After six long and beautiful generations, the Chevrolet Corvette is just as much a hot commodity as it was in 1953 when the first concept was rolled out for all to see. This American-made sports car comes in four different trims: Standard, Grand Sport, Z06, and ZR1.
The standard Corvette and the Grand Sport are both powered by a 6.2L V8 engine that pumps out 430hp and 424 lb-ft of torque. Add the upgraded exhaust system and the models get 436hp and 425 lb-ft of torque. The Grand Sport differentiates itself from the standard model with a few upgrades, Z06 styling cues, and its won gear and rear-axle ratios. The Corvette Z06 is powered by a 7.0L V8 engine producing 505hp and 470 lb-ft of torque and the newer ZR1 boasts a 6.2L supercharged V8 delivering 638hp and 604 lb-ft of torque to the table.
All engines are mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.
The Chevrolet Corvette made its debut in 1953, marking the first, and arguably the best, generation for the iconic sports car. Crazy as it seems, an owner of one of these first generation jewels wasn’t satisfied and made a call to Pogea Racing to give his 1959 Corvette some "modern" treatment. Now that classic sports car can boast of "contemporary driving characteristics, a terrifically powerful engine, dependable brakes and a refined vehicle interior with classic bodywork."
One of the things we are certain the Corvette had when it entered Pogea Racing’s shop was class, so getting it to the next level would seem to be an easy task. For this, Pogea Racing painted the Corvette in a classic combination of the original Ferrari colors, Rosso and Bianco. That’s red and white for us common folks. The Corvette was then given a generously-sized sports brake system taken from the Corvette LS5 and a new set of 18" racing wheels to top it off.
The red and white motif continues to the interior where the tuning company also added a combination of carpeting and smooth leather. A Vallelunga steering wheel with flattened lower rim was also added for that modern touch, as was Cobra seats, an Alpine multi-media system including satnav, a retro-fitted AC unit, and servo-steering.
A modern edge could not be complete without an ode to the powerful engines of our time, so Pogea Racing slapped in a new 6.2-liter LS3 V8 engine to replace the small block V8 engine in the original model. This left the Corvette with 485 HP at 4400 rpm and 431 lbs-ft at 6200 rpm, an increase from the original 283 HP. In addition to the engine swap, the tuner also installed aggressive camshafts and a direct, open intake with tip cone filter, plus a tuned exhaust flow. The result is a 0 to 60 mph sprint time of 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 179 mph.
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With the next generation Corvette around the corner, Chevrolet decided it would be appropriate to send the C6 model out with a bang, and as it turns out, they timed it perfectly. The Corvette is currently celebrating its 60th anniversary with a special 60th Anniversary Package that will be available on all 2013 Corvette models, as well as a Corvette 427 Convertible Collector Edition. The Collector is extra special because it is the fastest and most-capable convertible in Corvette’s history. Both models will make their world debut in late January 2012 at the Barrett Jackson collector car auction in Scottsdale, Arizona and will arrive at U.S. Chevrolet dealers in early Summer 2012.
The new 427 Convertible Collector Edition is powered by an LS7 engine that delivers a total of 505 HP and 470 lb.-ft. of torque. It sprints from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds and can hit a top speed of 190 mph.
"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, vice president, Global Marketing and Strategy for Chevrolet. "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."
UPDATE 01/23/2012: Would you pay $600,000 for a special edition Chevrolet Corvette that’s considered the fastest of its kind in the world? No need to answer that because someone already did. The Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible Collector Edition was just taken home from the recent Barrett Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona for a hefty price of $600,000. All the proceeds will go to AARP’s Drive to End Hunger food relief program.
Hit the jump to read more about the new Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible Collector Edition.
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The Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is considered the most powerful Corvette in history, boasting of an LS9 6.2-liter V8 engine that produces a supercar-worthy 638 horsepower and 604 lb/ft of torque output. German tuning firm, TIKT, thinks that those eye-popping numbers aren’t good enough, and just like any self-respecting tuning house on the planet, they’ve set out to add even more ponies to the mighty American sportscar.
To give the Corvette ZR1 some extra juice, TIKIT unloaded a number of upgrades on the sportscar, including modified cylinder heads, new camshafts, more powerful valve springs, modified compressor ratios, a larger throttle valve, and a custom exhaust system. In addition to all of these, TIKT also improved the Corvette ZR1’s cooling system, making it even more efficient than before.
Suspension details on the sportscar were improved, thanks in large part to new race shocks and a lowering capability of 30mm. To round things off, TIKT fitted the ZR1 with a carbon fiber rear spoiler, a new set of Zerra Ultralight Evo 2 wheels, and high performance brakes.
All told, TIKT’s comprehensive tuning program on the Corvette ZR1 saw the sportscar’s output increase from its standard numbers all the way up to 760 horsepower and 671 lb/ft of torque.
The American tuner SR Auto Group has started the year in style with the unveiling of the new Project Violator based on the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. The work started last year, but only now the project has been finished.
The tuner initially wanted to offer a "Militar Gray" exterior paint - their favorite colors of all time, but it was time to try something new. So the tuner has opted for a smoked matte gray finish for the exterior that makes the ZR1 to look more impressive than ever.
The new exterior painted of course needed a new set of wheels. And as the tuner has a long tradition with ADV1 Wheels, of course these were also used now. The tuner used ten spoke deep concave wheels finished with a matte gray face and combined with true blue calipers. And if to these exterior changes you will add the LS9 supercharged 6.2 liter V-8 engine rated at 638 HP then you will get the perfect sports car.
Okay, so it may not exactly be appropriate to pick the best crash of the year, but considering many will be ringing in the new year in a drunken stupor, we think it best to remind everyone of the consequences of drinking and driving. Most of the drivers in the crashes we are featuring were not under the influence when these crashes occurred, but if these guys can get into a massive accident when they’re sober, chances are a drunk YOU will suffer consequences that are much worse.
This year actually brought out the worst in many drivers, some of which instigated accidents with multiple supercars, a vehicular dip into the Atlantic Ocean, and high speed rough and tumbles. Unfortunately, not all of these drivers survived these horrific crashes, which only drives home the point that we have to be extremely careful when operating our motor vehicles.
Remember to have a SAFE and fun New Year.
Hit the jump for the list of the most famous crashes of 2011.
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