Chevrolet->ke199 will be celebrating its 100 anniversary with the launch of a special edition Corvette->ke1280. Called "Centennial Edition", this new version will be available on all Corvette models – including Grand Sport, Z06 and ZR1. Prices will be announced later this summer when the Centennial Edition Corvette will go on sale.

Also, the company has announced that a Corvette Z06 Centennial Edition will be auctioned at the Barrett-Jackson collector car auction in West Palm Beach, Fla., on April 9. All the proceeds will go to the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer. It will be the 100th 2012 Corvette off the assembly line, with a vehicle identification number ending in "00100."

"Racing and performance are the roots of Chevrolet, a tradition carried forward today by Corvette," said Rick Scheidt, vice president of Chevrolet marketing. "The Centennial Edition not only celebrates our 100 years, it once again pushes Corvette forward for a new generation of sports car fans."

Hit the jump to read more about the Chevrolet Centennial Edition Corvette.

The exterior and the interior

The special edition Centennial Corvette will be distinguished by a special Carbon Flash Metallic exterior paint combined with satin-black graphics and unique Centennial Satin Black wheels and red brake calipers. Made from lightweight cast-spun aluminum, the wheels will be available on different sizes depending on the model: 18" -19" for Coupe, Convertible and Grand Sport; and 19"-20" for Z06 and ZR1.

Chevrolet’s racing history will be identified by an iconic image of Louis Chevrolet that appears on the B-pillars, the center caps of the wheels, and the center of the steering wheel, while the seat headrests carry an embossed centennial logo.

The interior will get Ebony leather on instrument panel and doors contrasting with red stitching on the steering wheel, seats, console and shifter. The sports seats, steering wheel, shifter and armrests feature Microfiber suede accents.

The engine

No modifications have been made under the hood, so that the Centennial Edition Corvette will be offered with different engines, depending on the trim is based on. So, the Z06 models will get a 7.0 Liter LS7 aluminum block V8 engine that delivers 505 hp at 6300 rpm and 470 lb.-ft. of torque at 4800 rpm; the ZR1 models will be powered by a 6.2 Liter LS9 aluminum block V8 with an output of 638 hp at 6500 rpm and 604 lb.- ft. of torque at 3800 rpm; and finally the Grand Sport models will get an 6.2 Liter V8 engine with an output of 430 HP.

All the Centennial Corvette models will be equipped with Magnetic Selective Ride Control.

Prices

The New Centennial Corvette will go on sale this summer and prices will be announced at a later date.

The competition

Finding other alternatives when it comes about the Chevrolet Corvette is the easiest thing to do as the market is full of competitors. For example, for the Z06 version there is the Lotus Evora, a model powered by a transversely mounted Toyota 2GR-FE VVT-I engine that delivers 345hp at 7,000rpm and 295 lb-ft. of torque at 4,500rpm. We know there's a big difference when it comes about power, but then again the Evora is a much cheaper car, and it looks much more elegant than the Corvette. However, the list of competitors for the Z06 is very long, so finding a better alternative really depends on everyone's tastes.

For the ZR1 however, its another story. Finding a perfect alternative for a 638 HP, 205 mph sports car might be a little bit more harder. And the first one coming to our mind is the Mercedes SLS AMG, a model that gets a 6.3-liter V8 engine located front-mid that will develop 571 hp and up to 650 Nm of torque. Bad news is that the SLS is also less faster than the ZR1: top speed is only 197 mph. We have to admit we like the Zr1 better: its more aggressive, looks better and gull-wing doors aren't always a must.