Back in 1980, California Custom Coachworks did a limited run of just five Chevrolet Corvette sedans for customers (a total of six were produced, one of them being a prototype). They took the stock body Corvettes, lengthened them by 30 inches, adding a significant 500-lb weight gain to the body. The result however was a very rare four-door Corvette that featured four seats and a very peculiar design.

We spotted one of these rare sedans up for sale on eBay, claiming it’s one of the few left and that it’s completely original, never been damaged and sports 19,867 miles on the odometer. The owner has also taken it to many shows, collecting first place trophies along the way through each one.  It’s a little strange to see a four-door Corvette with our own eyes, never mind one with a $265,500 price tag.

GALLERY: 1980 Four-Door Chevrolet Corvette

[Source: eBay]

We’ve seen a lot of resto-mod projects, but this one may be the finest one yet. Starting with one of the most timeless body styles ever, a 1958 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster, the restoration project involved giving it a new-generation Corvette LT1 powerplant and suspension on a custom frame. The result is a 300-hp classic featuring a pristine body, immaculate leather interior and a rad set of 18-inch Intro wheels that fit the classic design quite well.

The transformation began by un-bolting the car from its frame and having it sodium-blasted to remove all its factory defects, not to mention the wear-and-tear from over 50 years of existence. From there, the entire body was restored to a silky smooth finish prior to being bolted to a custom round tube frame. It then received a custom Spectrum Color-developed turquoise with traditional white coves giving it a classic-car appearance.

Then a custom frame was built to house the new powertrain, featuring a modern Corvette LT1 Generation II 350 motor with a cast-iron block and aluminum heads. The color-matched LT1 plastic engine cover is a subtle but fantastic touch to show off the engine.

On the inside, genuine leather adorns the cabin with a color-matched scheme. Replacing the age-old steering wheel is an aluminum counterpart from Grant while a Lokar transmission shifter takes center stage.

The classic is currently for sale at $119,900 which seems like a bargain given the three years of hard work put into restoring the project and its estimated cost of over $200,000.

GALLERY: World Class Corvette Roadster LT1 700R4 Pro Touring

[Source: RK Motors]

The wrap company out of Czech Republic, Tintek, has been producing chrome vehicles for the Internet to enjoy for quite some time now. New to their collection is a Chevrolet Corvette, and if that wasn’t enough, this Corvette sports a set of vertical doors.

A quick peek at their website reveals that Tintek doesn’t look to be slowing down on the chrome wrap movement either. They’re showing off a new violet chrome variant and even recently did a Bentley GTC in gold chrome. Oh what the hell, who cares about being subtle anyways.

GALLERY: Tintek Chrome Chevrolet Corvette

[Source: GT Spirit]

The Corvette hasn’t been doing too well in sales. So what does GM do? It increases the price for every model.

To be fair, GM’s excuse is that…well, they didn’t give one. Blame the economy, I suppose. But depending on the model, the Corvette will see a price jump of anywhere between $480 to $1,150 for model year 2012s. Trim levels will also cost more, with 2LT Coupe packages rising from $1,195 to $2,095, 3LT from $4,205 to $5,995, and the top-dog 4LT package jumping by as much as $9,495.

This won’t bode well for GM’s intention to target younger audiences with the Corvette. But wait: out of this doom and gloom comes a silver lining—the ZR1 actually gets a lower price, as it’s now $75 cheaper. Better jump on this bargain while it lasts.

GALLERY: 2012 Chevy Corvette

[Source: Corvette Blogger]

Looks like somebody at General Motors got the memo about Corvette owners being aging, denim-swathed lotharios. And to better target the sort of young trendsetters posing in Porsches, Ferraris, and Lamborghinis, GM is planning to give some European substance to the Corvette in the form of a smaller turbo V8.

That somebody is Mark Reuss, by the way—GM’s North American president who stated that the seventh-generation C7 Corvette will be “completely different” than the current model. He helped approve plans for a smaller-displacement, higher-revving V8 that would shake up many of the key characteristics that have defined the Corvette over the years. For example, instead of pushrods and overhead valves the new V8 would be an OHC. Instead of the adage “there’s no replacement for displacement,” the V8′s size would be cut down from 6.0 liters to half that size.

And for the first time in its 60 years, the ‘Vette would get turbo motivation—for a flat torque curve and more usable performance in different driving conditions. In total, the new engine should deliver 400 horsepower minimum, and at a projected 3 liters it would churn out 125 horsepower per liter while revving as far as 10,000 RPM.

With these high-tech powertrain advancements, Reuss wants to “target a very different sort of buyer for the next Corvette.  Let’s face it, the current customer is getting old.” Still, the traditional OHV engine will be offered with more engine choices across the board than there are now. And as far as styling goes, it would be kept traditional and draw cues from legendary bygone models. Lastly, the oft-criticized interior will be “world-class,” says Ed Welburn, GM’s global design chief who is personally overseeing its interior redesign.

Now would be a good time to revisit those fun mid-engine rumors that have fueled Corvette concepts since the 80s. What’s next—Porsche captures the displaced, aging baby boomers by giving the next 911 a HEMI engine mounted way up front somewhere? Stranger thing have happened in the automotive world, and enthusiasts have burned down castle gates over less.

[Source: The Detroit Bureau]

Currently for sale by RK Motors, this is far more than just a 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle. True, it might look like a mild restomod, but under that shiny blue body is a 2007 Corvette chassis and a modern LS2 powerplant.

The 6.0L LS2 V8 puts out 400-hp and 400 lb-ft of torque and runs all the factory fuel injection, traction control, cruise control, etc. To make it a show-worthy engine bay, plenty of blue carbon fiber trim pieces were made to look as if they were installed at the factory. In addition, tons of components were polished to a brilliant shine.

For the body, every panel was block sanded to achieve a flawless surface and painted a two-tone blue pearl metallic paint job, essentially a pairing of the LeMans Blue that was available on the ’68 Chevelle and the ’07 Corvette.

And naturally, with the vehicle sporting a Corvette chassis, Corvette 18- and 19-inch wheels are bolted on. In addition, the Z51-spec suspension and brakes are fully intact. The only major aftermarket piece to the entire project is a set of long-tube headers that lead out to a custom dual exhaust.

GALLERY: 1968 Chevrolet Corvelle Convertible

[Source: RK Motors]

Check out video of this stunning restomod after the jump:

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Talk about giving your own car the personal touch. Rick Hendrick of Hendrick Motorsports NASCAR fame personally assembled the engine that will go into his own Corvette Z06 Carbon Edition.

Being able to put together the very engine that will power your car is not something you hear about everyday, but thanks to an Engine Build Experience package offered through General Motors, those who order a new Z06 or ZR1 Corvette have the opportunity to do so at the company’s Performance Build Center in Wixom, Michigan. The $5,800 option, which buyers must sign up for, includes lodging, transportation and a concierge service, while in town as well as scheduling the engine build and related activities, but does not include travel to and from the Detroit area.

Even though owners are themselves putting together these engines, once assembled, each of the LS7 and LS9 motors in the program, is still backed by GM’s 5-year 100,000 mile warranty, just like any other. Once the motor has been assembled, a special customized plaque for the owner is mounted next to the engine builder’s name. The motors are then shipped from Wixom, to the Corvette plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky for installation in the cars.

Hendrick is the 13th individual to choose the Engine Build Experience program and remarked, “for me, participating in this engine build is the ultimate connection to my Corvette. This is one of my favorite cars in the world, and now it will be that much more special knowing I personally built the engine. It’s a really unique experience that Chevrolet is offering its customers.”

General Motors is investing $131 million into their Bowling Green, Kentucky factory to help improve the legendary plant that produces the Chevrolet Corvette, but a new car won’t show up for another two model years.

Having made upgrades to the 2012 model, General Motors will focus on re-tooling the plant, while also adding 250 workers to supplement the 400 UAW employees already building America’s sports car. General Motors has remained tight-lipped on details regarding the 7th generation Corvette, but considering how good the current car is, we can’t wait to see what improvements arrive in 2014.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

The Chevrolet Corvette gets a lot of grief for having a less-than-opulent interior, but the upgraded 2012 models will not only get some new materials on the inside, but the Z06 and ZR1 performance models will get new tires and a couple handling packages designed to boost performance.

Interior upgrades include new seats and a re-designed steering wheel. A new Bose stereo, padded interior surfaces and an infotainment system package with GPS navigation and a heads-up display are also offered, although pictures have not been made available.

On the performance front, the Z06 is now available with a carbon fiber hood, the MSRC magnetic shock absorber system, new Michelin Pilot Sport tires and Performance Traction Management. The ZR1 gets the same tires, a new spoiler and alloy wheels, as well as revised gearing that gives it a 2 mpg bump in highway mileage.

The revised 2012 ‘Vette is expected to go on sale in July, but if you can’t wait that long, check out the video below to see the car in action.

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With Chevrolet celebrating their 100th anniversary, the time is right for yet another special edition Corvette, and the bowtie brand is happy to oblige fans of their slow-selling supercar with the 2012 Corvette Centennial Edition.

Available on every trim level, from the base car up to the ZR1, Centennial Edition cars will get special badging, blacked out wheels and exterior paint and most significantly, Magnetic Selective Ride Control, which allows the driver to adjust shock damping from the cockpit.

The first Centennial Edition, a Z06 model, will be auctioned by Barrett-Jackson, with proceeds going to charity. No wonder on pricing, but you can bet that it won’t be cheap.

There’s risks when you take your vehicle to tackle land speed records at the Texas Mile. Hinson Motorsports’ Chevrolet Corvette Z06 experienced everyone’s biggest fear when the vehicle flipped going an astonishing 230-mph. Luckily the driver didn’t sustain any major injuries, a huge testament to Hinson Motorsports in focusing on safety as much as performance.

Unfortunately, cars speeding beyond 200-mph is a little commonplace out at the Texas Mile, so not a lot of cameras were shining on the Corvette when the incident happened. One video did surface, and is available after the break, that shows the Corvette Z06 zooming along before it rolls over and landing back on its four wheels. We’ll just keep to our boring, mundane commuter cars after watching this video, thanks.

[Source: Autoblog]

GALLERY: Hinson Motorsports’ 230-mph Corvette Crash

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NASCAR star Jeff Gordon will appear in the upcoming Pixar film Cars 2 as Jeff Gorvette, a Corvette C6.R, and his role will be more than just a cameo.

The Gorvette character (if it can be called that) will be positioned as a rival to protagonist Lightning McQueen. While the connection between NASCAR and Corvette Racing will be downplayed for the film, the ‘Vette will still wear Gordon’s signature #24.

Gordon won’t be the only NASCAR star in the movie either. Darrell Waltrip will be reprising his role as color commentator Darrell Cartrip, and will take the form of a 1980′s era NASCAR vehicle.

[Source: Autoblog]

Automotive News is reporting that the Chevrolet Corvette sales are on the rebound after being on a steady decline since 2006. At their peak 5 years ago, Chevrolet moved 36,518 Corvettes. By contrast, Chevrolet only sold 12,624 in 2010.

The first two months of 2011 have seen a 13 percent sales increase compared to January and February 2010, but we shouldn’t get too optimistic yet. The current generation Vette is already long in the tooth, and even though the Corvette (in certain trims) can return just under 30 mpg on the highway and 18 mpg around town, high gas prices could still torpedo America’s favorite sports car as consumers recoil against the idea of big V8s and profligate sports cars.

[Source: Automotive News]

Two one-of-a-kind Chevrolet Corvettes were given away recently at the Corvette Dream Giveaway, one of them being this 2010 Brad Paisley Hero Edition Corvette ZR1. The other was a 1967 Corvette convertible Sting Ray.

The draw was created to aid in the expansion of the Kids Wish Network’s “Hero” program and the Corvette Dream Giveaway’s lucky winner was Brian Landgren of Washington.

While a unique supercar-killer in its own right, this particular ZR1 received some tweaks from Lingenfelter Performance Engineering, squeezing out 720-hp, a nice increase over the factory’s 638-hp figure.

Unique features in the aesthetics department include country star Brad Paisley’s signature under the hood of the vehicle. The exterior of the 2010 ZR1 has been refinished in Ermine White, matching the 1967 Sting Ray that was also given away.

Inside the cockpit, a red interior with a ton of red accents contrasts the carbon fiber accessories.

GALLERY: Brad Paisley Corvette ZR1 Hero Edition

[Source: Topspeed]

The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show, is expected to have a base price of $47,000 when it launches in February, 2012. While it undercuts its chief rival, the Ford Shelby GT500 by about $2,495, a base Corvette, which has a 0-60 time of under 4 seconds, but only 430 horsepower, retails for $48,950. The Corvette also avoids the gas guzzler tax, which will likely plague the Camaro ZL1 and bring the effective price up to $48,500.

Of course, this begs the question as to why one would buy a ZL1. Obviously, the potential customer is heavily invested in the idea of a Camaro, and the Magnetic Ride Control and 550-horsepower supercharged V8 are a big draw. But with the Corvette being significantly lighter than the Camaro, and designed from the ground up as a sports car, the two are effectively within spitting distance of one another, and we can’t wait for the inevitable performance shootout.

[Source: Car and Driver]

Corvette’s Z06 platform is arguably one of the most potent foundations on which to build a street-legal race car from. Callaway Europe has recently been working on its Z06-RR, outfitting the American sports car with plenty of race-inspired go fast goods while retaining its street legality.

Starting with the Z06′s aluminum frame that’s been stiffened with a cage, Callaway bolted on a set of AP Racing brakes while Moton dampers handle suspension duties. For the exterior, the Z06-RR features a GT2 spec rear wing and a ZR1/GT3 front splitter. The only performance modification mentioned is a new exhaust system, but it is stated that a special LS7 track engine does power the Z06-RR, built by APP Racing Engines in Holland.

Make sure to check out a video of Callaway’s Z06-RR in action after the break.

GALLERY: Callaway Corvette Z06-RR

[Source: Corvette Motorsport]

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Chevrolet’s Corvette Z06 Carbon Edition will retail for $90,960 when it goes on sale in early 2011. Pricing hasn’t been officially announced, but Harlan Charles, GM’s Corvette product marketing manager let pricing numbers slip during an interview with Corvette Blogger, a leading Vette enthusiast site.

While the Carbon Edition shares the Z06s 7.0L LS7 V8, it gets some exclusive parts, namely carbon fiber body panels, Brembo ceramic brakes and Magnetic Selective Ride Control. Fully optioned, the Z06 Carbon should come it at just under $100,000, making it a nice bridge between a Z06 and a ZR1.

[Source: Corvette Blogger]

We regret to inform you that the subject matter behind the enticing title won’t live up to whatever thoughts are circulating in your head. Rather, Forbes’ list of “Americas Dirtiest Vehicles” has to do with pollution and gas mileage, and is mostly comprised of cars we ourselves would want to own.

Forbes used a variety of factors to determine what qualified for the list, with both carbon emissions and fuel consumption factoring in to the economy. “Heavy Duty” trucks were left off the list, as well performance cars that only get driven on special occasions, like the Ferrari 599 GTO (and, apparently, Mercedes’ AMG lineup).

Hit the jump to see the list for yourself

[Source: Forbes]

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What would you get if you took a Corvette Grand Sport, added Z06 wheels, and opened up the Genuine Corvette Accessories catalog and ordered up everything available with the Corvette Racing “Jake” logo? Well, you’d get the 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Jake Edition Concept debuting this week at the 2010 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

Although a few of the bits aren’t actually available at the moment, GM promises they all will be in the not-too-distant future. So basically you could have your own Jake today, or a pretty close facsimile at least. To your basic black Grand Sport Coupe you add Competition Gray Z06 wheels, the matte Jake hood graphic from the GT1 commemorative model, a full-width Carbon Gray rear spoiler, ebony leather with titanium stitching and red accents on the seats, the interior trim kit and racing pedal kit.

The stuff you can’t get – yet – are the Jake fender badges, floor mats, console lid, wheel center caps, underhood blanket and the windshield graphic. But keep checking the Genuine Corvette Accessories catalog for updates. It’ll be worth the wait.

Pics and press release after the break.

GALLERY: “Jake” Edition Corvette

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Yeah, so… what happened? How in the world does a convertible Corvette end up in the water? Better yet, how does a Hertz rental convertible Corvette end up in the water? And of course, everything’s all captured on video and shared with the world via YouTube.

The story according to NBC San Diego is that a visiting couple had rented the Corvette and hit up Pacific Beach in San Diego for a night filled with festivities. Apparently one too many festivities. They met up with an unsuspecting individual at the bar and after he disclosed that he had never driven a Corvette before, the couple felt obliged to offer him the keys to their rental.

And the result? Well, apparently the driver took more than just a joyride by taking the Corvette out onto the beach, doing a couple of donuts and pointing the nose straight into the water. Unfortunately no video footage of the actual event unfolding has surfaced, but the aftermath is pretty entertaining.

Just another reason to never buy a rental car. Tsk tsk. By the way, the driver wasn’t harmed; he just ran away from the scene. The couple was held and released by the local police.

Check out the hilarious video after the break.

[Source: NBC San Diego via Autoblog]

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With the Japanese rabidly tuning European cars, why should it be a surprise to see Italians tuning American domestics? Romeo Ferraris is notoriously known for creating some extravagantly tuned European and Italian vehicles, from Fiats to Mercedes, but now they’ve gone over to America and picked themselves up a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 adding their own touches and making it pretty damn awesome.

One thing Italians love about their sports cars is horsepower, and this Z06 is packing some major heat. The 7.0-liter LS7 V8 has been forced induced thanks to a Vortech supercharger. It now puts out a plentiful 667-hp with 607 ft-lbs of torque. In addition to the centrifugal supercharger, an aluminum intercooler, high-flow injectors and a custom exhaust were also added for performance and reliability. Can you say 0-62 mph in 3.3 seconds?

And with a top speed of 211 mph, Romeo Ferraris found it fitting to install a set of big brakes to the Vette with 6-piston calipers up front and 4-piston calipers in the rear. It looks like the car is sporting a set of Zone Wheels, which is an interesting choice given what is available for the Vette. Not a bad one, just an interesting one.

Oh and it’s hard to overlook the fact that the entire exterior of the car now sports a carbon fiber reskin. Sadly, it’s just a wrap job and not a real carbon body. We said Romeo Ferraris, not Mansory.

[Source: WorldCarFans]

GALLERY: Romeo Ferraris Chevrolet Corvette Z06

Buckle up for one hell of a ride in this video as a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 blitzes down the Autobahn, tapping out its speedometer for quite some time. All this takes place while being filmed in less than a minute and if you’ve ever wanted to get a real sense of just how fast 216 mph is, the camera footage shows landscape just flying by like in a blur.

The most insane part of it all? Well, at least to us – the fact that the driver was also the cameraman. And by the looks of things, this isn’t your run-of-the-mill, off-the-lot Z06. Gauging the acceleration of the car, it probably has a few bolt-ons, if not some forced induction to get it up to its top speed that quickly.

Check out the video after the break.

[Source: Cardomain Blog]

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What do you get when you take an AWD Chevrolet Express Van and toss in a 5.3L Vortec V8 motor? Just another heavy gas guzzler. Now what if you tossed in a Z06 cam and a 72mm turbocharger? Now you’re talking about a 7,300 lb tank that probably pushes well over 600-hp and 600 ft-lbs of torque, if not more to all four of its wheels. Now what if you took that van to the track in Las Vegas and lined it up with a Corvette ZR1? Well the safe bet would be on the ZR1 now wouldn’t it?

Unless the owner of these two vehicles knew each other, the Corvette ZR1 driver was probably wondering what in the world this Chevrolet Express van was doing in the other lane. And apparently he slept a little too long at the light trying to figure it out, as the Van not only treed him, but took the win at the other end of the track.

Now it’s a little deceiving given that the Vette had an atrocious .800 reaction time while the van jumped with a .260. But that was enough to make up the difference despite the van running a slower 13.34 @ 99 mph. The ZR1 ultimately took over (once it actually accelerated) tripping the lights with a 13.02 @ 121 mph.

At the end of the day though, the Van would’ve taken the win at any professional drag racing event. We’re wondering if they’re back at the shop trying to fine tune this thing in a 12-second sleeper. Imagine packing 10-15 people in that van with that power!

Check out the video after the break.

[Source: Examiner]

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Now here’s a Corvette that we can see ourselves in. Howard Tanner of Redline Motorsports teamed up with Dan Carlton of DeNooyer Performance to unleash the HTR-GS640/SC. We’re not quite sure why they’d make it such a mouthful to say rather than just calling it a really badass Corvette, but really, the name is about the only complaint we have.

The foundation for the HTR-GS640/SC is a Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport that has been overhauled from bumper to bumper to become a true automotive enthusiast’s sports car. Under the hood is an Edelbrock E-Force supercharger equipped with long intake runners to provide major low-end torque. In the head are new valvesprings and retainers to support the new cam. Bolt-ons include a Borla exhaust system and MGW short-throw shifter.

The price tag is set at $82,000 which isn’t bad at all considering the performance you’re getting rivals a ZR1. And the best part of it all is that DeNooyer Performance will warranty the car for three years or 36,000 miles. So if you’re interested, give DeNooyer a call – they’ll even take trade-ins and offer financing. Score!

GALLERY: Redline Motorsports, DeNooyer Performance HTR-GS640/SC

[Source: AutoBlog]