Month: June 2011

Ontario-based professional photographer Rob Smith had the opportunity to shoot this black Corvette ZR1 in a variety of settings. We happened upon them on the Forum and just loved the feel and emotion radiating from the 638 hp supercharged supercar parked in this urban setting. Judging from the multitude of comments, I am not alone.

Click here for a larger view or see them all on the Corvette Forum

Source:
Rob Smith Photography

Related:
[VIDEO] See How the Corvette ZR1’s Carbon Ceramic Brakes are Made
[PICS] This Corvette ZR1 Has Seen Better Days
[VIDEO] 2011 Chevrolet Corvette – Still Building Rockets

 

Classic car sale prices have been on the rise in 2011, and while that is a positive sign for the health of the classic car hobby as a whole, it also means that some buyers may be getting priced out of the market.

Jim Schmuck sits in his 1956 Mercury Montclair, one of nine restored vehicles in the garage at his home in York.

Article contributed by Mark Leevan

April Kauffman had a dream when she toured the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. What if the Wounded Warriors from nearby Fort Campbell and Fort Knox could be honored with a special caravan from the posts to the Museum. Her two-year dream came true when cars picked up troops from the two army bases and delivered them to the National Corvette Museum and General Motors’ Bowling Green Assembly Plant for a full day of activities.

The caravan, escorted by Kentucky State Police, left the museum at 7 a.m. Thursday, with some cars going to Fort Campbell and the rest going to Fort Knox. As one group toured the museum, the other toured the plant.

Trooper Jonathan Biven, spokesman for KSP Post 3 in Bowling Green, said twelve troopers from three different posts escorted the Corvette caravan to and from the Army posts and the museum.

Kaufmann owns a Corvette and when it was ordered, the R8C option to pick up the car at the museum was included. She is active with the Red Cross and has met with Wounded Warriors in New Jersey and also made a trip to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., to visit a local woman’s wounded son.

When Kauffman approached the Museum’s executive director Wendell Strode with the idea, the staff embraced the concept and the Corvette community made it happen.

“They could have thought I was a stark raving lunatic,” she said of suggesting the idea to bring soldiers to the museum. “We think it’s only fitting that America’s sports car – the Chevrolet Corvette – shows its appreciation to American warriors,” Strode said.

Strode, a Vietnam War veteran who was injured in combat in 1969, went to Walter Reed with Kauffman last summer, where planning for Thursday’s event began to take shape.

Mobil 1 Racing donated $10,000 to the event, as well as a backpack and hat for each of the warriors, Strode said.

Janice Cheairs, 56, a resident of Denham Springs and a Corvette owner, was one of the many drivers from about 15 states who volunteered to help Thursday. Cheairs and her husband made the journey to Bowling Green to participate in the event.

Cheairs said the most rewarding part of the day was spending time with the soldier she picked up from Fort Knox.

Source:
Corvette Examiner
Photos Courtesy of National Corvette Museum

Related:
Corvette’s 30th Anniversary Homecoming Will Be Historic For Bowling Green
Rumor: GM To Move Corvette Production to Lansing?
Bowling Green’s UAW Local 2164 Starts Corvette Customer Feedback Blog

 

General Motor released their monthly sales figures for May and Corvette sales continue to encourage us. In May 2011, 1,304 Corvettes were delivered to new buyers. Although the sales figures are down 8.7% over May 2010’s 1,428 Corvettes, it does rank as the second best month of sales since last May. For the calendar year, 5,597 have been sold which is pacing 13.1% over the 4,950 Corvettes sold the same time in 2010. Like I said, Corvette sales for 2011 are very encouraging.

To keep the sales rolling, Chevrolet has extended the factory incentives on new Corvettes through the July 4th weekend. For 2011 Corvette models, buyers can receive $3,000 Dealer Cash or 1.9% financing up to 60 months or 2.9% for 72 months. For the remaining 2010 Corvettes that are still in dealer showrooms, $4,000 in Customer Cash is available or finance it for 72 months at 0% interest. The only Corvette model excluded in the latest round of rebates is the 2011 Corvette Z06 Carbon Edition.

Speaking of the Corvette Z06 Carbon Edition, we heard that production of the limited edition lightweight Corvettes have finished and a total of 252 were built. Searching Jeff Hardy’s website, we see a number of them listed as available for sale. To view the VINs and window stickers, go to JeffHardy.com and search 2011 Z06s in Supersonic Blue or Inferno Orange.

Finally, we are tracking a national inventory of 3,987 Corvettes. 3,595 are 2011s, 378 are 2010s and the final 14 are 2009 Corvettes.

 

Corvette Stock Report:

A check of Jeff Hardy’s website shows
a total of 3,987 Corvettes on the ground. Last month’s total was 4,412 for a
net change of -425 Corvettes. Here is the breakdown by years and models:

• 2011 Corvettes – 3,595
• 2010 Corvettes – 378
• 2009 Corvettes – 14

2011 Corvette Inventory Breakdown:

• Corvette Coupes – 967
• Corvette Convertibles – 242
• Corvette GS Coupes – 1,318
• Corvette GS Convertibles – 643
• Corvette Z06 – 206
• Corvette ZR1 – 219

2010 Corvette Inventory Breakdown:

• Corvette Coupes – 123
• Corvette Convertibles – 94
• Corvette GS Coupes – 39
• Corvette GS Convertibles – 38
• Corvette Z06 – 21
• Corvette ZR1 – 63

2009 Corvette Inventory Breakdown:

• Corvette Coupes – 1
• Corvette Convertibles – 1
• Corvette Z06 – 8
• Corvette ZR1 – 4

Bowling Green Production:

• 2011 Model Year Production in May 2011: 1,333
• 2011 Model Year To Date Through May 2011: 12,773
• 2011 Calendar Year to Date through May 2011: 5,401

Source:
GM.com
JeffHardy.com

Related:
April 2011 Corvette Sales
March 2011 Corvette Sales

 

A fully built Rally Fighter is for sale on eBay Motors, and you can “Buy It Now” for $84,900. This particular Rally Fighter features a 430-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 engine that would otherwise be found under the hood of a Chevrolet Corvette .

A fully built Rally Fighter is for sale on eBay Motors, and you can “Buy It Now” for $84,900. This particular Rally Fighter features a 430-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 engine that would otherwise be found under the hood of a Chevrolet Corvette .

Article contributed by Steve Burns

In the market for ZR1? If so, then check out this like-new 2009 model currently being offered on eBay. The Blade Silver Corvette is being offered by Lance Miller of Carlisle Events fame. His personal car has just 1,895 miles on it and it’s looking for a new home. He’s selling it in order to purchase a 2012 ZR1 and we’re pretty sure that new one will be painted in Carlisle Blue. Click past the jump to check out Lance’s ride in detail and to find out how much it’s going to cost you to put in your garage.

When GM launched the 3rd incarnation of the ZR1 option package in 2009, they put the world on notice that America could indeed build a world class super car. Just 1,415 examples of the $115,000+ beasts were built that year. With 638 thumping horsepower on tap, the ZR1 offered super car performance at half the price of the competition.

Lance’s ZR1 features the aforementioned Blade Silver exterior and dark titanium leather interior and stickered for $116,620 when new. It’s decked out with the 3ZR package including navigation, active handling, magnetic ride control, Bose premium sound, and all of the other goodies included with the ZR1 and 3ZR packages. The car appears to be in nearly new condition with just a crack on the right hand lower front fascia and a small portion of the clear bra missing. The ad also mentions that the left front fender has been repainted. While checking out the photos, be sure to note the 2 C1’s hiding in the background. One of which is the famous #3 Le Mans-winning Corvette.

So how much for this machine, you ask? The Buy it Now price is $91,990. We think this is an excellent price for a low-mile, first year ZR1 in great shape. So get your checkbooks handy and grab Lance’s ZR1 before someone else does.

Source:
eBay

Related:
Corvettes on eBay: First 2010 Corvette ZR1 VIN 0001
[VIDEO] 1960 #3 Le Mans Corvette Historic Return Documentary Trailer

 

Chevrolet announced incentives on new Corvettes today.  $4000 in Customer Cash is available on those 2010 Corvette models remaining on dealer lots.  Or, in lieu of the $4000, buyers can take 0% Financing for as long as 72 months.

On brand new 2011 Corvette models, $3000 Dealer Cash is available.  If you forgo the $3000, you can finance for up to 60 months at 1.9%, or for up to 72 months at 2.9%.  The Z06 Carbon Edition is excluded from these offers.

Incentivized nterest rates are based on approved credit.  All offers are available through July 5.  Click on the Matick Corvette tab above for our selection of cars available.  We can also locate 2011 models for you.  Please call 1-888-875-0728 for additional information.

No longer just the “Mayor of Mosport”, racing legend and former driver for the Corvette Racing team Ron Fellows is now the proud owner of his home track just outside Toronto, Canada. Fellows and his partners Alan Boughton and real-estate developer Carlo Fidani have purchased Mosport International Raceway from the Panoz Motor Sport Group. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

Mosport is Canada’s largest racing facility with a 3.96 km road course, 2.4 km driver development track, a 1.4 km karting track and a half-mile paved oval track. The track has hosted a variety of races in its storied history including Forumla 1, IndyCar, stock cars and motorcycles. Mosport’s largest race is the annual Grand Prix of Mosport featuring the American Le Mans Series.

“We want to thank the Panoz Motor Sports Group for making Mosport what it is today – a world class racing venue that hosts some of North America’s best road racing series and a place of inspiration for generations of racers in Canada,” said Alan Boughton, Managing Partner, Canadian Motorsport Ventures, Ltd. “We are excited to pour our racing passion and business expertise into Mosport and look forward to working together with local government and tourism authorities to take this historic race facility to the next level in delivering the best excitement and entertainment motor racing has to offer.”

The new venture planes to look at all aspects for improving the facility as each of the partners will utilize their unique areas of strength and knowledge to guide Mosport into the future.

For Fellows, that may include a northern location for his driving school, the Ron Fellows Performance Driving School which currently is located at Spring Mountain outside of Las Vegas.

During his Corvette Racing career which spanned from 1999-2007, Fellows was a four-time ALMS Most Popular Driver, a three-time ALMS champion and has two 24 hours of Le Mans class wins. He also has 19 SCCA Trans-Am wins and five wins with various NASCAR teams.

Source:
Mosport.com via Autoguide.com

Related:
10 Years After: Memories of Corvette Racing’s First Le Mans Victory
[VIDEO] Ron Fellows Presentation to Corvette Owners at the 12 Hours of Sebring