2006 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible Road Test

This author agrees that the fun is back in the Corvette. The 2006 convertible is one of the hottest cars ever built in Detroit. This article talks about the spotty history of the Corvette and how it has made it's way back to legendary status!



"I havent had much more fun under $80K. Its 400-horsepower 6.0-liter V8 is a lot more refined than its guttural bark lets on, spinning freely to its 6,500 rpm redline and sounding absolutely divine doing so. The six-speed manual shifter (a slightly less sporting but nevertheless sophisticated six-speed automatic with manual mode is also available) moves easily from gear to gear, needing a purposeful push but no heroics, just like its well-weighted clutch pedal. "

2006 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible Road Test

GM FastLane Blog: Chevrolet Corvette Z06 podcast

"Podcast host Deb Ochs talks to Johnny O'Connell, a factory driver in
General Motors' Corvette Racing program. O'Connell drives the Corvette C6.R racecar and has been doing development test driving for the upcoming 505-horsepower Corvette Z06, the fastest car ever offered by Chevrolet and GM. The 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 was developed alongside the C6.R race car.

O'Connell was critical in helping Team Corvette achieve its first overall victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona and first Le Mans class victory in 2001. He is recognized as one of North America's best racing drivers. Hear O'Connell's thoughts on racing and his experience behind the wheel of the 2006 Corvette Z06."

GM FastLane Blog: Chevrolet Corvette Z06 podcast:

Gavin plays part in Corvette history.

Oliver Gavin played his part in making Corvette Racing history at the weekend as the Brit helped the team to secure its first ever one-two finish with the new C6-R in the second round of the ALMS season at Road Atlanta.

While Johnny O'Connell and Ron Fellows secured the first C6-R victory in the #3 car, Gavin - and co-driver Olivier Beretta - had to fight back through the field to secure their place on the podium after a spin with Gavin at the wheel saw the #4 car drop from second in class down to fifth.

"I put a little drama into the day - going off in turn ten was not in the plan!" he said afterwards. "I think I had the brake balance just a little too far to the rear. When I got hard on the brake pedal, it just locked the rears and looped me into the gravel."

Gavin then proceeded to hunt down and overtake the Maserati MC12 and Saleen S7R that had benefited from his misfortune and with 12 minutes left in the race, he passed the Maserati – ironically in turn ten - and secured the second spot on the podium.

"I had to pass the Saleen and pass the Maserati, and they were very strong," he said. "In the season to come we're going to have some very good races."

The next round of the American Le Mans Series will be at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on 22 May.

Road testing the Chevrolet Corvette Coupe

"So it has been shouted on magazine covers and on TV shows that there's a new Corvette and it's awesome. The news from Bankrate's road test is that the enthusiast press hasn't been lying.

In almost all regards, the 2005 Corvette is a perfect sports car, even overcoming some of the impracticality inherent in a two-seater. After spending a week behind the wheel of a yellow coupe, trying very hard to spot faults, the only regret was when the car had to be returned to Chevrolet.

At the heart of every Corvette is the engine, and the new 6-liter all-aluminum V8 is the best all-around engine ever in a Corvette. It makes 400 horsepower, which launches the Corvette to 60 miles an hour in about 4.5 seconds -- less time than it takes to read this sentence. On an open track and with a driver who's got the nerve, the Corvette tops out at 186 mph. It's equally fast with the six-speed manual transmission or the four-speed automatic, either of which is a no-cost option."

Read The Full Story:

Road testing the Chevrolet Corvette Coupe:

Viper GTS-R Versus Corvette C5-R

"Just when we thought that participation in big-time road racing was kind of a dead issue in Detroit, along comes a seriously renewed interest on the part of not one but two automakers. The company formerly known as Chrysler had been supporting its Viper GTS with a real factory-backed purpose-built race program, the GTS-R. Now things will get some added spice this season and next thanks to the arrival of the officially supported Chevrolet Corvette C5-R.

How much are the Vette and Viper road racers alike and how much are they like the Vette or Viper you may see down at the local dealer? Read on."

Viper GTS-R Versus Corvette C5-R

Corvette To Pace 2005 Indy 500

NEW YORK -- Dale Earnhardt Jr., the 2004 Daytona 500 champion, unveiled the all-new 2005 Corvette that will pace the 47th annual Daytona 500 during the national broadcast of Fox & Friends on Tuesday morning.

Earnhardt Jr., who drives the No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt Inc., revealed the Corvette coupe that will pace the 43-car field in "The Great American Race" on Sunday, Feb. 20.

"The all-new 2005 Corvette brings more power, more precision and more passion to drivers than any Corvette in history making it a natural fit to pace this historic race," said Brent Dewar, Chevrolet general manger.

"We are proud to once again have our good partners at Chevrolet pace the field at NASCAR's signature event," said Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig. "We are looking forward to showing off the 2005 Corvette pace car on national television and in front of thousands of fans."

The 43-car field that will be led by the Chevrolet Corvette pace vehicle will be battling for a record purse of $17,623,980, the richest in stock car racing history. Ashton Kutcher, the popular star of FOX's "That '70s Show" and the star of the upcoming feature film "Guess Who," will serve as Honorary Starter and wave the green flag to start the Daytona 500, which will be televised live on FOX.

The design of the Daytona 500 Corvette pace vehicle includes elements that reflect the heritage and attitude of the historic winning Corvette race cars. The Corvette pace vehicle is millennium yellow with a black racing stripe centered across the hood, roof and trunk lid with the Daytona 500 logo on each door and Chevy's "An American Revolution" slogan on the rear spoiler.

This will be the 34th consecutive year General Motors has provided the Official Pace Car for the Daytona 500. The Daytona 500 will be one of 60 NASCAR events Chevrolet will pace in 2005, including 28 NASCAR Nextel Cup, 17 Busch Series and 15 Craftsman Truck Series races.

Chevrolet returns to this year's Daytona 500 with an impressive win record - 17 victories, the most of any manufacturer. Chevrolet also kicks off the 2005 racing season as defending manufacturer's champion. In 2004 Chevy drivers captured 22 wins to tie its own record for most wins in a single season in NASCAR's "modern era" which aided Chevy in achieving its 28th manufacturer's championship.

A classic driving experience

With the cost of Classic Corvettes and other vintage sports cars going through the roof, the timing may be right for a classic sport car club! Here is one that is in it's 3rd year.


"Tom Anthony belongs to a country club of sorts, but instead of driving fairways, he drives Jaguars and Triumphs.

And Lori Susi's time share isn't in Hawaii, it's behind the wheel of a classic 1962 yellow Corvette convertible.

Both belong to a new kind of classic car club called Club Sportiva, which just opened a branch in San Jose. As members, they pay -- almost $2,000 a year -- to drive great, old cars.
The concept is unique, but it plays to a thriving classic car culture in the region. Dozens of car clubs have thousands of members here, and some of the nation's top old-car events, such as the annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, are held locally."

MercuryNews.com | 02/03/2005 | A classic driving experience:

New Z06 Corvette Is The Pride Of Dana

"Like automakers that have long relied on halo cars to draw shoppers into showrooms -- think Chevy's Corvette -- auto parts maker Dana Corp. hopes the frame it developed to underpin the souped-up Corvette Z06 will help the company win new business on mass-market models.

Dana's Z06 frame was the Toledo-based supplier's point of pride at the 2005 North American International Auto Show this month at Cobo Center.

Chuck Heine, Dana's president of technology development, said the frame needed high- tech manufacturing to handle the 500 horsepower loads the Z06 engine can generate on a structure that's 137 pounds lighter than a conventional Corvette. "

Dana pins hopes on frame :

Boomers driving demand for Classic Corvettes

Boomers driving demand for classic sports, muscle cars

"Demand and prices for classic muscle and sports cars from the 1950s, '60s and '70s have grown tremendously in recent years. Dealers credit baby boomers who finally have enough money to buy cars they dreamed about when they were teens.

'A lot of them are reliving their youth,' said Terry Michaelis, who sells classic Corvettes and claims to have the largest collection in the world. 'People tend to chase the year or type car they grew up with.'

Corvettes that sold for $25,000 in the mid-1980s are now fetching $100,000 and beyond. "

Mixed Feeling On The C6 Corvette

"The new Corvette (model year 2005) is known by those who know such things as C6 - that is, the sixth generation of Corvette. Though the car is still raked and sloe-eyed, low and ornery, the latest redesign is the least dramatic and maybe the least compelling. The changes include shorter front and rear overhangs, a slightly longer wheelbase, underbody faring at the rear, sharper creases in the composite-fiber fenders and a general lipo-sculpture around the gluteal area.

While in the eyes of experts these changes are of cosmic significance, the general public may have trouble telling at a glance a C5 from a C6. The biggest cosmetic change - and far overdue - are the fixed high-intensity headlights under polycarbonate lenses, replacing the retractable headlamps. This is not the stuff of grand ambition.

To me, the new car looks pinched and compressed, like a C5 seen through an anamorphic lens. Since the Larry Shinoda-designed split-window coupe of 1963, one of the formal properties of Corvette has been its galling, luxuriant length, a look that suggested a steaming rocket sled laying its own tracks ahead of it. Something about the C6's foreshortened proportions don't add up.

Truth is, I like the C5 better from the outside, but from the inside, I'll take the C6 every time. Instantly comfortable and accessible, the cockpit derives much of its technical jewelry from its platform-mate, the Cadillac XLR - bits like the electronic door latches, push-button start and electro-luminescent instrument panel. Our test car - a coupe - was equipped with a DVD-based navigation system ($1,400) and the 'preferred equipment group' ($4,360), including heated sport seats and a rib-rattling seven-speaker audi"

Starship Corvette: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

The cars we can't wait to drive in '05

Boston.com / Cars / The cars we can't wait to drive in '05:

"CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 The new Corvette, already devoid of those horrible pop-up headlights and looking distinctly Italian, gets a major power boost with a reported 500-plus horsepower coming from a 7.0-liter V-8. No official word yet on pricing, but you can bet it will be one of the most affordable supercars, capable of approaching 190 miles per hour and faster, on the planet."