WindRestrictor Soon to be Available for C5 Corvette
The Extremely Popular WindRestrictor is coming for C5 Corvette Convertibles
King Penn Industries' incredibly popular LED Lighted WindRestrictor which had previously only been available for C6 Corvettes is coming for C5 drivers 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 Announces 2013 Corvette 427
Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible Collector's Edition
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)
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- 60 Years of Automotive History – The 2013 427 Corvette Convertible celebrates everything the Corvette has achieved over the last 60 years.
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- The 427 Corvette is the fastest Convertible Corvette ever produced, and rivals the world’s fastest convertibles in every facet.
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- 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.
Road and Track’s Road vs Track ZR1 and C6.R Showdown
Road & Track lived up to their name this time when they pitted the ultimate American Road machine, the Corvette ZR1, against the ultimate American track machine, Corvette Racing's C6.R. The ZR1 is a nasty, aggressive, mean, cruel, powerful, and all around monster of a production vehicle that uses its 6.2L Supercharged V8 to tear up stretches of asphalt and spit them out. The C6.R has been dominating in its class all year long, and if a beautiful and incredible piece of machinery that highlights the dance-like capabilities of the Corvette body on the track. Radical vs Refined. Beast vs Beauty. Road vs Track.
The C6.R, as the comparison shows, is still a powerful and capable machine. The regulations of the ACO prohibit the C6.R from utilizing the bigger, more powerful engine of the ZR1. They also limit the brakes, and other aspects, of the C6.R, so that it must shave weight wherever it can to maximize performance. Because of its weight-saving designs, and its race tuned body, the C6.R does more with less, and posts track times that are the envy of most other vehicles on Earth. Of course, in doing all of this, it loses a lot of the explosive tail-end focused power of the ZR1. The ZR1 provides this power thanks to its TVS Supercharged LS9 which delivers 638 and 604 Torque to its wide wide wheels. The vehicle is still designed for road driving though, and because of that comes with the niceties and amenities (A/C, Stereo, Power Accessories) that are expected of such. These things give it a much heavier build than the C6.R, and as result, a tail-end that, while powerful, is infamous for losing itself around sharp corners quickly. Who can blame it though? With that much power, it can't be an easy job to hold the asphalt. I've also never read or seen any review of the ZR1 that doesn't call it an absolute blast to drive, many of which even highlight its wild and aggressive nature (and fish-tailing rear-end) as reasons why it is, possibly, the ultimate driver's vehicle.
Based on these two things, this is definitely a fun and interesting comparison, the results of which aren't wholly surprising, but which are cool to see. Here's a little teaser video for the upcoming Road & Track magazine that's worth a watch, and be sure to check out the actual written comparison when it's released, as it looks like it will be a great article, from start to finish.
Chevrolet Changes Their Tune for the Chicago Auto Show
After a very publicized attempt at appearing more eco-friendly and progressive during the Detroit auto show pushed the Camaro and Corvette to rear of the Chevrolet area in favor of more environment friendly vehicles choices they had. Of course, that was in large part necessitated by the government presence at the Detroit show, and it disappeared at the Chicago Auto Show this past weekend. In a brilliant move by Chevrolet, they brought forward all of their vehicles in bright colors and placed them in central locations, so that the Aveo and the Grand Sport got seemingly equal real estate, and really brightened up the entire Chevrolet display at the auto show.
Instead of drab gray Camaros tucked against a back wall, the Chicago Auto Show featured the Bumblebee Yellow and Synergy Green Camaro front and center. Juxtaposing the single, dark gray Corvette pressed against a dark gray wall at Detroit, at Chicago there were both a bright blue and bright red grand sport up front and on display, and an absolutely gorgeous shining red ZR1 there to induce drools. It is a nice change and a good direction back to what is a proven strategy for these auto shows: place your entire line-up on display looking as good as it can, to show the wide range of good looking options your company offers. All in all, I want more like this from Chevrolet in the future and hope that their sales continue to do well.
You have the two best American sports cars Chevy, show them off with pride!
Click the thumbs below for larger images of the Chicago Auto Show Corvettes!
More C7 Speculation!
Some people may be getting tired of the C7 speculation, but I am not one of them. I love these C7 renderings that keep popping up, and this one from TopSpeed is a good one. I like the look of the vehicle a lot, and it kind of matches some of what we know and expect.
By combining some of the lines of the Stingray concept and the C6, this rendering came up. It looks even more like a super-car than the current C6 (of course, as we've seen from the C6's performance, no matter how much more "super" a Lambo or whatever other car looks like, the Corvette always performs in a class all of its own) which is by no means a knock on the C6 styling, because it's almost undeniably the best looking car on the road today. It doesn't show the back-end in this draw-up, but we do know for a fact already that the C7 will have the split-window, so we can use our imagination. Any other ideas as to what the C7 should look like, or things you would like to see?
Credit to Avarvarii for the mock-up which has been getting a lot of press.
Some Great Corvette Videos!
Lingenfelter, one of the world premier Corvette modification groups out there, has unleashed their new iteration of the ZR1. Taking the most impressive stock Corvette yet manufactured and putting it in their hands seemed like a guaranteed formula for success, and the results prove my hypothesis correct! Posting a 9.81 Second 1/4mile at 145.74mph is very impressive! It is definitely worth a watch to see what this Lingenfelter C6 ZR1 can do (and really, just listen to it in all of its auditory beauty!)
For an idea of all the modification Lingenfelter put in to this ZR1, here's a short paragraph explaining:
"Car is running a stock 3.42 rear diff. Factory halfshafts. 2.66 Z06 gearset that has been micropolished, courtesy of RPM transmissions. Stock ZR1 clutch. Stock suspension. Our larger supercharger inlet is utilized, and will be available soon. Larger intercooler. Stock engine with stock internals. Lingenfelter upper pulley kit along with lower overdrive damper completes the run down of what we have done with this car."
Now, if that wasn't enough of a taste, here are some great (longer) videos for you to watch as well. "Vette Garage:The Series: is about 30 minutes of pretty great footage. Created by Patrick Gramm, the founder of DigitalCorvettes.com, it's a pretty great 3 part series. It begins with him making a visit to the PFADT Race Engineering shop in Utah, and progresses from there. I actually got a few good laughs out of it and thoroughly enjoyed all of the shop talk! A great watch for all of you 'Vette junkies:
Episode 1:
Episode 2:
Episode 3:
Hope you enjoyed all of these videos as much as I did!
Nice to see that GM is doing well!
By DAN STRUMPF (AP) – 17 hours ago
NEW YORK — Just a tiny fraction of General Motors customers have returned their cars for refunds under the automaker's heavily advertised money-back guarantee program — and most buyers aren't even choosing to participate in the plan, opting for a rebate instead.
About 400 vehicle buyers, or "less than 1 percent" of sales since the program launched, have signed up for GM's 60-day money-back guarantee program, spokesman Tom Henderson said Tuesday. The rest took a $500 rebate, he said.
Of those 400 vehicles, just 15 have been returned in the four days since customers could begin doing so, Henderson said.
GM launched the money-back guarantee program on Sept. 14 with an advertising blitz, including TV spots starring GM Chairman Ed Whitacre, in a bid to get on-the-fence vehicle buyers to consider GM products after its stint in bankruptcy court this summer.
The program runs through Nov. 30 and allows customers to return any new 2009 and 2010 Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC or Buick vehicle for a refund of the purchase price and sales tax if they are unsatisfied with their vehicle.
The policy allows buyers to return their vehicle between day 31 and day 60 of ownership, meaning the first refund requests started coming in on Thursday. Reasons for the returns have been "across the board," Henderson said.
One returnee was the buyer of a Chevrolet Corvette, who bought the sports car with a manual transmission and found it "painful to shift," GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz told reporters during a briefing last week. Once the buyer returned the Corvette, he wound up exchanging it for the same model — but with an automatic gear box, instead.
The return had nothing to do with dissatisfaction with the car other than the choice of transmissions, Lutz said.
"He brought it back because he made a mistake," he said.
A report Monday by CNW Research said the program has been successful in getting consumers to consider buying GM products. The program has "spiked interest in the company's products far beyond any recent previous effort," the research firm said.
AP Auto Writer Tom Krisher contributed to this report from Detroit.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Nothing more classic than a Corvette.
CLASSIC CHEVROLET CARS-
There are few material things in life that are as priceless as an American classic car, specifically, the Chevrolet.
Invented in the early 1900s, the original Chevrolets — whose namesake, Louis Chevrolet was actually a race car driver for the Buick brand — were envisioned as being manufactured for the wealthy, this is evidenced by the introduction of the “Classic Six”, one of Chevrolet’s earliest models that also had a whopping price tag of over $2000 — a significant price for that day and age, and one very few people could actually afford.
It was also because of this difference in the idea for the vision of the company that the partnership of Louis Chevrolet and William Durant — the founder of General Motors and the one who hired Mr. Chevrolet to drive the Buick vehicles in promotional races — went their separate ways. This bit of history is often included in the story told by those selling classic cars, as it helps illustrate the richness and uniqueness of the Chevrolet brand.
As the years progressed, Mr. Durant continued to compete with Ford and Dodge by introducing automobiles with advancements in engine and body innovation and creativity that ultimately laid the groundwork for the Chevrolet models to surge in popularity.
For instance, the Chevrolet Corvette; arguably one of the most sought after for those buying and selling classic cars. Introduced in 1953, this car has been a mainstay in the antique automobile industry — and is also still in production today — and with such inventive ideas as using fiberglass for the body to make the car faster and more aerodynamic, it is the end all, be all in the classic car market. Few cars hold this distinction: the Ford Mustang is one, and the Chevrolet Camaro is also one.
Source:AllCarz
MotorTrend First Test of the Grand Sport
Really starting to love the idea of a higher performance Corvette convertible. The new Grand Sport is absolutely growing on me, and this one here on MT looks great. These guys seem to like the new Grand Sport as much as I do.
Cool Car Show, would like to attend!
All-Chevy car show to give away engine
Fairway owner Greg Heinrich's collection of 50-plus Corvettes, muscle and vintage Chevrolets will be open to the public. Above is a limited-edition Duntov Turbo from Heinrich's garage.
Fairway Chevrolet and the Las Vegas Corvettes Association will host an "All-Chevy" car show on Sunday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the dealership located at 3100 E. Sahara Ave, near Boulder Highway.
The show, which benefits YMCA of Southern Nevada, will feature Chevrolets and other Chevy-powered cars, including a Ford with a Chevy engine and a Buick with a Corvette engine. Fairway owner Greg Heinrich's collection of about 50 Corvettes, muscle and vintage cars will be open to the public, and a raffle will take place. The raffle's grand prizes include a General Motors Corp. engine, a Golden Nugget vacation package and 20-inch wheels and tires for a Chevrolet.
Former NBA basketball player and custom-car enthusiast Jerome Williams (aka Junkyard Dog) will be on hand.
The event is free for spectators and $25 to compete in the car show. Car show participants will receive an event T-shirt, goodie bag and dash plaque.