum charge. This can result in shorts to the vehicle’s electrical systems, battery overheating, complete destruction of the battery’s ability to hold a charge, and in a few extreme cases recently reported even a battery fire.

One easy way to avoid this sort of damage is to invest in a smart battery charger. CTEK has become the world’s leading producer of these, although companies such as GENIUS have begun manufacturing comparable smart chargers as well. A “smart” charger functions in much the same way as a classic or standard battery charger, but with one large change: smart chargers are able to sense the level of charge that a battery has and, once it reaches full charge, they shut off the flow of voltage in to the battery. These smart chargers then go in to what is referred to as “trickle charging” mode, wherein they allow the battery to self drain down to 90 or 95% capacity before giving it another surge. This keeps the battery at full or near full charge without risk of ever overcharging it, and as result, the dangers that are associated with overcharging. Trickle charging works to keep the vehicle safe, and also to extend the life of the battery well beyond standard expectations.

If you’re still concerned with directly connecting to the battery as well, another solution exists—specifically for Corvette vehicles. Companies like SouthernCarParts.com sell both the CTEK and GENIUS battery chargers, as well as aviation style push-pull adapters for Corvettes. These push-pull Corvette charger adapters, deemed StealthLink, utilize smart charger connections and communicate the same information that the smart charger would see, but they go a step further. The StealthLink push-pull adapter uses a single pin plug—similar to a standard television cable wire—that connects the battery charger to the vehicle through a different port. This provides a buffer point between the voltage of the charger and the battery itself. Another benefit of these StealthLink aviation style charger adapters is the ease of use. Once installed, plugging the battery charger in no longer requires opening the hood or trunk to access the battery. This helps prevent sparking in the engine bay, where fires can easily be started.

For this reason, airplane manufacturers have been utilizing this form of battery maintenance connection point long before smart chargers were even available. The chargers themselves still function perfectly well, and should be invested in and used whenever possible, but now they have an easier and safer connection point than directly to the battery’s terminal points.

Jan-ulf Soderberg, the Head of Brand at CTEK said in his safety release, of the use of smart chargers, “With proper battery maintenance and care, motorists can ensure that their vehicles start first time as well as extending the lives of their batteries quite dramatically. CTEK smart chargers are particularly useful for cars that are used infrequently or left standing for long periods of time (i.e. over the winter), although everyday maintenance is advisable.”

It’s a shame to see beautiful vehicles destroyed by owners actively trying to take care of and maintain their vehicles. For this reason, CTEK and other companies have begun attempts to raise awareness of the dangers of bargain battery chargers, and applications such as the Corvette StealthLink have been developed. Use of these forms of battery charging is especially important for vehicles that are not driven every day. Cars which are stored, or which sit in garages for multiple weeks between drives, require smart charging to keep their vehicle functional and to extend the life of their automobile’s electrical components, as well as for the safety of them and their property.

12 Hours of Sebring isn't just one of the most interesting races of the year, it's also one of the year's most informational automotive events. Every major and competing manufacturer and automotive shop has special tents and seminar events where they discuss their entries in to the Sebring race, as well as their current production and marketing campaigns. What this results in, every year, is a number of informative seminar sessions hosted by important members of major brand teams and filled with direct questions from a curious and informed public--a public that happens to include, in this video, the world famous Ron Fellowes.

The seminar itself begins with conversation and highlight of the new 2013 60th Anniversary Edition Corvette. Here they highlight the curb weight of the convertible 427 vehicle--a svelte 3,355 pounds which gives the new 2013 427 Vette a power to weight ratio that bests the Ferrari California, Porsche 911 Turbo Convertible, and Audi r10 V8 Spider. They then display a special edition Corvette, and talk about the 60th Anniversary a bit more before moving over to other areas.

Perhaps the most intriguing portion of the entire seminar is the moment when Ron Fellowes, who is one of the few people alive with the pull and authority to ignore their earlier precedent of no C7 questions, asks them about the C7 Corvette. At this moment, Tadge pulls a single, small, little metal piece from his pocket. This piece is a production part for the C7 Corvette, and, we have no idea what in the hell it is. All he divulges to the audience is that it is small, very lightweight, very finely machined, and very expensive to make. What a tease.

Anyways, it's a great video and it's nice to see the Chief Engineer and Chief Production Manager for the Corvette and the future C7 iteration having fun and discussing their work and their passion with an equally interested audience.

The race itself was highlighted by an incredible closing which saw multiple position changes in the last few laps, including both Corvettes overtaking their competition for second and third during the race's final lap in tough conditions. Running third at the start of the last lap, Jan Magnussen pushed his C6.R 'Vette past the No. 71 Ferrari to take second after the Ferrari and the class-leading No. 56 BMW jostled one another. Moments later, Oliver Gavin passed the No. 155 BMW which had just moved up to secure third on the ALMS podium.

"I really don't know what happened, but apparently the BMW and Ferrari got together," Magnussen said in an interview with Sports Cars Illustrated. "I didn't even know that I had passed the Ferrari in the darkness. We were struggling at the end of the race with the track conditions, so second is a huge bonus and a fantastic foundation to build on. Sebring is such a difficult race, and I'm very happy with a podium finish."

This great finish and double podium for the Corvette helps further cement its place among the elite of the world, especially considering that these results came so quickly after changes to the vehicles and the driver teams. Just weeks ago the Corvette Racing team had switched from their last season drivers to a new team featuring Magnussen with Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor. These changes came just as the Corvette Racing team was also changing out the body kits on their C6.R vehicles to new, wider body fenders and fascias that would facilitate changes to wheels and suspension systems on their race vehicles. Typically, changes of this nature result in a lull in performance, but in this race they seemingly produced immediate results.

"It's a brilliant result for the entire Corvette Racing team, and a brilliant result for the No. 03 Corvette," said Antonio Garcia, who made the transition to a full-season driver in 2012. "Track conditions were really difficult with traffic and crazy restarts, but Jan, Jordan and I just kept digging, and we finished with a great result."

Of course, these guys weren't the only Corvette racers to see success. The No. 4 Corvette team, which was lead by one of last years Le Mans GT Series stars in the well-known C6.R racer Oliver Gavin lead the race for the majority of the race. A poor pit-stop late in the race however caused them to lose their position. "The result was a bit of an anticlimax after leading and running at the front for most of the race," Gavin said. "Our strategy anticipated a caution that didn't come. Nevertheless, third place pays good points for the ALMS championship. Tommy drove brilliantly and Richard did a fantastic job, so our partnership is working well."

Ultimately, the entire was a major success for Corvette Racing and its various driver teams. The results speak to the driver's and the vehicle's abilities, and definitely foreshadow a very successful year for the entire Corvette Racing team. Hopefully more podium finishes are to follow.

All photos information courtesy of Sports Car Illustrated

Jalopnik's Acquired Spy Photos of the 2014 Corvette C7

Back in early December we showed you the mock-ups done by the guys at Jalopnik of what they claimed was the C7 Corvette prototype, and it looks like they were pretty close. The lines along the roof and a-pillar, as well as the flairs around the rear wheels all seem dead on. The front lines--particularly those on and around the hood--look a little different, and thankfully they 2014 Corvette looks to be retaining the classic round tail-lights, unlike the Camaro inspired taillights on their mock-up. All in all, from what I can tell in these photos, the car looks to be a gorgeous one. The long and sleek lines are reminiscent of the European super cars without sacrificing the classic Corvette styling. Of course, we're still two years out so this model may see changes, and the camo disguise blanketing the car definitely make telling exactly how the finished product will look a difficult tak. Either way, Corvette spy photos are the holy grail of automotive spy shots, and these are some great ones:

King Penn Industries' incredibly popular LED Lighted Corvette C6 WindRestrictor which had previously only been available for C6 Corvettes is coming for C5 Corvettes as well - (1/19/2012)

Every now and then a product comes along that's so innovative and exciting it takes a consumer market by storm, and that's exactly what King Penn's LED lighted WindRestrictor did last year for the C6 Corvette public. Designed to help minimize wind noise when driving with the top down, wind buffers/screens are nothing new for Corvette drivers. A number of different net versions have been sold over the years, but none have offered the good looks and quality of the WindRestrictor.

Manufactured from incredible clear acrylic materials, the Corvette C5 WindRestrictor provides the functionality of other wind screens with little to no decreased visibility. This visibility is a large plus over other models similar to it, but is by no means the only point of interest on this product. In addition to the incredible construction, the WindRestrictor is also a unique, stylish, and gorgeous custom product. It's available with a number of different etching options--for the Corvette, much any GM licensed Corvette emblem you can imagine is available--and has available LED lighting which shines through the clear WindRestrictor plate for a fantastic glow.

Also setting the WindRestrictor apart, visually and in construction quality, is its mounting system. Many other wind screens for the Corvette convertible use sub-par mounting systems that are bulky and unattractive and require removing the wind screen when  the top is up, but the developers over at King Penn Industries realized this basic structural flaw in the standard wind screen construction and developed their WindRestrictor to be able to remain in place with the top both up and down.

Thankfully, this product is finally available for the fifth generation Corvette. It has been one of my favorites for the C6 since it's release, and will certainly be very welcome for the C5 Corvette as well. The quality and style are undeniable, and the design is unlike any other! Of course, this hasn't been officially announced by King Penn Industries yet, so until it is the release of the product is little more than "rumor" I acquired by talking to the right person on the right phone call, but you can trust me that it will certainly be happening. I'd expect to see the C5 Convertible Corvette WindRestrictor start hitting dealer websites within 3-4 weeks time.

Chevrolet is unveiling a special edition 427 Corvette Convertible Collector Edition vehicle to celebrate the vehicle's 60th Anniversary

The C6 Corvette will soon see its hallowed production run come to an end, but not without a little excitement and fanfare first. 2013 will see Chevrolet release two special Collector's Edition Corvette models as a means of celebrating both the 60th year of production for the trademark vehicle, and also the final year of the C6. The first of these special editions will be the 60th Anniversary Corvette, but it's the second that's more exciting: the 427 Convertible, which will be the fastest Convertible Corvette ever produced.

"The 2013 model year will be historic for Corvette, marking its 60th Anniversary and the final year for the current ‘C6’ generation," said Chris Perry, who is the acting vice president of Global Marketing and Strategy for Chevrolet. Perry then continued, "We couldn’t think of a more fitting way to celebrate these milestones than bringing back one of the most-coveted combinations in the brand’s history – the Corvette convertible and a 427 cubic-inch engine."

60 Years of Automotive History - The 2013 427 Corvette Convertible celebrates everything the Corvette has achieved over the last 60 years.

That's right, those math proficient readers out there, 427 means 7.0L. That means that in 2013 we'll see a Corvette Convertible outfitted with the 7.0L LS7 Corvette Z06 engine rated at 505HP and 470 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine, in conjunction with other cues taken from the Z06 and Corvette ZR1 will combine to make the 427 Convertible the quickest and most impressive Corvette convertible ever produced.

The LS7 power plant at the heart of the new 427 Convertible isn't the only thing to set this special edition Corvette apart, either. The 427 Corvette Convertible--which, like the Z06 will only be available in six-speed manual transmission--features a number of other components to help make it a true performance masterpiece. The 427 Convertible utilizes the driveline and rear-axle from the Z06 Corvette for a more optimized driving experience than the base C6 Convertible. In addition to this Z06 driveline, the 427 Convertible will also utilize a rear-mounted battery as the Z06 does for improved weight distribution, as well as Chevrolet's highly respected Magnetic Selective Ride Control Suspension--a system that's rather revolutionary in its construction and function. The 19 and 20 inch front and rear offset wheels will be of the lightweight, machine-face Cup variety seen on the PDE Performance packages of the 2012 Z06 and ZR1, and will wrapped in the much lauded Michelin PS2 Tires of Corvette ZR1 fame.

The 427 Corvette is the fastest Convertible Corvette ever produced, and rivals the world's fastest convertibles in every facet.

To better improve performance, and offset the added weight of the Convertible, the 427 Corvette Convertible will also feature a great deal of carbon fiber. Each piece is dry carbon fiber that's vacuum formed, just as Chevrolet has utilized on the Z06 Carbon special edition and ZR1. Up front, the "CFZ" Carbon Fiber front splitter is optional, and the 2011 Z06 Carbon raised Carbon Fiber hood is standard. The side-skirt/rocker panels, also of the "CFZ" Carbon Fiber variety, are optional down the side, but the special edition Carbon Fiber Z06-Style fenders and Carbon Fiber floor panels are standard on the vehicle. With all optional equipment, this special edition 427 will certainly save a great deal of unnecessary weight, and feature a much improved--and very performance minded--boost to aerodynamics, and drag and downforce numbers.

In fact, fully outfitted, the final curb weight of the 2013 427 Corvette Convertible will be 3,355 pounds. This curb weight, when coupled with the 505 HP LS7 Engine underneath the raised carbon fiber Corvette hood, will result in a power to weight ratio of 6.64. This ratio--which is ultimately the most important stat in considering performance potential, since it utilizes raw HP numbers and also accounts for vehicle weight--puts the 427 Corvette Convertible above such other super cars as the: Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet (6.90 p:w ratio), Audi R8 RSI Spyder (7.58), and  Ferrari California Convertible (8.31), among many many other road-shredding convertible monsters.

Once you've seen this vehicle in all of its beauty and understand everything that it's capable of, it's easy to see how this car is truly the product of 60 years of Corvette progress.

The expectations for performance from this vehicle are amazing, too. The official 0-60 numbers are expected to clock in sub 3.9 seconds, with a top speed in excess of 190mph and expected quarter-mile time below 12 seconds. All of this combines to make the 427 among the world's fastest convertibles, in any automotive price class or category.

Like other Corvettes, various amenities will be available for the 427 Corvette based on the trim line selected. The 427 will be available in 2LT, 3LT, and 4LT configurations--and price will be adjusted accordingly, you can rest assured. Each 427 Convertible Corvette will also be marked with a unique VIN number sequence to verify its place as a true collectible automobile, now and in to the future, just as the ZR1 Corvettes are.

And if you want to make your 427 Convertible a truly unique collectible, you can elect to order it in the special edition 60th Anniversary Package trim. This package will actually be available on all Corvettes produced in 2013, and will feature Arctic White exterior with a Blue Diamond leather-wrapped interior with suede accents (the Convertible Corvettes purchased with this package will also be outfitted with matching blue convertible tops).

In addition to the custom paint job and interior, the 60th Anniversary Package will feature a few other goodies. Chief amongst them is the much envied ZR1 style rear spoiler. In addition to this spoiler, the 60th Anniversary package will also feature: special 60th Anniversary Corvette badging, gray-painted brake calipers, and the “60th” Anniversary Corvette logo emblazoned on the wheel center caps, and embroidered on the steering wheel and seat headrests. An optional blue striping package will be available for this who wish to have it, and will be identifiable by the full-length Pearl Silver Blue racing stripes, and (this is the real exciting one, I think), tonally-matching stripes stitched in to the Corvette Convertible top that extend the racing stripe graphic over the top of the Convertible as well. A custom stitched, racing stripe top on a 427 Corvette--how cool does that sound?

Of course, to mark the Anniversary and celebrate the life of the beloved C6, all 2013 Corvettes will feature 60th Anniversary badges on the fascias and the “waterfall” panel on convertible models, as well as 60th logos in the instrument panel gauge cluster and on the door sill plates. If you want one of these special 60th Anniversary Edition 427 Corvette Convertibles, be sure to attend the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction, where Chevrolet will auction off the very first one produced (with much sought-after matching VIN number) and will donate the proceeds of to AARP's Drive to End Hunger. That's right, you can buy yourself the coolest Corvette to hit the road and help out those in need at the same! If this sounds like something you might be interested in, be sure to check out the January 21st auction.

(Click the gallery images below for full, background-sized Corvette images)

EPA Requirements force Chevrolet to add a second set of catalytic converters to the mid-pipes of the 2012 Corvette

If you were to look under the new 2012 Corvette you might be a little surprised at the exhaust design. The C6 Corvette has, since its release, featured two large catalytic converters on the down-pipes, but in 2012 that had to change due to the increasing stringency of EPA regulations. This has resulted in the installation of a second set of catalytic converters on the stock exhaust's mid-pipe.

Here you can see the new set of cats installed on the 2012 Corvette.

Thankfully, for us Corvette fanatics, these extra environmental helping catalytic converters will not result in a decrease in engine power output, and no drops in HP or Torque numbers will be seen. The extra weight of the cats will be minimal, also, and there shouldn't be any reason to expect the 2012 Corvette's performance to drop down from 2011 at all. Less thankfully, this does mean that aftermarket exhaust systems that were functional for the 2011 may not be functional on the 2012--at least, not road legally.

However, not thankfully, this exhaust change has resulted in some issues in aftermarket exhaust fitment. Already Akrapovic, who are one of the world's leading and finest exhaust system manufacturers, has stated that their cat-back systems for the C6 will not install on the 2012 Corvette, and that their axle-back systems, known as the slip-on system style, has issues with fitment as well. Thankfully, being the consummate professionals that they are, Akrapovic is producing a solution to this issue. However, this news also means that similar catbacks from other companies may have fitment issues on the 2012 Corvette.

The change in pipe lengths which were necessary to accomodate the new set of catalytic converters on the 2012 Corvette has resulted in fitment issues with aftermarket exhaust systems designed for older C6 Corvette models.

So, be aware of the changes to the Corvette stock exhaust between the 2011 and 2012 models and be sure to check with the manufacturer or your retailer when purchasing an exhaust for your Corvette.

Fifth Corvette Ever Produced Expected to Fetch as Much as $650,000 at Auction.

In 1953 one very luck American consumer was able to get his hands on abrand new Corvette. Over the 58+ years since that day that same Corvette has changed hands a few times until, in 1997, the current owners got a hold of it. Those owners then set to funding the undertaking of a five-year long restoration project which brought that beautiful Corvette back to showroom condition. Well, that very same Corvette is now being offered for sale through RM Auctions. Oh yeah, the kicker that makes this particular 1953 Corvette extra-special: it's chassis number 5.

That's right, this gorgeous vehicle was the fifth Corvette ever built. In the time since its release the Corvette has become the most iconic American vehicle on the roads, and has come to define everything great about the American sport car market. Of course, things weren't only this way. When it was first produced the Corvette was a questionable vehicle, and only 300 were produced and sold in the first year.

The first Corvette was produced by hand in Flint, Michigan, and was a rather crude form of sports car. The vehicle lacked side view mirrors, side windows, and even exterior door handles, and was powered by a very weak (and very old) 150HP in-line six engine whose original design dated back to the 1930's. The crudeness of the vehicle, and it's impractical structure and design, lead one Chevrolet engineer to write, very famously, that the vehicle's quality was “objectionable, and in the writer’s opinion not commercially acceptable.”

This same crudeness made for sluggish sales in 1953, and saw many dealers marking down the vehicle's price substantially just to move it. Well, hindsight is 20/20, and the Corvette went on to become the vehicle that would be Chevrolet's flagship, small-block V8 powered, monster of a machine, and those very same 1953 Corvettes that few people wanted to buy have become incredible collector vehicles, as evidenced by the assumed auction value of this one.

The RM Auction for this ultra-rare Corvette will be held on January 20th, 2012. Pre-auction estimates have the vehicle selling for a price that is expected to be between $450,000 and $650,000--numbers that are largely inflated because of the chassis 5 significance. The earlier the build for the Corvette, the more desirable it becomes to automotive collectors, and #5 is about as early as you can find. This once in a lifetime Corvette will certainly make some buyer very happy.