MotorTrend Pits the Corvette Z06, Shelby GT500 and Nissan GT-R Against Each Other

What weights ten tonnes and costs more than US$240,000? If you said, “a gold plated bulldozer”, you’d be close but no cigar. The answer is three sub-100k supercars: the Chevy Corvette Z06, Ford Shelby GT500 and Nissan GT-R. These three industry titans, with nameplates stretching as far back as the 1960s, were the recent subjects of an epic comparison test by MotorTrend. Here are three would-be-supercars – over 500hp and 3 second 0 to 60 mph times – that don’t command the supercar price tag.

The US$55,330 GT500, US$90,950 GT-R and US$98,010 Z06 are all within the budgets of most mid-life crisis suffers (providing you sell the house, the kids and the dog) and offer the sort of performance that was once the sole reserve of great Italians like Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati.

And they’re not stripped out racers either. The Z06, for instance, comes with such luxuries as heated leather seats, Bose audio, Bluetooth and sat nav. You can’t buy a second-hand Lamborghini with that sort of equipment for US$98,010.

If you want to find out who wins this legendary battle, you’ll just have to check out the video. Even if you don’t care who wins you should check out the video anyways for a sweet-as drag race between the Z06, GT500 and GT-R. Now that’s something you don’t see everyday...

Savage Rivale’s Roadyacht GTS gets a Racing Variant

Back in 2009 at the Top Marques Monaco Show, Dutch automaker Savage Rivale blew the lid off the Roadyacht GTS, an eccentric four-door, coupe-convertible supercar. While interesting enough to be worth a second look, one could’ve argued on the chances of the Corvette-based vehicle to become a hit. Still, it seems that it was successful enough to prompt the development of a racing version, aptly called the GTR.

The company says the competition model will have a limited run of 69 units and will make use of the same Corvette underpinnings as the civilian version. However, the road-going model's older LS7 V8 is ditched in favor of the more modern LS9 variant. It also loses 2 doors in the process of becoming a truly hardcore racecar.

The 6.2-liter powerplant is said to deliver around 700HP and is strapped to a steel tubular space frame chassis that tips the scales at just 115 kg or 254 lbs and is complemented by a flat underbody with “suction deck” for improved stability and car control.

Inside, the GTR offers only the bare essentials in the form of a seat, steering wheel and typical racing safety features, but customers can also ask for additional seating for a “multi-person experience”.

VIDEO: Kawasaki ZX10 takes on Mazda RX-7 with Corvette V8 in Drift Challenge

Now here's something you don't see every day. Sent in by Carscoop reader Łukasz Ż, this enjoyable time-waster of the day pits a motorcycle against a rear-wheel drive sports car in an out of the ordinary drift challenge. In one corner we have Nick "Apex" Brocha of Icon Motorsports piloting a 2005 Kawasaki ZX10 with 175HP and an extended swingarm. In the other corner is professional racecar driver Jim Guthrie in a 1993 Mazda RX-7 powered by a 375HP Corvette V8 engine. The result? Follow the jump to find out.

VIDEO: Kawasaki ZX10 takes on Mazda RX-7 with Corvette V8 in Drift Challenge

Now here's something you don't see every day. Sent in by Carscoop reader Łukasz Ż, this enjoyable time-waster of the day pits a motorcycle against a rear-wheel drive sports car in an out of the ordinary drift challenge. In one corner we have Nick "Apex" Brocha of Icon Motorsports piloting a 2005 Kawasaki ZX10 with 175HP and an extended swingarm. In the other corner is professional racecar driver Jim Guthrie in a 1993 Mazda RX-7 powered by a 375HP Corvette V8 engine. The result? Follow the jump to find out.

James Robbins’ Corvette Design Study: Close But No Cigar

Here at Carscoop, we love us some Corvette design studies. Heck, if we wanted to we could probably serve up a new one every day of the week.

Today’s CAD mock up comes from transportation design student James Robbins. Think of it as a C6.5, a stopgap measure between the current gen Corvette and a future C7 model. The design brief required Mr. Robbins to use the basic proportions of the C6, which limited what could be done with the design.

Now here’s my two cents:

I find the shape of the bootlid and the V-shaped side intakes to be quite pleasing to the eye, but the ugly Dodge Viper / Ferrari 458 Italia taillights don’t fit the car at all. Also, the front end styling is a bit too conservative and I feel that more could have been done with the glasshouse. The overall design is good but it’s hard to say if that’s due to Mr. Robbins’ tweaking or the C6’s nice proportions.

I can’t help but feel that with a little more work around the head- and taillights, this could have been a real stunner. As it stands, it’s a good effort though just not quite there. But don’t take my word for it. Voice your own opinion in our comments section.

James Robbins’ Corvette Design Study: Close But No Cigar

Here at Carscoop, we love us some Corvette design studies. Heck, if we wanted to we could probably serve up a new one every day of the week.

Today’s CAD mock up comes from transportation design student James Robbins. Think of it as a C6.5, a stopgap measure between the current gen Corvette and a future C7 model. The design brief required Mr. Robbins to use the basic proportions of the C6, which limited what could be done with the design.

Now here’s my two cents:

I find the shape of the bootlid and the V-shaped side intakes to be quite pleasing to the eye, but the ugly Dodge Viper / Ferrari 458 Italia taillights don’t fit the car at all. Also, the front end styling is a bit too conservative and I feel that more could have been done with the glasshouse. The overall design is good but it’s hard to say if that’s due to Mr. Robbins’ tweaking or the C6’s nice proportions.

I can’t help but feel that with a little more work around the head- and taillights, this could have been a real stunner. As it stands, it’s a good effort though just not quite there. But don’t take my word for it. Voice your own opinion in our comments section.

Chevy Releases Official Prices and New Photos of Corvette Grand Sport

Along with the announcement on the production of the 1,500,000th Corvette, General Motors today also confirmed pricing for its 2010MY Corvette Grand Sport models. The coupe version of the Grand Sport starts at $55,720 while its convertible counterpart from $59,530 with both prices including a $950 destination freight charge. The new Grand Sport combines the Corvette's LS3-based powertrain with wide-body styling, a wider track, beefier Z06-size wheels and brakes and a race-spec suspension.

With the standard exhaust system, the LS3 6.2-liter V8 engine is rated at 430 horsepower and 424 lb.-ft. of torque (575 Nm), however, customers can opt for a two-mode exhaust system that increases power ratings to 436HP and 428 lb.-ft. (580 Nm). The LS3 can be matted to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.

"The Corvette Grand Sport achieves a 0 - 60 time in less than four seconds, pulls 1.0g on the skid pad and still boasts an impressive 26 highway mpg," said Karen Rafferty, Chevrolet Product Marketing Director. "These numbers are unmatched by any of Corvette's competitors."

List of special features for the Grand Sport:

• Wider front and rear fenders – including specific front fenders with integrated Grand Sport badges
  
• Z06-style front splitter and tall rear spoiler
  
• Functional brake ducts and extra cooling
  
• Unique 18-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels; painted finish standard and chrome finish optional
  
• Large 275/35ZR18 tires in front and 325/30ZR19 tires in the rear
  
• Z06-size brakes, including 14-inch (355 mm) front rotors with six-piston calipers and 13.4-inch (340 mm) rear rotors with four-piston calipers
  
• Specific manual transmission gear ratios
  
• Specific rear axle ratio on automatic-equipped models

General Motors Builds 1.5 Millionth Corvette

While GM was preparing for bankruptcy, the Corvette reached yet another major milestone in its almost six-decade-long history with the production of the 1,500,000th car. The commemorative model left the production line at GM's Bowling Green Assembly plant on May 28, but the company decided to delay the announcement for a couple of weeks for apparent reasons. Similar to the first, 500,000th and 1 millionth Corvettes built in 1953, 1977 and 1992 respectively, the 1.5 millionth Corvette is a white convertible (3LT) with a red interior and a black top.

"The 1.5 millionth Corvette is a great example of how Chevy is America's Brand," said Karen Rafferty, Chevrolet Product Marketing Director. "For nearly 60 years we have built America's Sports Car and this milestone is a solid proof point."

General Motors Builds 1.5 Millionth Corvette

While GM was preparing for bankruptcy, the Corvette reached yet another major milestone in its almost six-decade-long history with the production of the 1,500,000th car. The commemorative model left the production line at GM's Bowling Green Assembly plant on May 28, but the company decided to delay the announcement for a couple of weeks for apparent reasons. Similar to the first, 500,000th and 1 millionth Corvettes built in 1953, 1977 and 1992 respectively, the 1.5 millionth Corvette is a white convertible (3LT) with a red interior and a black top.

"The 1.5 millionth Corvette is a great example of how Chevy is America's Brand," said Karen Rafferty, Chevrolet Product Marketing Director. "For nearly 60 years we have built America's Sports Car and this milestone is a solid proof point."

Chevrolet Corvette 2009 Specification

Chevrolet Corvette 2008 Specification It iscomparatively small dishes, the system of twin-disc allows the inertia similar of disc to the Z06 Corvette, which has 290mm, system of simple-disc, contributing to the low effort of shift and providing the particularly soft effort of pedal of interlocking and light. In fact, the more powerful ZR1 has an effort of pedal similar to Z06.

The clutch of Chevrolet Corvette 2008 ZR1-specific in the transmission provides a stiff report/ratio First-speed which the assistances launch the car. The car the 'high speed of S is built in the sixth change speed-a Fifth-speed, the run-outs top-speed in the Corvette handbook-transmission and the Z06 Corvette. Speeds also are conceived to balance the execution with the improvement. The angles of the teeth of gears are optimized to provide the force and the calm one.

Writer 'note of S: The word is now outside on the Corvette baddest never to descend pike. While all information mentioned above is directly GM at December 20, 2007, we will have to await our turn to deliver to us thus we can test this animal for ourselves. Most probably, we will receive the call to examine it on a true way of race as we made for the release of C6 Z06, which with all fine practices would be the surest route for each one implied. Stay granted for later developments as they occur. We can hardly wait!

The official numbers of Corvette ZR1 are inside and they 'about the good. Very good :

1. $103.300 MSRP (load including $850 destinations)
2. economy of fuel EPA-envisaged road 14 of the city and 20
3. 0-60 M/H in 3.4 seconds
4. 0-100 M/H in 7.0 seconds
5. past time of 11.3 seconds Quarter-thousand to 131 M/H

Corvette ZR1 also has an high speed of 205 M/H (330 km/h), making him the fastest Corvette ever produced and arranging it among the total superb cars of the proportioned execution. None of these other superb cars, however, equalizes report/ratio of ZR1 the 'execution-by-dollar of S.

ZR1 is an incredible machine by any measurement, ED says Peper, North-American vice-president, Chevrolet. There 's simply no other vehicle in the world which completes a better work of execution, price and of economy of fuel of balancing.

Prospect for execution

Corvette ZR1 the 'execution of S 0-60 is the 0.3 second faster than the Corvette already-rapid Z06 and the execution 0-100-mph is almost a full faster second - 7 seconds against Z06 'the S 7.9 seconds. It is the execution with which is equal or better than the superb calculation of the costs of much of cars primarily more.

Has report/ratio favorable of power-with-weight gives to the ZR1 an advantage compared to competition and to the execution which must be tested to appreciate fully, to Tom says Wallace, chief engineer of Corvette. Naturally, on a racecourse, the drivers of the competitors of the 'cars can appreciate the ZR1 in a whole different way.

And the racecourse isn 't the only place where the ZR1 trumps its competitors of superb-car - it beats them with the pump with gas, too. According to fueleconomy.gov, cities EPA-evaluated of ZR1 'of S the 14 and 20 estimates of mileage of road beat 2008 competitors such as Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano (road 11 villes/15); Lamborghini Murcielago (road 8 villes/13) and Aston Martin V8 advantageous (road 12 villes/19). They 'about competing with the viper of turning (road 13 villes/22) and Porsche 911 GT3 (road 15 villes/22).

Under the carbon-fibre cap

A new LS9 6.2L overfed small-blocks powers of engine the possibilities of execution of ZR1 'of S. Resisting and light weight exchanging the components supports the execution haut-T/MN, whereas new, superheater of sixth-generation (and to supplement the system of charge-cooling) assistance the large LS9 to make the power and couple through the range of T/MN. The engine hand-is assembled in the center of construction of GM 'of execution of S, in Wixom, Mich.

In addition to engine LS9, the ZR1 is a powerplant of technology, conceived with the light and single components which reinforce its execution with a feeling of confidant on a road or the course of road.