How Does The 2014 Z28 Kill the Road Course

Since its outstanding performance at Germany’s Nürburgring racetrack -- the toughest road course in the world -- otherwise known as the Green Hell -- talks about just how badass the new Z/28 really is, have never slowed down.

Not only was the Z/28 amazingly fast and ran a whole four seconds faster around the Green Hell (7:37.47) than it's more powerful sibling, the ZL1, it also ran faster than the Porsche 911 Carrera S and Lamborghini Murcielago LP640.

What made this 505hp monster so quick around the Green Hell? Chevrolet engineers say it has to do with three main key factors that they put most of their focus on: increasing grip, increasing stopping performance, and reducing weight.

Recently, Chevrolet released a list of 28 improvements that made it possible for the Camaro to accomplish such impressive times:


1. LS7 engine with dry-sump oiling: features a durable forged-steel crankshaft, lightweight titanium connecting rods and high-flow cylinder heads with lightweight titanium intake valves, as well as racing-style dry-sump oiling system.


2. TREMEC TR6060 six-speed manual transmission: with short throws, smooth gear synchronization and shift feel, the gearbox has the capability to stand up to high-performance engines.


3. 5.1-ratio short-throw shifter: provides quicker, more precise-feeling gear changes.


4. Track capable fuel system: he road course-ready fuel system is designed to keep the primary fuel pump reservoir full even under hard cornering.


5. Air intake system: the LS7 uses a unique open air box intake system to make the most of high-rpm airflow into the engine.


6. Differential cooler: incorporates an integral heat exchanger, eliminating the need for an external pump, wiring, relays, temperature sensors and fan.


7. Strut tower brace: the same as on the Camaro SS 1LE, provides extra chassis stiffness by tying the towers together.


8. Uprated lower control arm ride link “travel limiter” bushing: offers 50-percent greater stiffness at high load than the SS.


9. Active dual-mode exhaust system and high-flow converter assembly: engineered to provide high-flow and muscular sound character under aggressive acceleration, while attenuating noise levels in cruising conditions.


10. Belly pan: helps reduce front lift and contributes to drivetrain cooling.


11. Carbon ceramic brake rotors: 21.16 lbs lighter than steel brake rotors.


12. Brembo carbon ceramic brakes: 60-0 mph in less than 120 feet (36.6m).


13. 19-inch wheels and Perille P Zero Trofeo R tires: the widest front wheels/tires of any comparable sports coupe: 19x11-inch wheels with P305/30/ZR19 tires.


14. Lightweight wheels and tires: 29.1 lbs lighter wheels and tires than on the Camaro SS.


15. Zero-preload limited-slip differential: features a concentric helical gear set that generates friction proportional to the input torque.


16. Higher-rate coil springs and smaller-diameter stabilizer bars: the stiffness rate of the Z/28’s coil springs was increased by 85 percent in the front and 65 percent in the rear.


17. DSSV damper technology: the Z/28 is the first high-volume production road car to use Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve damper technology from Multimatic.


18. Uprated rear upper control arm bushing and lower trailing link bushings: 400 percent and 25 percent stiffer, respectively, compared with the SS.


19. Unique front fascia: although the Z/28’s fascia is based on the Camaro SS, the fog lamps, air dam and the upper-base grille are replaced with covers, reducing weight.


20. Front splitter: designed to withstand 250 pounds of down-force at its tip, it is matched with an aero closeout panel under the front of the engine compartment that also enhances aero characteristics.


21. Hood extractor: made of carbon fiber, it provides increased engine cooling by allowing hot air an exit route.


22. Front wheelhouse liners: work with the vehicle underbody to make the most of airflow.


23. Performance Traction Management: integrates the chassis mode selection, Traction Control and Active Handling Systems.


24. Rear spoiler with wickerbill: to meet down-force requirements for the Z/28, the spoiler was modified with a wickerbill--a small, vertical tab at the edge of the spoiler.


25. Thinner rear window glass: Chevrolet saved 400 grams by reducing the thickness of the rear window glass from 3.5 mm to 3.2 mm.


26. Lightweight rear seat: 10.3 lbs lighter due to reduced seat foam and a fixed seatback design.


27. Rocker moldings and wheel flare moldings: help increase the car’s down-force.


28. No air conditioning: 28.4 lbs were saved.

The Black Widow Corvette and Captain America: The Winter Soldier Join Forces

 

The amazing looking and performing Corvette Stingray scored a side job for early this spring. It will play host to a Superhero S.H.E.I.L.D agent Natasha Romanov (Scarlett Johansson) in the new movie Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

You really couldn't choose a better car for an American Superhero, especially considering that the Corvette Stingray itself is somewhat of an American Superhero. Since its unveiling at last years Detroit North American Auto Show it has taken the auto industry by storm with nothing but rave reviews, following those reviews up with the car of the year at this years Detroit Auto Auto.

Those honors are what could have helped Marvel Entertainment make the decision for using the Stingray in the up coming flick. No word yet if there will be any aftermarket up-grades done to it for the movie, but one can only speculate that even if there isn't any up-grades made for its movie debut, that the black-on-black beautiful will still be more than enough to impress movie goers.

If you want to catch a glimpse of the Black Widow before you see it on the big screen, you will have your chance in Chicago when they host their Annual Auto Show.

Although it seems that there will be no special edition Black Widow Stingray offered to the general public, Chevrolet will be producing a special edition comic book to celebrate the teaming-up of Chevrolet and Marvel Entrainment, LLC.

3.8 Million Dollar 1967 L88 Corvette

What made this L88 Corvette so valuable?


To understand that, you first have to understand what the L88 Corvette was, and that was a pure breaded race car. Rated at 430Hp, dyno test proves that number was underrated. Some where around 560Hp was more like the real horsepower rating. The underrating was a deliberate attempt to keep with-in safety regulations imposed by the government.


There were only 20 L88s built in 1967, making them some of the rarest production Corvettes every made. But the one that rolled across the block at the Barrett-Jackson Auction was a one-of-kind. Ordered by a GM executive for his sons friend, it is the only documented '67 L88 with Red-on-Red (Red Exterior - Red Interior) to come off the assembly-line.

What makes it even more rare is the original condition of the vehicle and the condition of the documents. The tank sheet (order copy) which is accessible by dropping the gas tank is surprisingly legible and had all of the correct information that indicated its true L88 fully optioned status.

The GM/NCRS Document Validation Service approved of the documentation and awarded it the prestigious "Top Flight Award" in 2011. It also went on to collect three other prestigious accomplishments: "Duntov Mark of Excellence," "Bloomington Gold Hall of Fame" and was approved in the "Bloomington Gold Special Collection."

This particular Corvette was a two owner car. It spent the first two years of its life racing at Dragways like Detroit, Motor City, and Lapeer in Michigan. And then in 1970 it was sold to its second owner, a teacher who thought he was just getting a regular Corvette. But while doing a brake job one day he realized that the car had unique dual-pin calipers only found on the J56 option which came with the L88. This discovery promoted him to drop the gas tank and seek out the tank sheet where he discovered he had purchased one of the rarest Corvettes that was every made.

After a few more owners, this car finally made its way to the auction block on Saturday afternoon. The Corvette will have a new home, probably a garage somewhere where it will be put on display. Due to the rarity and the amount of money it cost to own this car, I doubt it will ever see the road or any racetracks, but it will probably see a lot of car shows.

2014 Cadillac ELR: Winning Awards and Giving Away Merchandise

The new stylish look of the Cadillac ELR has spent the last few months sitting in the back row when it comes to what is trending in the the automotive industry. It's edgy and cool look just hasn't seemed to be something that has caught a whole lot of attention.

But what better way to make headlines than receiving the 2014 Green Car Technology Award from the Green Car Journal and giving away something free along with a purchase of a Cadillac ELR.

Jan. 22, at the Washington Auto Show, the prestigious Green Car Technology Award was presented to Cadillac after beating out plenty of worthy domestic and foreign competitors. Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of Green Car Journal and CarsOfChange.com said, "Cadillac has cleverly evolved a common electric-drive efficiency system into an intriguing feature that adds a new dimension to the driving experience,"

But if that award wasn't enough, that's no problem. Cadillac has also up the ante by offering early buyers a free charging station with their purchase and free professionally installation as well. This would save buyers at least a few hundred bucks on a car that is already priced on the upper-end of the sedan market.

The Cadillac ELR can go 40 miles on pure electric, but can keep going with unlimited power by using the outboard gasoline motor that it comes with. As with most Hybrid cars do, they take the access energy (kinetic energy) that the vehicle creates upon breaking and stores it back into the battery. But what's special about this hybrid is something that Cadillac calls the Regen on Demand system. This system gives the driver control at the steering wheel via a lever to automatically control when he/she wants to use the extra energy that the system stores.

This system also offers another unique feature that most other Hybrids cars do not have. It can create something that is called Regan drag and that drag can help slow down the car without applying the brakes. This can help the driver – depending on the situation – with the possibility to go in to a turn or slow down with traffic without repositioning their foot.

The Cadillac is hoping for some big sales with their Regen on Demand technology, but they are also concerned of unexpected low sales of the EV Chevy Volt and hope to do better then that. Their hoping that the recognition of the Green Car Journal Award and their offering of a free charger will help sales.

The Cadillac ELR will not be sold at ever Cadillac dealership, only location that are certified to sell and service the car will have the honors of having the EV car grace their showrooms.

Chevrolet Makes a New Record at North American Auto Show

 


This year at the North American Auto Show in Detroit, Chevrolet walked way a big winner. Their Silverado toke home the Truck of the Year Award, while Corvette stood tall with their Stingray taking home the Car of the Year Award.

This is the first time in the Detroit Auto Show history that two brands from the same company brought both awards home.

I guess if there was any question if General Motors was getting back-on-track, the answer could rest solely on the slew of accomplishment they have made in the past two-to-three years.

The Cadillac ATS walked away with the Car of the Year Award last year at the North American Auto Show and this year Motor Trend honored the Cadillac CTS with their Car of the Year Award. Also, the 2014 Impala is the first American-branded car in at least 20 years to be rated the top new sedan by Consumer Reports Magazine, the Chevy Malibu got an all-new redesigned look earlier then normal with great reviews, and that's just to name a few of GM's moves to get back on top of the industry.

Alan Batey, Chevrolet's  global boss said, “Chevrolet is in the midst of the most aggressive product transformation in the brand’s more than 100-year history ......  It is a distinct honor for the entire Chevrolet team to have both the Corvette and Silverado recognized with the prestigious North American Car and Truck of the Year awards.”

Chevrolet is also looking into making a Lingenfelter Silverado Reaper that can compete with Ford's F-150 Raptor. The truck is expected to be built on the same frame as the Raptor and will make an appearance Sunday Jan. 26 at the National Automotive Dealers Association, where I'm sure a lot more pics and info will surface.

Chevrolet and Cadillac seem to be taken the auto industry by storm, with hugely popular product-lines and sales and recognition to match. ZO6s, Z/28s, Escalades, CTSs, Stingrays, and Silverados are all probably dancing around in Ford's worst nightmares.

The 2014 Z/28.R Debuts at Daytona

 

Jan. 24^th, in Daytona, the much intiacpated Z/28.R will make its debut on the track in the GS class of the IMSA Continental Tires SportsCar Challenge, a 2 ½ hour endurance event raced before the 52nd Rolex 24 at Daytona. As it competes, it will be the only car on the track that shares so many components as it's street version.

The two cars were built right next to each other making it no surprise they share so many similarities.

Campaigned by Stevenson Motorsports and CKS Autosports, the race version Z/28.R uses the same engine (505hp and 470lb. - ft. torque) and also users the same helical-gear limited-slip differential on the rear axle as the street version. They also share the same aerodynamics with the same rear-spoiler, hood vents, side sills, wheel and arc extensions and belly pan.

The Camaro was born for this type of racing. Just like the new Z/28's, the Z/28's of the muscle car era were built for the track. The original '67 Z/28 was built for the purpose of racing in the SCCA Trans-Am Series. 

Mark Kent, director of racing for Chevrolet says, “the original Camaro Z/28 was designed for racing and became an iconic performance car through its hard-fought victories.”

One can only hope that this Z/28 does the same. The Camaro will be racing against cars like Aston Martian Vantage, Ford Mustangs, Nissan 370Z, Porsche 911, all of which will bring competition to the table, but none of which will represent their brand better than Z/28.R. As a consumer, you can look at what is racing on the track and say to yourself, “hey, I can go down to the dealership and order one of these things.” And that you can do, just about the only thing that would be missing is the graphics and the mandated safety equipment required to race in these competitions. 

2015 Corvette ZO6: The Ultimate American Supercar

When Chevrolet dumped the ZR1 supercar out of their car line-up, it made everyone a little skeptical of what was going to take its place. The ZO6 has always been known as a great sportscar, just not a supercar. But for 2015, that is all about to change. Boasting the most aerodynamic sports car with the most down force that Chevrolet has ever produced, the ZO6 has now been bumped from a sportscar to a sure powerhouse supercar.


Starting with an intercooled supercharged 6.2liter OHV 16-valve motor, the ZO6 is capable of producing 635hp+ and 645 lb.-ft. torque. The engine includes: Titanium intake valves, a dry slump oil pump system, direct injection, and continuously variable valve training.

The power of the motor is matched to a choice of a 7-speed manual with rev matching technology to help make shifting more efficient, or an 8 speed automatic transmission with a paddle-shifter designed to give the driver good fuel-economy without sacrificing performance. From there the power is distributed to an electronic limited-slip differential with three different calibration modes, all of which helps promote 0-60 times around 3.4-3.6 seconds; quarter-mile times not yet recorded.


Exterior Aerodynamics
The aerodynamics of the ZO6 is another huge part of the very impressive performance the supercar can accomplish.

The Corvette has three different options when it comes to aerodynamics.
The first option: The standard Z51 option that comes on the 2014 Stingray - a good set-up and very practical for the average driver.

The second option: A more aggressive front splitter, rocker panel extensions, and a larger rear splitter with fixed Gurney flap aero tabs, all of which are made from carbon-fiber.

The third option: (a ZO7 option) Looks much like the second stage, but in the trunk you will find some interesting components. A larger front splitter with extra-large winglets, and a clear center Gurney flap segment that bolts to the rear spoiler. To improve rear visibility the center piece is clear and can be adjusted up-and-down creating down force that test drivers say even a small four-inch difference is noticeable while on the track.

Other exterior highlights that benefit performance are the larger fender vents and brake cooling ducts that funnel more air to the transmission and differential. Also a mesh front grille is implicated to shuffle more air to the intercooler.

 
Driving Modes
There are five different driving modes that can be effected by twelve different variables. These five modes are: Weather, Eco, Tour, Sport and, Track. All five of these different modes can be changed with a touch of a button right from the driver's seat, and the twelve different variables can be adjusted there as well.

The five different driving modes made capable by their legendary Electronic-Magnetic Ride Control speaks for themselves. Depending on the drivers driving conditions and the drivers preferences, there is a mode that will likely fit whatever the situation you put the Corvette in.



 
Frame and Structure
The frame will be constructed in-house at the famous Corvette factory in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The structure of the frame and the car itself are actually 60 percent stiffer than its predecessor, the ZR1. The ZO6 even has a removable top that when removed is still 20 percent stiffer than the ZR1.



Brakes and Tires
Chevy sticks with the huge carbon-ceramic Brembo brakes system while also sticking with 19 inch rims in the front and 20 inch rims in the back. But there was some adjustment to the width. The ZO6 receives slightly wider rims and tires than the ZR1: 2 inches wider in the front and 3 inches wider in the back to help get better grip when cornering around the racetrack.

Two sets of tires are offered, Michelin Pilot Sport tires which are the standard on all Corvettes, or the track proven Michelin Sport Cup Tires that will come standard if you order the ZO7 performance package. The Michelin Pilot tires are a very well-rounded set of tires for all driving conditions. But if you are looking to put down some amazing track times, the Michelin Sport Cup Tires are what you will need. They're sticky and made just for racing purposes; although street legal, they're made for the track.



The Interior
It is much of what you would expect from a specialized Corvette. You will receive two options for seats. An all-around comfortable set of GT seats and for those who are looking to race, a competition set of seats are offered that is designed to help support the body and keep it stably while engaging in high-performance activities. All of the interior can come wrapped in high quality Napa leather, sueded microfiber, aluminum and carbon-fiber.

With all of the top technology and comfort of a luxury car you could almost forget that you are driving the fastest American made production car.

And just in-case you did forget, the ZO6 can be ordered with an integrated recording system that can record your driving experience from a on-board camera and collect data to be stored into a memory card that is hidden in the glove box. That data then can be played-back on a computer and shared with friends or simply just used to better yourself at the track. And if you don't want to wait for a computer, all of the info can be displayed on the 8-inch screen that comes with the Vette.

Again, Chevrolet does it with Americas only American made supercar.