Chevrolet Redline Special Edition Vehicles

Chevrolet has been making an attempt to offer more options to the consumer without adding more models to their lineup. This can be seen in the Silverado lineup where you can choose from five different special edition trim models. 

Chevrolet has done this in the past with their world-famous trucks and has had a lot of luck with it, so in order to keep the luck running, they have come up with a special Redline edition that will not only be available on the Silverado but also on eight other Chevrolet vehicles. 

Nine Redline Special Edition Vehicles

• 2017 Colorado
• 2017 Camaro
• 2017 Silverado 
• 2017 Cruze Sedan
• 2017 Cruze Hatch
• 2017 Malibu 
• 2018 Trax
• 2018 Equinox
• 2018 Traverse 

This will be the Chevrolet brands biggest special edition project to-date. Never have they had a special edition span across so many different models in their lineup. This Redline special edition lineup was first introduced at SEMA in 2015. Brian Sweeney, U.S. Vice President of Chevrolet says, "this is just one example of this company taking the concepts we introduce at these cars show and bringing them to the showroom."

The Redline special edition vehicles will come with mostly visual upgrades. Coming in a special silver paint, they will also receive a blacked-out grille with a black-out Chevrolet bow tie, special edition black and red accented rims, red trim, and other special features.  

If you want a Redline special edition Chevrolet model, you might get lucky and find one that a dealership has ordered to play host to their showroom. But in most cases, you will have to head to your dealer and have one ordered for you, at least while they are still a new and hot commodity. Happy Hunting

Electric Genovation GXE Corvette Breaks More Records

Update
Last year the Genovation Cars company came out with something most people have never seen before -- an all-electric C-6 prototype Corvette. Named the Genovation GXE, this Corvette managed to break the Land Speed Record and the Standing Mile Record.

Well, you may be happy to know Genovation Cars is back at it again. Last week at the Kennedy Space Center Space Shuttle Landing Facility in Merritt Island, Florida, the Genovation GXE Corvette managed to beat the old Land Speed Record of 205 mph by boosting it to a 209 mph, and also broke the Standing Mile Record by hitting 190 mph over the previous 186.8 mph record.   

Using two electric motors with one in the front and one in the rear for a 50/50 weight ratio, the motors can put out the equivalent of 700-hp and 650-lb.-ft. of torque. These motors use a 44-kwh battery that can travel up to 150 miles on one charge.

As of now, Genovation Cars get the working electric components from specialized dealers. They then create the software that creates the amazing performance that these electric Corvettes make.

With a now boosted price tag of an estimated $750,000.00, Genovation hopes to be able to have a C7 Grand Sport ready for delivery to costumers as early as 2019. There will be 75 cars in all prepared to order. Each car will have a completely on-off exterior color, different front and rear fascias, a custom interior, and a custom center touchscreen to adjust for the uniqueness of the powertrain.  

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Everyone should associate Corvette with V-8 power, power that creates a unique American sound that purrs through the mufflers and makes our heart's pound. But technology has a way of making changes in the way we recognize and enjoy things. 

Although it is a safe bet to say that it will be a very long time, if ever, before we will have to worry about only having a choice of electric power for American sports cars, our taste and wants change quickly from one generation to the next. And government regulation can change a lot of things as well, just look at the sports car era of the late '70s and '80s. 

In the past few years, the Tesla motor company has owned the market for fast and effective sporty electric cars. With the Tesla Model S you could reach 60-mph from a stop at the very quick time of 2.8 seconds, and if you kept going you can top out at 155 mph. 

But like with any market anywhere there will be competition. 

The Genovation eXtreme Electric company has made their own version of an electric sports car out of a Corvette to give the Tesla Model S a run for its money. Boasting a different kind of power, the Electric Corvette is still rated at 700-hp and 600-lb.-ft. of torque. Now that power can help you get 0-60 in 3.0-seconds flat and has hit a proven 186.8-mph top speed with a manual transmission. 

Now this Corvette may not be able to make a cool ground pounding sound when you put the peddle to the metal, but you can get 130-miles out of it on one charge. If getting 700-hp out of your Corvette without filling up on gasoline is your style, you should be prepared to shell out about $355,000 for that luxury. 

2018 Cadillac CTS-V What to Expect

Mainly what you can expect with the 2018 Cadillac CTS-V is what you could always expect from the CTS-V dating all the way back to its first release date in 2004. The Cadillac CTS-V sedan will be a beefed-up version of the regular CTS with the intent to compete with German sports sedans. Sedans like the Audi RS6, Mercedes E63, BMW M-5, etc. will all have to go toe-to-toe with this American-made monster. 

In the past, the Cadillac CTS-V has been able to beat those cars from the other side of the pound in performance and handling. But with competitors all wanting to be on top of the hill, the competition will be thick. The third-gen Cadillac will - as it has always done - use the engine and transmission components from the Corvette. 

The 6.2-liter Supercharged V-8 will push out around 640-hp+ and 630-lb.-ft. of torque+. Connected to an eight-speed transmission the Cadillac will be able to reach 0-60 in 3.6-seconds and reach 100 mph in just 3.9-seconds. General Motors rumors it as a car that can reach a top speed of 200 mph, but they have said that before. 

Some people may not be very happy with the automatic transmission availability (only), but the truth is, with technology these days, the only thing you gain with a manual transmission is the feeling of being in a car that feels faster. In recent years automatics have out-performed manuals in the quarter-mile on a consistent basis. And that's not just for the Cadillac brand, the Corvettes and Camaros have also been found to be faster with an automatic.  

Past years have left some people questioning the steering of the CTS-V, saying that it has been a little bit on the week and loose side. Supposedly Cadillac has addressed these issues and the steering is now much more hefty and precise. With GM's new Magnetorheological suspension and huge Brembo brakes, the 2018 Cadillac CTS-V should have no problems handling any performance driving you throw at it. 

In true Cadillac fashion, like all of the other CTS-V sedans, even with the massive engine under the hood and other power upgrades, you will still be able to drive this vehicle back and forth to work, to the golf course, and even take them on long trips with every luxury every other Cadillac offers. 

For all of the new CTS Cadillacs, including the V-Series, they will be receiving a new infotainment system that is supposed to add more capabilities and be more compatible with the ever-turning technology age. Other interior upgrades the CTS-V will receive is a sportier steering wheel, and that's about it. For the most part, from the inside to the outside you will be owning a CTS except the emblems will have a dash and a V added to them and the power will be enormous. There will be somebody improvements, but hardly notable.  

There is one last thing to mention - this is about as big as a rumor as you can get - but a rumor is a rumor. Since all other vehicles in their class have two different body styles, there has been some talk about a possible addition of a wagon or a sedan to the 2018 Cadillac CTS-V line up, but that's just a BIG rumor. MSRP expected to be around $86,000.00.

The 2017 Autorama Detroit: Not Enough Time for the Fun

From the cars to the entertainment, the largest indoor car show in Michigan is a nice hold-over to the nicer days of Michigan car cruises, car shows, drag racing, etc. The nice thing about the 2017 Autorama Detroit this year opposed to some of the years in the past, is being able to walk to COBO Hall without freezing to death.  

The crazy Dukes of Hazard jump was even able to be performed without the worries of sliding across a sheet of ice - didn't even need to shovel and lay a bunch salt down before hand. Danny's band "Count 77" performed an outrageous show like they always do. I think since his love for cars runs so deep, being in a facility with so much automotive madness around just makes his band perform that much better. 

Seeing Daisy Duke and Luke Duke show up was crazy. I was so young when I used to watch them on T.V. it's amazing to see how great they still look. About 30 years ago I can remember my first Detroit Autorama. I was aloud to sit in the orange charger (General Lee) and the Batmobile from the Batman series and have my picture taken in it. That year they had a monster truck car crushing exhibit in the COBO arena portion of the facility. Those are some of my earliest memories and I still have the pictures and autographs. 

From what I've seen at this three day spectacular event is a lot of new and exotic looks in an attempt to probably stand out from the crowd. A lot of wild paint jobs and impractical suspension and rim setups. Cars and trucks customized to the tune of looking more like a "Hot Wheels" car than something you could drive out of COBO Hall with. 

But I did see a lot of people and car builders going back in the other direction. A lot cool vehicles that our modest - ones we will probably see cruising the streets of Woodard this year. Old classics, muscle cars, trucks, sports cars, even some of those pesky 80's cars that don't really draw much attention in any aspect of the automobile world. 

Unfortunately, I had to head home before the best part of the whole show got on its way. There's nothing like it when you get to watch the cars leave one-by-one when the show is over. All of them off to their trailers, all of the drivers wanting to give one more punch of the throttle for the cameras. Maybe Next Year Autorama Detroit. 

2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE Pushing Limits No Camaro Has Before

Looks like the picture is stretched, right, but it's not, that's the new 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE! Revealed the day before the Daytona 500 at the Daytona International Speedway, this Camaro could be Vehicle Chief Engineer of Camaro, Al Oppenheiser's, best yet. 

This Camaro in its disguised form was many times throughout the winter mistaken for the next Sixth Gen Z/28. When Oppenheiser was asked why not a Z/28? His reply was if and when that next Z/28 does happen it will only come back out as a naturally-aspired vehicle the way it was attended to be when it was created. He also went on to say the car was built for the track but is a little bit more streetable than the last Z/28.  

This new 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE gets around the GM proven grounds track three seconds faster than the last ZL1. But make no mistake, it's not because of a new drivetrain, this new track car will still be using last years ZL1 power source, the 6.2-liter supercharged LT4 connected to a six-speed manual transmission. (no automatic available) 

So what makes this monster so much better than the previous year's ZL1? The 1LE track package of course. For the first time in a long time Camaro is going to ditch the already very effective Magnetic Ride Control Shocks and upgrade to a set of Multimatic Spoiler-Valve Dampers. With a stiffer frame and the largest tires to every be found on a factory Camaro, this suspension should hug corners like your grandma hugs her grandkids.    

There is more to the equation. The body is outfitted with large dive planes in the front and a huge Carbon Fiber spoiler in the rear. The body also host a new and bigger front-splitter and a larger grille to help get more air into the engine compartment. Six-piston front, four-piston rear Brembo brakes will help you stop while those larger tires will be a set of Goodyear Eagle F1 3R's to help grip the asphalt in just about any track conditions. 



The new version of the 1LE still gets some of  the old styling with the satin black wrapped hood, black side mirror, and blackout taillights. This new version will also come with other ZL1 perks such as the eLSD Positraction Management System with the same line-lock and launch capabilities. And all ZL1 1LE Camaros will come with the Performance Date Recorder (PDR). 

So what will this 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE cost you? Well, if you are lucky enough to get your hands on one, the suspected MSRP will probably be somewhere around the $68,000.00 mark.   

1996 Corvette Grand Sport: Throw Back to the '63 Corvette Grand Sport

When it comes to fourth-generation Corvettes, they shared a common trait with all other American Sports Cars at that time, their power was not all that impressive. So when it came to the fourth-generation Corvette's final year (1996), Chevrolet decided that putting something special on the market would be a boost for their brand and bring big attention to the on-deck sixth-generation Corvettes of 1997.

To bring the spotlight back to the Corvette, Chevrolet's solution was to go back to 1963 when they made one of their meanest Corvettes of all time and revive the name and color scheme. For 1996, Corvette decided that 1,000 models would get special treatment for better performance, a louder color combination, and they would place the Grand Sport badges on the Vette just like they did in '63.

Giving the Corvettes What They Needed

Corvette engineers slapped the 1996 Grand Sport Corvette with an LT4 that originally pumped out 300-hp, but for this special edition Corvette, engineers managed to squeeze 30 extra horsepower out of them. They accomplished this with a more aggressive camshaft, higher-flow aluminum heads, larger valves, higher-compression pistons, new high-flow fuel injectors, and roller rocker arms.

Crazy colors followed – Admiral Blue Metallic paint was accented with a big white stripe that ran down the center of the body. Two red hash marks were placed on the left fender and matched the red interior. Black painted five-star rims completed the color scheme and made up the Corvette that some people ended up loving and some people ended up hating.

Grand Sport Corvette Handling Options

When it came to performance handling, the 1996 Corvette Grand Sport didn't get much more than the original standard Vettes did except for a bigger set of tires for the coupe: 275/40ZR-17 Goodyear radials in front and 315/35ZR-17s in the rear. The convertibles received the same size tires as the non-Grand Sport Corvettes did but there were options. 

On the 1996 Corvette Grand Sport, just like with other Corvettes, you could spring for the $350.00 Z51 handling package which came with stiffer springs, new Bilstein shock absorbers, and front and rear stabilizer bars. There was also an optional Selective Real Time Damping system that cost an extra $1695.00. That system used sensors and accelerometers at each wheel to give the semi-active suspension the ability to readjust the shock damping in 10-to-15 milliseconds, sort of what they use today on the Corvettes just not nearly as sophisticated.

All-and-all, I always loved the look of the 1996 Corvette Grand Sport, it's one my favorite from the fourth-generation, although there wasn't much competition. The next year Corvette changed its style and engine, and the left over LT4s motors found their way into the 1997 30^thAnniversary Camaros.

Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction: What Days Are Best For You to Visit?

You can ask any car enthusiast where the most exciting place to shop for a vehicle is and almost all of them will tell you the Barrett-Jackson car auction. Some of the most sought-after vehicles in the world roll across the auction block and some of the world's wealthiest people come to place bids and battle other wealthy people with a chance to own them.

But you don't have to be wealthy to attend and participate in the week-long event, in fact, everyone is welcome, and planning and deciding which days are best for you to attend is the best way to maximize your auction experience.

If you plan on attending one of the Barrett-Jackson events, the first thing you will want to do is decide what kind of experience you are looking for. The biggest auction of the year is the Scottsdale auction in Arizona and starts on Saturday and goes until the next Sunday. The first Saturday-thru-Thursday are usually slower days – Friday, Saturday and Sunday are the major action packed, media covered, highly populated days that bring the exciting Super Bowl-like atmosphere to the auction.

But just because Saturday-thru-Thursday does not bring the Super Bowl-like atmosphere does not mean that they are days worth skipping. In fact, for some shoppers, those days could be the most beneficial days to attend. Depending on what types of vehicles you're in the market for, your budget, how good your bidding and auctioning skills are, and the type of atmosphere that you feel most comfortable in may determine whether you want to go for the first few days, the last three days or go all out and stay the whole week.

If you are on a restricted budget, the first few days could be your best option considering that a lot of the high-rollers do not show up on those days, and that could make those days great days to look for great deals. You could come across a car you really want on the last few days of  Friday, Saturday or Sunday, and unfortunately, as much as you may want it, a person with an unlimited bankroll may want it too. And if you’re on a restricted budget, your bidding won’t have a chance. Also, contrary to popular belief, the best of the best vehicles do not only get auctioned off on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. What days the vehicles come on the block depend on when the owners registered their vehicles, when the owners can be available to stay with their vehicle for that whole day, and whether the vehicles are charity vehicles or special advertised vehicles.

It is very common for someone to get a chance to buy a vehicle on one of the slower days for a great price, and because of higher profile bidders and more of them, the same exact type of vehicle with higher mileage and lower options might go for a much higher price on one of the busier days. Another great perk of attending the auction on the first Saturday-thru-Thursday is the chance you will have to really look the car over thoroughly and possibly talk to the owner more in depth about the vehicle you are attempting to purchase. When it comes to Friday-thru-Sunday you might not get a chance to get an up-close look of the vehicle like you would want to because of the abundance of people, media, and the heightened security. Also, have fun trying to get a hold of the owner to have a conversation about your potential purchase on a busier day, he could be out enjoying the Super Bowl like festivities.

Although there are some perks about attending the Barrett-Jackson auction on the less busy days, there are also perks to attending the auction Friday-thru-Sunday. First, if you have a big bankroll, the excitement of bidding against other big bank rolls is the type of thrill you get when you’re at the casino gambling for high stakes. Other perks include rubbing elbows with famous people such as Jay Leno a well-respected car enthusiast, Sammy Hagar, actors, famous racecar drivers, race team owners, and many other well-known wealthy people with the taste for prestigious cars.

Another great thing about Saturdays and Sundays is that when they send the charity vehicles across the block, all proceeds go to charities that have great causes such as helping sick kids, helping the terminally ill, and other great causes. Also, to help get more money as the bidding keeps going, the organizations auctioning off the vehicle's throw in special incentives such as autographed guitars or special tours to high-profile facilities like famous raceways, car museums, factories, etc.

Whatever the reasons you have for wanting to attend the most prestigious auto auction in the world, with a little bit of planning and research you will find that it is an event where if you’re a car enthusiastic it would be hard not to have a great time.

If you do plan on attending the auction, you can go to the Barrett-Jackson’s website and find all the info you need to prepare. You will find catalogs of what cars will be on the auction block, tickets, merchandise, and more.