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The Corvette ZR1 with a power of 638hp (476kW), is the world's fastest and most powerful production Corvette. But it may not be enough for track day enthusiasts as well as professional race drivers. Now it’s reported that Hennessey Performance Engineering is working on a new 705hp (526kW) Z700 package for the 2010 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1.
Designed to be the ultimate Corvette, Hennessey's Z700 performance package is equipped with an upgraded supercharger, exhaust, and air induction system. The result is 705 hp and 717 lb-ft of torque, instead of the standard car's 638 hp and 604 lb-ft of torque. This healthy performance boost is backed up by lightweight carbon fiber wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, a carbon fiber front splitter, canards, and a rear spoiler. All these changes helping to put the added power to the road and track, and make the car reach an impressive 0-60 mph time of 2.9 seconds and a 1/4 mile time of 10.6 seconds, and finally a top speed in excess of 212mph.
Rounding out the Z700 upgrade package is a revised interior with lightweight carbon-fiber seats, Alcantara steering wheel and shift knob.
Only 24 examples will be built for 2010, and customers who order a Z700 also get a one-day performance driving instruction course at Hennessey's Lonestar Motorsports Park. Total cost for a base Z700 will start at $207,150, which includes the cost of a donor ZR1 but is essentially double the price.
The exciting thing is that, besides Z700, there are another two extreme performance packages: the Z750 package boasts 755 bhp while the Z1000 package features 1,000 bhp thanks to the addition of twin turbochargers.
We reported that the 1.5 millionth Corvette is being built, and now, the rarest and fastest Corvettes in the world have been assembled into one remarkable collection for an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at the 2009 Bloomington Gold Corvette Show scheduled June 25-28, 2009, at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Ill. It’s unmissable for Corvette lovers.
Taking place in two weeks, the 2009 Bloomington Gold Corvette Show will feature 60 of the most historically significant Corvettes in existence. Among the showings will be some stunning models from the echelons of history, including the 1953 Corvette EX122 - the hand-built concept car that represents the beginning of Corvette production as the oldest Corvette in the world. This model was first unveiled in January of 1953 to the New York public at a GM Motorama event, and according to legend this is the car that inspired Zora Duntov to join Chevrolet and work on the Corvette.
Speaking of Zora Duntov, the 206mph Corvette CERV hand-built by him will also be appearing in the collection. The CERV, which stands for Chevrolet Experimental Racing Vehicle, was used as the platform for refining the body, chassis and suspension systems - and considering that it was built over 45 years ago, its top speed is astonishing.
Other historic Corvettes appearing will be the 1960 Original Stingray Racer, the 1969 Grand Sport #001 Penske racer that has been valued in the millions and the amazing 1969 ZL1 Corvette - the only one documented to exist and hence one of the most valuable Corvettes in the world.
As America's Original Corvette Show since 1973, Bloomington Gold offers flagship car judging, educational and restoration seminars, auctions, museum-quality displays of America's fastest and rarest Corvettes, road tours and more!
The magnificent Pheasant Run Resort plays host to the Bloomington Gold Corvette show. Tickets are available at the door for $20. For more information, visit BloomingtonGold.com, call 309.888.4477 or email info@bloomingtongold.com.
The Chevrolet Corvette has been going on for about 60 years as America's iconic supercar, spawning imitations in the past and inspiring allegiance from Corvette aficionados around the world over the decades. Yesterday, Karen Rafferty, Chevrolet Product Marketing Director, announced the recent production of the 1,500,000th Corvette at GM Bowling Green Assembly plant. This is a serious milestone.
"The 1.5 millionth Corvette is a great example of how Chevy is America's brand", Rafferty said. "For nearly 60 years we have built America's Sports Car and this milestone is a solid proof point."
The 1.5 millionth Corvette, built on May 28, is a white convertible 3LT with red interior and black top. Incidentally the first, 500,000th and 1 millionth Corvettes built in 1953, 1977 and 1992 respectively had similar features.
Along with the announcement of the sales landmark, Chevrolet released pricing for the 2010 Corvette Grand Sport. The standard coupe GS starts at $55,720 and the GS convertible starts from $59,530.
"The Corvette Grand Sport achieves a 0 - 60 time in less than four seconds, pulls 1.0g on the skid pad and still boasts an impressive 26 highway mpg," Karen Rafferty said. "These numbers are unmatched by any of Corvette's competitors." The 2010 Grand Sport was unofficially priced just over a week ago, but the official announcement today confirms those numbers.
Obviously, GM will be leveraging its most iconic products to help rebuild the company's image in the wake of its massive bailout and bankruptcy. The new Grand Sport sport is a step in the right direction, however, adding performance and value to an already impressive American sports car.
Start with a pile of C5 Corvette parts, some tube steel and a wealth of experience fabricating hot rods, drag racers, custom cars and resto-mods, and you might end up with something like the Superior 54 Sport Wagon.
Using donor parts where it matters most and linking it all together with a custom frame. The hand-laid fiberglass and CoreMat body is bolted directly to that frame, and the whole package is assembled for delivery, leaving the interior, paint, engine, wiring and all the little touches that finish out a custom Sport Wagon.
The body itself also includes a chrome Corvette grille, a 1953 Corvette-style dash, power door windows and locks, complete custom safety laminate window glasswork, a slew of chrome trim pieces, and a functional tailgate with power window opening.
Suspension and control pieces fitted to the Chassis include C5 Corvette independent front suspension with coil-over shocks and power steering, sway bars front and rear, Corvette disc brakes at all four corners, a C5 Corvette independent rear suspension that's been narrowed by 6in to fit the body style, a choice of automatic or manual transmissions included, plus room for good-sized wheels, with 10.5in clearance in the back and 8.5in up front.
Motor mounts for - what else - a Chevy LS-series V8 are also part of the standard package, allowing you to source either a donor engine or a brand-new crate unit to fit your project.
All you need to own one of the 25 of these special-production custom rolling packages that will be built is a $50,000 deposit and the $125,000 purchase price - and the desire to build one serious custom Sport Wagon. For more details, check out the Superior 54 Sport Wagon official site. The car will make its official debut June 19-21 at MSRA's Back to the '50s event in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Geiger, one of the best tuners for Corvettes, has created an insane Corvette Z06 biTURBO, which also prove that the modern Corvette platform is highly versatile and can adapt itself to all manner of aftermarket tuning shenanigans.
Extensive modifications are made to Geiger Corvette Z06. Starting with modifications to the cylinder block, heads and crank, the displacement of the 7.0L LS7 increases to 7.6L. Then the Geiger gang strap a pair of high-output turbochargers plus extra airflow at both the intake and exhaust ends to help get the most out of the new engine's capability.
The result? 890hp (664kW) at 6,100rpm and 694lb-ft (940Nm) of torque at 4,500rpm. That's enough to push the Corvette through the air at 220mph (354km/h) according to Geiger.
But they didn't stop there. Like nature uses coloring to alert predators that certain prey isn't safe to eat, so Geiger has painted their biTURBO car an eye-splitting shade of green. No one will miss the point once this car blasts past.
The rest of the upgrades are intended to help handle the extra power and performance Geiger has tuned into the car: a stronger transmission and dual-disc transmission plus a carbon fiber driveshaft and stronger rear differential, larger 285/30 and 345/25 tires on big black alloys, and 380x32 (front) and 355x32 (rear) StopTech brakes to slow things down. Special Geiger-tuned adjustable shocks, higher rate springs and anti-roll bars finish off the handling upgrades.
Geiger's own GT body kit was used to give the car a lower, meaner look and to let the turbos breathe easier without destroying the Corvette's brawny lines.
