Autoblog

First Test: 2010 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 launch control

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Technology, Videos, Chevrolet, First Drive

Aside from the addition of the Grand Sport model, the biggest upgrade to the 2010 Chevrolet Corvette lineup is arguably the addition of launch control. The Corvette is by no means the first sports car to get launch control, but judging from our first impression of it this week, it may well be the best system out there.

Unlike a certain Japanese competitor, General Motors' Corvette chief Tadge Juechter made it eminently clear this week that use of the car's launch control will in no way kill your warranty. In fact, he explained that while a highly skilled driver could potentially beat the launch control system by a bit, the vast majority of drivers will find themselves getting of the line much more quickly and with markedly better consistency. Let's take a look at how the system works after the jump.

Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport

Continue reading First Test: 2010 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 launch control

First Test: 2010 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 launch control originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Hennessey Z700 unveiled for track-happy ZR1 owners

John Neff — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:29:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Supercars, Chevrolet

2010 Hennessey Z700 - Click above for high-res images

Hennessey Performance Engineering makes the point that track-oriented Porsche owners can opt up from a normal 911 to a GT3 RS and Viper owners can choose the ACR edition, so what's out there for ZR1 owners who want a more hardcore machine? To answer that question, HPE has introduced the Z700 for 2010.

The exclusive new model features a number of enhancements that go beyond the requisite power increase, which in this case jumps from 638 to 705 dyno-tuned hp. HPE has also put the ZR1 on a diet, shedding pounds by adding lightweight carbon fiber seats and carbon fiber wheels wrapped in a Michilin Pilot Cup Sport tires. The wheels alone scrub off 60 lbs. of rotating weight. Aero enhancements include Hennessey's Z-Aero carbon fiber front splitter, canards and rear spoiler, all of which add 300 lbs. of downforce. Finally, an alcantara steering wheel and shift knob should feel better in the hand when barnstorming the track.

Hennessey plans to prove that the Z700 is a big improvement over the ZR1 by taking direct aim at the standard car's Nürburgring lap time of 7:26. They'll be flying to Germany with a Z700 later this year to take their best shot, but considering that HPE is perhaps the only only tuning company with its very own on-site track, Lonestar Motorsports Park, we expect good results.

Only 24 examples will be produced, and customers who order a Z700 also get a one-day performance driving instruction course at Lonestar Motorsports Park. Total cost for a base Z700 will start at $207,150, which also includes the cost of a donor ZR1. That's nearly a six-figure increase over the base price of a ZR1, so we'll have to wait until it sets some lap times to see if it's worth it.

Gallery: Hennessey Z700

[Source: Hennessey Performance Engineering]

Continue reading 2010 Hennessey Z700 unveiled for track-happy ZR1 owners

2010 Hennessey Z700 unveiled for track-happy ZR1 owners originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: 2010 Corvette ZR1 gets upgrades, price bump

Chris Shunk — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Supercars, Chevrolet

Corvette ZR1 - Click above for high-res gallery

General Motors can clearly use all the money it can get, and for the 2010 model year, you'll have to fork over more of it to get behind the wheel of a ZR1. The 2010 638 hp supercar will cost you $109,530; an increase of $2,910 over last year's model. A larger MSRP isn't a good thing, but according to Corvette Blogger, many dealers were already charging $10,000 over sticker for an '09 model, so this could be the General's way of getting a little bigger piece of the action.

For all that dough, you still get the most powerful production Vette of all-time - and a few new items as well. The 2010 model now comes with standard side curtain airbags, launch control and Performance Traction Management System. PTMS, by the way, gives the driver more control over traction settings when in competition mode.

Also new for 2010 is the ability to choose from a far greater array of colors including Torch Red paint, Competition Gray alloys, and a Cashmere toned interior. Hit the jump to pour over the press release.

Gallery: Review: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

Photos copyright (C)2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc

[Source: Corvette Blogger]

Continue reading REPORT: 2010 Corvette ZR1 gets upgrades, price bump

REPORT: 2010 Corvette ZR1 gets upgrades, price bump originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 goes to Hell and back

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 11 May 2009 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage, Performance, Supercars, Chevrolet, Reviews

2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Torque is good. More torque is better. And when you have more than 600 lb-ft of the stuff at your disposal with just a tip of your right toe, life is fantastic. Now, if it would just stop raining, things would be perfect. Such is life with the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1.

As the old saying goes, "Timing is everything", and as General Motors approached its 100th birthday last September, it introduced the two most powerful production cars it had ever created, the Cadillac CTS-V and the ZR1. Unfortunately, just as GM reached the pinnacle of high performance cars, the world economy imploded. The global financial bubble got pierced from multiple sides and sales of cars at every price and performance level vaporized. Fortunately for us, GM is still hanging in there and Chevrolet let us have a few days of quality time with a ZR1 while the opportunity still exists. We went to Hell and back in the ZR1 and lived to tell the tale after the jump.

Gallery: Review: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

Continue reading Review: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 goes to Hell and back

Review: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 goes to Hell and back originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 May 2009 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM CEO says future of Corvette secure

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Supercars, Chevrolet

According to Fritz Henderson, the recently-appointed CEO of General Motors, the future holds exciting things for Chevrolet's iconic sportscar. This news comes despite the admission late last year that development of the next-gen C7 Corvette platform was put on "indefinite hold, with no official or set timetable."

In a bit of good news for Corvette fans, Henderson asserts that the "Corvette pays its rent," meaning that it's a money-making operation for The General. Obviously, the longer the automaker can rely on the current C6 architecture, the more profitable it will likely be.

There's still no indication of when we'll see a new architecture underpinning the Corvette, but Henderson is quick to point out that the current C6 chassis is still an excellent unit to build off and one that's fully competitive with the best sportscars from around the world. Disagree? You've obviously never gotten behind the wheel of the latest ZR1.

[Source: Autoweek]

GM CEO says future of Corvette secure originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 May 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MT tests ZR1, goes even faster than C&D

Chris Shunk — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Supercars, Chevrolet, GM

Click above for high-res gallery of Corvette ZR1 burnout

When we got behind the wheel of the 638-hp Corvette ZR1, we were pleasantly stunned at the raw, violent pull exhibited by the 3,364-lb supercar. Motor Trend was equally impressed during a recent trip to Chrysler's Arizona proving grounds where they brought their considerable testing equipment along to add their own cold hard stats to a growing list of platitudes.

Motor Trend tested the ZR1 at the Chrysler Proving Grounds because its 5-mile loop is one of the few places that has the space to test the ZR1's top speed. The mag was able to crest 200 wind-adjusted mph, and MT computers showed that the ZR1 was still pulling when that magical number was achieved. Hitting 200 mph puts anything on four wheels in the supercar club, and a 0-60 time of 3.3 seconds ranks the ZR1 near the top of any exclusive car club. MT testers also needed only 11.2 seconds to travel a quarter mile and crossed the magic line at 130.5 mph, which they point out is 6.1 mph faster than the Dodge Viper.

Car and Driver was the first to test the ZR1 and posted slightly slower 0-60 and quarter mile times of 3.4 and 11.5 seconds, respectively. Other impressive stats from MT, however, include a 60-0 brake distance of just 97 feet and max lateral acceleration of 1.1 g, which easily bests the Viper's .99. It would seem then that Motor Trend's results confirm what we already knew: 638-hp Corvettes are very fast.

Gallery: Covette ZR1 burnouts

[Source: Motor Trend]

MT tests ZR1, goes even faster than C&D originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM releases pics of Corvette ZR1 lapping 'Ring

John Neff — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:58:00 EST

Filed under: Supercars, Chevrolet

Click above for high-res gallery of the Corvette ZR1 with new pics

The stats we throw around when comparing cars has remained the same for years. A car's 0-60 mph time and top speed are the two most well known, but this year a new stat has emerged that tells us more about a car's overall abilities than just mashing the accelerator would. It's the lap time of the Nürburgring, and you're just not a contender for supercar of the year until you've done it. The Nissan GT-R really brought attention to this statistic when it began impressing spy photogs who watched it slither around the 'Ring all through its development. Then the GT-R posted a blistering 7:29 lap time. The stat was further thrust into the spotlight when a Corvette engineer promised that Nissan would not hold the record for long. And it didn't. On June 27th, the Corvette ZR1 ran the 'Ring in 7:26.4 to take the crown. While we've watched video of the ZR1's fast lap over and over, we haven't enjoyed any professoinal images of the ZR1 running the Nürburgring yet, until today. GM has just released four new photos of a production ZR1 on the famous German track, and while these aren't pics of the record run, they still show a ZR1 on the 'Ring and that's enough to become our next desktop wallpaper. Check out all the new pics in our gallery below.

Gallery: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

[Source: GM]

GM releases pics of Corvette ZR1 lapping 'Ring originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Corvette ZR1 being built from start to finish

John Neff — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:59:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Plants/Manufacturing, Videos, Supercars, Chevrolet, GM

Click above to view video after the jump

This morning General Motors released all the official numbers for the 2009 Chevy Corvette ZR1 including its price ($103,000), 0-60 mph time (3.4 sec), quarter-mile (11.3 sec at 131 mph) and top speed (205 mph). It's the fastest, most powerful and most expensive vehicle GM has ever built. So how does it get built? Why, at the Corvette's Bowling Green production facility in Kentucky. Put together by the same people who lovingly assemble your garden variety Vettes, the ZR1 is nevertheless a very difficult vehicle than the bang-for-the-buck coupe on which it's based. Watch the video after the jump to see a ZR1 go from a frame to full-fledged supercar in about four and a half minutes of time lapsed video interspersed with interviews of the plant workers who have the privilege of assembling this King of Corvettes.

Gallery: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

[Source: GM]

Continue reading VIDEO: Corvette ZR1 being built from start to finish

VIDEO: Corvette ZR1 being built from start to finish originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2009 Corvette ZR1 starts at $103,300

John Neff — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:32:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Supercars, Chevrolet, GM

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Corvette ZR1

General Motors and Chevrolet have just released all their official numbers for the 2009 Corvette ZR1 and... hold on to your butts... its base MSRP (including destination charges) will be $103,300. Add to that a $1,700 Gas guzzler tax, $2,000 for chrome wheels and another $10,000 for the only Option package available that adds upgraded seats, side air bags, Bose audio, a nav system, Bluetooth, power tilt/telescoping steering wheel and leather-wrapped interior, and you're looking at a grand total of $117,000. We believe that may make the Corvette ZR1 the most expensive product ever offered by GM, but consider what you get. The ZR1 is a 638-hp supercar that can reach 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, run the quarter mile in 11.3 seconds at 131 mph (!) and top out at 205 mph, all while returning 14 mpg city and 20 mpg highway. Unfortunately, Chevy didn't hit its target of having the most fuel-efficient supercar on earth with the ZR1, as they admit that the Dodge Viper (13/22) and Porsche GT3 (15/22) are a bit less thirsty. Of course, they're neither as powerful nor as fast, and the Porsche is more expensive. The ZR1 will likely be marked up by dealers far above its $117k asking price, but kudos to General Motors anyway for having the balls to build it.

[Source: Chevy]

Continue reading 2009 Corvette ZR1 starts at $103,300

2009 Corvette ZR1 starts at $103,300 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Corvette ZR-1 'Ring times in low 7:40s, GT-R V-Spec amused

Damon Lavrinc — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:03:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Supercars, Chevrolet, GM, Nissan

Click either image for a high-res gallery.

Leading up to the official reveal of the Corvette ZR-1, a rare week went by when we didn't see spy shots of the General's new super coupe eating up the Nurburgring. But still images don't tell the whole tale, so InsideLine sent its spies to the North Loop with a video camera to capture an uncloaked ZR-1 making the rounds on the 'Ring. According to the men behind the lens, they were able to clock the 620 hp, supercharged 'Vette running laps "in the low 7:40s," easily within reach of supercars costing substantially more than the ZR-1's estimated $100k price tag. But what about the elephant ~~on the 'Ring~~ in the room? The Nissan GT-R V-Spec.

As reported earlier this week, spies caught the GT-R V-Spec lapping the Nordschleife, and with stopwatches at the ready, they were able to time Godzilla's lightweight (by an estimated 330 pounds), more powerful (70 hp or so) sibling at an unbelievable 7:25 per lap. According to the crew that crudely timed the ZR-1, the track was damp, so that 7:40 time could easily be improved by at least four or five seconds. But that's still a long way off.

Obviously, both lap times should be taken with a grain of salt considering the less-than-accurate way in which they were captured, but that won't stop the smack-talk. Keep it civil folks.

Gallery: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

Gallery: Nissan GT-R Spec-V - spy shots

[Source: InsideLine]

Corvette ZR-1 'Ring times in low 7:40s, GT-R V-Spec amused originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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