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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Noted Chevrolet Camaro tuner, Lingenfelter, has never been bashful about its tuning programs for the American muscle car. That’s why these guys have come up with a pair of new tuning works for the Camaro as part of their Signature Series.
The first of these packages is the Signature Series 1, which features exterior upgrades, including a new hood, a modified grille, a new front spoiler, extended side skirts, a trunk-mounted spoiler, and a new set of 20" alloy wheels. As for the interior, the Camaro Signature Series 1 package comes with some fresh embroidered seats, aluminum pedals, and just to be sure that you’re owning one of these special edition bad boys, there’s also an individually-numbered plaque.
The second package, predictably called the Signature Series 2, is a lot more notable because on top of the aesthetic goodies it also comes with level 2 graphics, a set of exclusive 20" Lingenfelter forged alloy wheels, a Pedders performance suspension, Brembo brake calipers and rotors, and a Corsa stainless exhaust system. But the meal ticket of the Stage 2 upgrade is the massive performance juice up, highlighted by a Magnusson TVS2300 supercharger, a high-flow intake, and enlarged fuel injectors. The resulting engine upheaval takes the Camaro’s output all the way up to a in impressive 600 horsepower, an increase from the muscle car’s standard 426 horsepower and 420 lb/ft of torque output.
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 highlight of the 2011 Chicago Auto Show was the beautifully seductive Camaro ZL1 Coupe, and the ZL1 Convertible is getting ready to follow in its footsteps. Chevrolet will be unveiling the brand’s most-powerful convertible ever in November at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show. Sales will begin in late 2012.
"The Camaro ZL1 convertible will be one of the most powerful and most capable, convertibles available at any price," said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer. "This is a car that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face every time you drop the top – or hit the gas."
As with the coupe model, the ZL1 Convertible is powered by a
6.2 liter "LSA" engine that delivers a total of 580 HP and 556 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine will be combined with chassis technologies designed to deliver exceptional performance on the road or track. The ZL1 Convertible will also be offered with the third-generation Magnetic Ride and Performance Traction Management.
UPDATE 01/17/12: Just like its coupe counterpart, the Camaro ZL1 Convertible has fresh new photos straight out of the Chevrolet oven. You can browse through all of them in the gallery below!
Hit the jump to read more about the Chevrolet Camaro Convertible ZL1.
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Leaving the other debuts of the Chicago Auto Show in the dust is the brand-spanking new Camaro ZL1 - the most powerful Camaro ever. This beautiful beast is powered by a LSA 6.2L supercharged V-8 engine that provides enough juice to get our hearts racing and our fingers twitching to grab the wheel.
"Camaro ZL1 is about high-tech performance and design, and is a type of car no one has ever brought to this segment previously," said Rick Scheidt, vice president of Chevrolet marketing. "It’s the most technically advanced Camaro ever, so we’ve chosen a name from the most elite and exclusive Camaro in history."
The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will be distinguished by a new front fascia, hood with air extractors, and a signature center section constructed of carbon fiber rendered in satin black finish. Completing the look is a set of 20-inch wheels and exhaust tips with ZL1 badge on the grille, hood, and brake calipers.
UPDATE 10/05/11: Word has it that the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, considered the most powerful Camaro in the world, has posted a 7:14.27 lap time at the Nurburgring. In a tweet posted by Jason Laird, GM’s Executive Director for Product and Technology Communications, said: "Mark Reuss just confirmed ZL1 Camaro lapped Nurburgring in 7.41.27." This tweet was followed with a confirmation by GM the very next day.
UPDATE 01/18/12: Chevrolet has dropped a fresh batch of official photos of the Camaro ZL1 on our laps. Check out the new pictures in the gallery!
Hit the jump to read more about the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
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