Autoblog

2014 Chevrolet C7 Corvette wastes no time zooming into Jay Leno's Garage

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Chevrolet, Celebrities, Design/Style, Luxury

Where else would you expect the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray to show up first? Although this time it isn't exactly in Jay Leno's Garage, Leno instead playing an away game at Brown's Classic Auto in Scottsdale, Arizona. Nor does Leno drive the car, instead taking an 11-minute walkaround of the new American sports car with General Motors design head Ed Welburn, the same man who recently brought by a string of classic Corvettes to the talk show host's California compound.

It is, admittedly, a love-fest for the American sports car now featuring 450 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, but one that also features admissions about previous Corvette seats like "they were kinda rough," and the explanation that labeling the coupe "Stingray" means not having to call it "the base Corvette." On top of that, Welburn also explains the proper application of the term "dashboard." You can watch it all in the video below.

Continue reading 2014 Chevrolet C7 Corvette wastes no time zooming into Jay Leno's Garage

2014 Chevrolet C7 Corvette wastes no time zooming into Jay Leno's Garage originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Jan 2013 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exclusive video of C7 Corvette's reconfigurable gauge cluster

Seyth Miersma — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 14:09:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Chevrolet

We've inundated you with Chevrolet C7 Corvette Stingray information over the last couple of days (you're welcome), but until now the images of the car have been largely of the exterior, and completely static. We figured that the slightly less dense crowd of journalists around the Chevy stand on day two of our media coverage would make for a good opportunity to get some video. And, considering that the reconfigurable instrument cluster was brand-spanking new, we asked Corvette Interior Design Manager, Ryan Vaughan for a tour of it.

Scroll down below for a first look inside the Corvette cockpit, and stay tuned for more fun from Detroit, today and tomorrow.

Continue reading Exclusive video of C7 Corvette's reconfigurable gauge cluster

Exclusive video of C7 Corvette's reconfigurable gauge cluster originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Jan 2013 14:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is Chevy giving Beyonce a C7 Corvette during Super Bowl halftime show?

Chris Tutor — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 13:27:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Chevrolet, Celebrities

Could Beyonce really become one of the first people to take delivery of a C7 Corvette? After all, she reportedly only learned to drive two years ago. If The Detroit Bureau sources are to be believed, the pop star will be given the keys to a 2014 Corvette during the Super Bowl halftime show.

The idea isn't too far-fetched despite General Motors vowing not to advertise during the upcoming game. The rumor is given more credibility after Chevrolet spokesman Mike Albano told The Bureau that, "We've got a history of being involved with the Super Bowl."

The plan is reportedly to place a hand-built, one-off C7 on the 50-yard line during the halftime show, then gift the car to the singer. It's a shrewd marketing move. GM gets its time in front of Super Bowl viewers without officially changing its plan to avoid buying expensive ad time during the game. Product placement during sporting events is old hat to GM. The company has parked its vehicles on the field during Olympic opening ceremonies at least once before.

Just remember Beyonce, take some precautions as a still-green driver with a powerful new car: Adjust your mirrors, re-position the seat and put on your seatbelt before putting keys in the ignition. Mostly though, watch out for jealous Corvette drivers.

Is Chevy giving Beyonce a C7 Corvette during Super Bowl halftime show? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Dec 2012 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 [w/video]

Michael Harley — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Chevrolet, New Car Reviews

Successful In Its Mission, But Not As The World's Greatest Sports Car

Adhered to the Hamilton Hall dorm wall at Wright State University is a glossy poster of a jet-black sports car. It hangs low over an unmade bed, its corner blemished with a slight tear from an errantly placed thumbtack during orientation week.

A young engineering undergraduate, sitting at a desk just a few feet away, is staring directly at the poster. Instead of reviewing for an upcoming exam, his eyes remain fixated on the vehicle's sleek bodywork, ominous quad exhaust pipes and Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes. Locked in a trance, the student daydreams about what it would be like to drive the sinister-looking monster.

Unbeknown to that 19-year-old scholar, and thousands of miles from Wright State University, Autoblog holds the key to the vehicle pictured on that very poster. It is the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. With a 638-horsepower supercharged V8 mated to a six-speed manual transmission and a top speed of 205 miles per hour, it is the most powerful production car in General Motors' history.

The ZR1 has been upgraded and enhanced for 2012, so what is it like to drive America's premier sports car on public roads? Can the beast be reasonably tamed? Be pleased to learn that this evil brute is nearly everything expected, a little less and then a whole lot more.

Continue reading 2012 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 [w/video]

2012 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM quells Corvette rumors: No mid-engine, maybe a hybrid [w/poll]

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Chevrolet, Rumormill

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Concept - Click above for a new high-res image gallery

Karl Stracke, General Motors VP of global engineering, has unequivocally denied the recent rumors about a mid-engine version of the next-generation Corvette with a wet-dual-clutch transmission. Stracke spoke with editors at Automotive News and Autoweek and addressed the latest batch of rumors. For decades, speculation about what will be done with a next-generation Corvette invariably pops up almost immediately after a new model is introduced.

For example, a mid-engined Corvette has reportedly been on the cards since at least the mid-60s, thanks in part to a string of concept and experimental models of that configuration. The last Corvette-badged mid-engine concept was the 1990 CERV-III, but that hasn't stopped the speculation - especially in recent years as the Corvette has gained increased respect among the ranks of high-end sports cars. According to Stracke, "There is no mid-engine in the plans."

The same goes for a the story revealed by a Saab engineer about development of a wet DCT. Automakers are increasingly moving away from wet-clutch gearboxes to dry-clutch units because they are less expensive and more efficient. While Stracke shoots down the wet DCT, no mention is made of a dry-clutch unit... if Chevrolet follows Ferrari and Porsche down the dual-clutch path, that is almost certainly the type we will see.

Stracke also put the kibosh on a V6 Corvette. GM has already announced a direct injected small-block V8 is coming soon for its full-size pickup trucks and the Corvette will no doubt follow. Stracke did acknowledge that a hybrid is a possibility for the sports car and since competitors are going that way it wouldn't be out of place.

That said, we want to know what you think - What should power the next Corvette? Click past the break to vote in our informal poll.

Gallery: Chevrolet 50th Anniversary Corvette Stingray Concept revealed again

[Source: AutoWeek]

Continue reading GM quells Corvette rumors: No mid-engine, maybe a hybrid [w/poll]

GM quells Corvette rumors: No mid-engine, maybe a hybrid [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Chevrolet considering twin-turbo V6 for next Corvette

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, GM, Rumormill

Chevrolet 50th Anniversary Corvette Stingray Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Fans of classic Americana, here's yet another anniversary to keep in the back of your mind: 2013 marks the 60th anniversary of the Chevrolet Corvette. And, while we don't have to tell true Corvette aficionados this, here's another interesting little nugget of knowledge: the original version of Chevy's iconic sportscar came equipped with a six cylinder engine.

Where are we going with all of this? According to Autoweek, there is a distinct possibility that a downsized six cylinder engine will be offered in the next generation (C7, for those keeping track) of the Chevrolet Corvette, and there's an apparent push to try and get the car out the door in time to celebrate the car's 60th anniversary.

Yes, we know a downsized engine for the Corvette isn't exactly the newest rumor 'round the block - we've been hearing whisperings about the C7 'Vette since before the C6 model went public - but with the recent revelation that Saab had been working on a transmission for a twin-turbo V6-powered Corvette, it's worth sharing once again.

Gallery: Chevrolet 50th Anniversary Corvette Stingray Concept revealed again

[Source: Autoweek]

Report: Chevrolet considering twin-turbo V6 for next Corvette originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mid-engined Corvette development confirmed... by Saab engineers?!

Zach Bowman — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 15:31:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Technology, Chevrolet, Rumormill

1990 General Motors CERV III concept

Before things went all tipsy in the auto market, the engineers at General Motors were apparently hard at work on some pretty interesting projects. How interesting? How about an actual mid-engine Corvette? Autocar says that an unnamed Saab engineer confirmed that the Swedish automaker had actually been charged with developing a transmission for such a beast when the company was still under The General's wing. Evidently, the cog box used a wet clutch setup and was built to handle up to 590 lb-ft of torque. If you're keeping score at home, you'll likely note that those twist figures are just south of what the ZR1 puts to the pavement right now.

How about them apples.

As Autocar points out, that project was canned when credit went tighter than a fat man's socks, but there may be a ray of light in this whole tale. The UK publication claims that GM has fired up the burners under the C7 project one more time, and that a mid-engine chassis will indeed be part of the recipe. If you're buying what Autocar is selling - and we're not necessarily in that group - a turbo V6 will supply the car's grunt, too.

[Source: Autocar]

Mid-engined Corvette development confirmed... by Saab engineers?! originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Aug 2010 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Juechter disses car mags, claims next Corvette won't be "watered down" *UPDATED

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 10 May 2010 10:31:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Chevrolet

Corvette Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter on the next Chevrolet Corvette - Click above to watch the video

At the annual C5/C6 Bash at the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter took the mic to dispel a few myths about the next-generation C7 Corvette. The first myths he addressed were those he said could be found in Automobile Magazine, and his manner of dispelling them was to give Automobile and the entire automotive print journalism industry a beatdown worthy of an MMA pay-per-view bout.

Then, having saved a few backhands and knees-to-the-gut for the Environmental Protection Agency, he preemptively addressed any erroneous ideas that CAFE requirements will emasculate the next-gen Corvette, which is still a few years away. There isn't much hard content, but it's good enough to hear him make sure everyone knows that the next Corvette will still be a suitable mascot for hairy chests. Follow the jump to watch the vid.

UPDATE: Automobile Magazine has published a response to Tadge Juechter's criticisms.

[Source: YouTube via Corvette Blogger]

Continue reading Video: Juechter disses car mags, claims next Corvette won't be "watered down" *UPDATED

Video: Juechter disses car mags, claims next Corvette won't be "watered down" *UPDATED originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 May 2010 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Next Chevrolet Corvette to resurrect iconic split-window

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:28:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, Design/Style

It worked for the Chevrolet Camaro, so why not the Corvette? General Motors' head of global design, Ed Welburn, has reportedly told Inside Line that the C7 'Vette is going to lift the most notorious design cue from the entire line: the split rear window from the 1963 coupe. It will not, however, be the car from Transformers 2, and it will not be mid-engined.

Unlike the Camaro, the C7 doesn't need to make a splash or a styling statement beyond being the new Corvette. On one hand, we can understand that GM wants to make a statement - but why go back to the Sixties to get it? Although we dig it in the 1963 car, the split-window was a gimmick then and it would be a gimmick now, which makes it a bit of an odd move for us. America's sports car already has its adherents, and the C5 and C6 have done well for themselves with original (if evolutionary) designs. On the other hand, if Chevy can make the car hot enough - and a rear-camera helps alleviate visibility concerns) - probably we won't care what kind of glass it has. If a funky rear window treatment can work for Lamborghini's Reventón, there's no reason it can't work for the C7... right?

Gallery: Chicago 2009: Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Concept

[Source: Inside Line | Image: mashleymorgan via CC 2.0]

REPORT: Next Chevrolet Corvette to resurrect iconic split-window originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No future for the mid-engine Corvette

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Supercars, Chevrolet, GM, Rumormill

With GM facing well-publicized challenges -- along with just about everyone else who needs a little thing called money -- certain high-profile and expensive programs are crowding up on the back burner. Even America's sports car, the Corvette, is not exempt, with CAFE regulations clouding the view inside the 'Vette Nation's crystal ball.

Motor Trend, commenting on the C7 Corvette's delayed arrival, has said that the new coupe won't appear until the 2014 model year at the earliest. The mid-engined route has also been scrapped, since it would simply cost too much to re-engineer the entire car for the purpose of easier integration of fuel saving tech like cylinder deactivation.

That means a six-cylinder is still being talked about -- by GM outsiders only, at this point -- as an option for the C7. If we take the Camaro as an example, that 2014 introduction date could mean late 2012, but that still only gives you four years to mentally prepare for a budget- and economy-minded V6 Corvette. Get cracking.

[Source: Motor Trend]

No future for the mid-engine Corvette originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Corvette C7 in holding pattern due to CAFE regs

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Sedan, Performance, Government/Legal, Chevrolet, GM

The Impala isn't the only RWD car stuck in limbo while GM waits for the fog of new CAFE standards to lift: Motor Trend reports that now the C7 Corvette program has been put on hold, as well. We reported yesterday that the next generation C7 Corvette will bow out of the horsepower brinkmanship game and instead shed weight, engine displacement and ponies. The interim issue is that GM doesn't know what its EPA gas mileage targets are during the run-up to the 35 mpg fleet average in 2020, and those won't be sorted out until 2009. Until they are, GM is content to wait to sort out the next 'Vette, including whether or not it will retain its traditional layout, switch to a mid-engine layout or be offered as both. As a Vette owner and fan, this blogger is not against high-horse performance, but the idea of a light(er) C7 that focuses on power-to-weight and is "more fuel efficient [and] even nimbler than it was before" is an exceedingly tasty proposition.

[Source: Motor Trend]

Corvette C7 in holding pattern due to CAFE regs originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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