Filed under: Chevrolet, Toys/Games

We've reported plenty on items we'd like to place in our automotive-themed dream house, from engine-block coffee tables and Pininfarina desks to Aston Martin loveseats and Porsche sofas - but most of them are for the living room. We'd be remised, however, to forget the one part of the house where the fascination all began: our childhood bedroom.

We all had the posters up on the walls, the models on the shelves and maybe the sheets on the bed, but the luckiest kids among us had beds shaped like cars, similar - but probably not as awesome - as this latest release from toy company Step2. Released this week at the New York Toy Fair, it isn't just a bed: it's a whole bedroom set, all modeled on the Chevrolet Corvette Z06.

The set includes a $299 bed capable of holding a toddler's mattress but expandable to accommodate a twin (extending its usability from ages 2 to 10) with optional working headlights for an extra $30, a $110 dresser that looks like dad's tool box, a $65 storage chest and a $40 wheeled storage box to make clean-up time quick. It's all made of molded plastic from one of the biggest in the business, and is sure to make for some very sweet dreams indeed.

If NASCAR is more to your kid's speed, Step2 has got a stock-car bedroom available too, but it's the Vette set that has us (a) wishing we were little again, and (b) second-guessing the grown-up's bed we just ordered for ourselves.

Corvette Z06 bed upgrades your childhood originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Classics, Convertible, Performance, Chevrolet

Some will invariably debate their authenticity, but as far as we're concerned, there's no arguing with the quickening of our pulse when we gaze at such examples of retrofitted classics as the Eagle E-Type Speedster or the Singer 911. But if you've been wondering why European sportscars have been getting all the old-meets-new attention, wonder no more, and feast your eyes on the Pogea Corvette.

German tuning house Pogea Racing - whose customized Abarth 500 we reported on back on 2010 - has taken an original '59 Corvette roadster and given it a thoroughly modern makeover. Starting with the chassis itself, Pogea went back to the drawing board and built a new tube frame to which it has mounted a new suspension, brakes and powertrain.

The latter comes courtesy of a modern 6.2-liter Corvette LS3 V8 engine, upgraded with new injectors, camshaft, intake and exhaust to drive 485 horsepower and 431 pound-feet of torque through a five-speed manual with ceramic clutch to a Dana 44 differential. Modern Corvette-sourced ventilated brakes with six-piston calipers up front and four-pots in the rear were fitted to keep the power in check, mounted behind 19-inch modular wheels on low-profile Bridgestone Potenza rubber.

Pogea also widened the track, fitted LED tail lights in the shape of the originals, and refurbished the interior with fresh leather and carpeting, Cobra buckets, Vallelunga wheel, Alpine stereo with sat-nav and upgraded electronics. The result is a stunning package that has all the charm of the original (minus, perhaps, the rear quarter vents...), but with a 3.9-second run to 62 and a 179 mph top end. Check it out in the high-res image gallery and press release after the jump.

Continue reading Pogea Corvette modernizes an American classic

Pogea Corvette modernizes an American classic originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Chevrolet, New Car Reviews

Successful In Its Mission, But Not As The World's Greatest Sports Car



Adhered to the Hamilton Hall dorm wall at Wright State University is a glossy poster of a jet-black sports car. It hangs low over an unmade bed, its corner blemished with a slight tear from an errantly placed thumbtack during orientation week.

A young engineering undergraduate, sitting at a desk just a few feet away, is staring directly at the poster. Instead of reviewing for an upcoming exam, his eyes remain fixated on the vehicle's sleek bodywork, ominous quad exhaust pipes and Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes. Locked in a trance, the student daydreams about what it would be like to drive the sinister-looking monster.

Unbeknown to that 19-year-old scholar, and thousands of miles from Wright State University, Autoblog holds the key to the vehicle pictured on that very poster. It is the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. With a 638-horsepower supercharged V8 mated to a six-speed manual transmission and a top speed of 205 miles per hour, it is the most powerful production car in General Motors' history.

The ZR1 has been upgraded and enhanced for 2012, so what is it like to drive America's premier sports car on public roads? Can the beast be reasonably tamed? Be pleased to learn that this evil brute is nearly everything expected, a little less and then a whole lot more.

Continue reading 2012 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 [w/video]

2012 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Cadillac, Chevrolet

One rear-drive coupe with over 500 horsepower would be enough for most automakers. But not General Motors. The biggest of the Detroit automakers just couldn't get by with what some rivals would put on a showroom turntable with more flood-lights than an ATF raid. That's why it makes the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and ZR1, the Camaro ZL1 and the Cadillac CTS-V. (And that's before we get into overseas products like the Holden Commodore GTS/Vauxhall VXR8.)

The question is, which one is best for burnouts? To bring us one step closer to the answer we all crave, our compatriots over at Inside Line took two such 500+hp GM super-coupes - the Z06 Centennial Edition and the CTS-V Coupe - down to the Streets of Willow for the fifth installment of their Burnout Super Test.

So, which of the General's eight-cylinder muscle machines laid down the longest strip of rubber? We won't spoil it for you, so follow the jump to watch the video clip and the link for the full article.

Continue reading Chevy Corvette Z06 Centennial goes head-to-head with Cadillac CTS-V Coupe in Burnout Super Test

Chevy Corvette Z06 Centennial goes head-to-head with Cadillac CTS-V Coupe in Burnout Super Test originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Auctions, Etc., Chevrolet, Ford, GM, Earnings/Financials

We record Episode #266 of the Autoblog Podcast tonight, and you can drop us your questions via our Q&A module below. Check out our discussion topics or chime in to help determine what else the crew chats about this evening. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.

Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #266

• Barrett-Jackson 2012
• Camaro chief says ZL1 will beat Shelby GT500
• GM beats Volkswagen, or does it? And does it matter?
• Chevrolet C7 Corvette spotted

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
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Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #266 LIVE originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Auctions, Chevrolet

Earlier this week we showed you the recently-unveiled 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible at Barrett-Jackson. Chevrolet didn't just bring the car to display, though, and announced that it would be auctioning the very first production example for charity.

There was plenty of excitement as the Corvette was brought up on the auction block, and bidding quickly skyrocketed past the six-figure mark. During the middle of the auction, a few extra goodies were thrown in, including a Jeff Gordon racing suit and a VIP trip to the 2012 Daytona 500, and soon thereafter bidding quickly went passed the half-million-dollar mark to finally rest at $600,000. The new owner of the car? Ron Pratte, the same man who has generously bought many previous charity auction cars at Barrett-Jackson over the last several years. To top it all off, Eddie Vannoy even added on another $100,000 donation to the price of the car, all of which will be going to benefit the AARP Drive For Hunger.

You can see our live photos of the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible in the gallery above, and see footage from the auction floor after the break.

Continue reading Barrett-Jackson 2012: First 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible sells for $600,000 [w/video]

Barrett-Jackson 2012: First 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible sells for $600,000 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Auctions, Chevrolet

Last week, Chevrolet announced its latest special edition Corvette, the 2013 427 Convertible, as a sendoff to the C6 before the C7 arrives for 2014. Now we've had our first look at the car in the flesh, as Chevrolet is showing it off for the first time here at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, AZ.

Setting the 427 Convertible apart from the standard Corvette are special graphics, badges and unique wheels, but most importantly, it gains the Z06's 7.0-liter 505 horsepower V8 under the hood, making it the most powerful drop top Corvette to ever come from Bowling Green. This example also sports the 60th Anniversary Package that includes Arctic White exterior paint, Pearl Silver Blue racing stripes and a Diamond Blue leather interior. What really makes this particular car special, though, is that it's the very first production Corvette 427 Convertible and is set to be auctioned off for charity tomorrow afternoon. We'll have live auction results and more pictures then, but for now, check out our live gallery of photos above.

Barrett-Jackson: 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible debuts originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet

The Corvette is the very definition of a halo car, and the fact that 2013 marks its sixtieth year in production is nothing short of a miracle. The seventh-generation Corvette is still a model year away, during which time Chevy plans to send off the C6 with a special edition 60th Anniversary 427 Convertible.

Development of the C7, however, continues at full speed, and we have the very first shots of a prototype being tested in cold weather to prove it. The car in question is wrapped in vinyl covering, underneath which hides the familiar black-and-white swirl paint job we see so often on prototypes. Even still, we can identify some aspects of the evolution that will take place between the C6 and C7.

For one, comparing profile shots of this prototype with the C6, it's apparent that the front wheels have moved farther forward, increasing the dash-to-axle ratio and likely the wheelbase. The rear end also appears to be larger, with a higher deck lid and slightly longer overhang. We also noticed that this prototype's side mirrors are a different shape than the C6's, and its dual tailpipes are positioned closer together to form a perfectly spaced line of four pipes.

There's no evidence of a split rear window and a mid-engine layout is clearly not in the cards. These photos should put those wild rumors to rest, but what's under the hood and how the interior has been improved are still unknowns.

Chevy Corvette C7 prototype spied testing! originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Chevrolet

General Motors has something festive planned for the 60th anniversary of its Chevrolet Corvette. The automaker will mark the occasion with a special edition 2013 Corvette 427 Convertible, complete with hardware borrowed from the mighty Corvette Z06. Under the hood, a 427-cubic-inch LS7 V8 produces 505 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, making this the most powerful Corvette Convertible ever produced. The 60th Anniversary Corvette will also benefit from the same rear axle as the Z06, and magnetic ride control is standard as well.

The special edition convertible will come with 19-inch wheels up front 20-inch rollers in the rear, both wrapped in Micheline PS2 tires. A six-speed manual transmission is the only gearbox option, though buyers will be able to chose from the full gamut of available interior and exterior colors. General Motors says the vehicle will also benefit from a range of carbon fiber components, including a raised hood, fenders and floor panels. A CFZ carbon-fiber front splitter and rocker panels are also available at an extra cost.

All told, the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible tips the scales at 3,355 pounds. Combined with its lofty power figures, the droptop should be capable of doing the 0-60 mph dash in 3.8 seconds on its way to an 11.8-second quarter mile and a top speed of over 190 mph. The very first model will be auctioned off for charity at the upcoming Barrett-Jackson classic car auction. Hit the jump for the full press blast.

Continue reading Chevy sending off C6 Corvette with 427 Convertible and 60th Anniversary package

Chevy sending off C6 Corvette with 427 Convertible and 60th Anniversary package originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Chevrolet

General Motors has something festive planned for the 60th anniversary of its Chevrolet Corvette. The automaker will mark the occasion with a special edition 2013 Corvette 427 Convertible, complete with hardware borrowed from the mighty Corvette Z06. Under the hood, a 427-cubic-inch LS7 V8 produces 505 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, making this the most powerful Corvette Convertible ever produced. The 60th Anniversary Corvette will also benefit from the same rear axle as the Z06, and magnetic ride control is standard as well.

The special edition convertible will come with 19-inch wheels up front 20-inch rollers in the rear, both wrapped in Micheline PS2 tires. A six-speed manual transmission is the only gearbox option, though buyers will be able to chose from the full gamut of available interior and exterior colors. General Motors says the vehicle will also benefit from a range of carbon fiber components, including a raised hood, fenders and floor panels. A CFZ carbon-fiber front splitter and rocker panels are also available at an extra cost.

All told, the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Convertible tips the scales at 3,355 pounds. Combined with its lofty power figures, the droptop should be capable of doing the 0-60 mph dash in 3.8 seconds on its way to an 11.8-second quarter mile and a top speed of over 190 mph. The very first model will be auctioned off for charity at the upcoming Barrett-Jackson classic car auction. Hit the jump for the full press blast.

Continue reading Chevy sending off C6 Corvette with 427 Convertible and 60th Anniversary package

Chevy sending off C6 Corvette with 427 Convertible and 60th Anniversary package originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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