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Chevrolet Has Built 1,750,000 Corvettes

The 1,750,000th Corvette is white and red, paying tribute to the 1953 original. It’ll be raffled off later this year.

NATIONAL CORVETTE MUSUEMFACEBOOK

Last Friday, without much fanfare, Chevrolet built Corvette No. 1,750,000. It’s an Arctic White coupe, with an Adrenaline Red interior—a spec paying homage to the 1953 Vette—and there’s a chance it could be yours.

The National Corvette Museum announced last month that this particular Corvette would be raffled off, and it’s selling 1500 virtual tickets at $200 a pop. A drawing will be held on September 4, and until then, Corvette #1,750,000 will live in the Museum alongside the millionth (a 1992 convertible) and the 1.5 millionth (a 2009 convertible) Vettes. Hopefully this one doesn’t end up in a sinkhole. All the proceeds from the raffle will be donated to the Museum.

Corvette No. 1,750,000 is extremely well equipped. It’s got the 3LT package along with the must-have Z51 Performance Pack, a front-end lift, the Engine Appearance Package, and a handful of other options. It’d cost you at least $81,000 to order a similar 2020 Corvette, so suddenly, a $200 raffle ticket doesn’t seem like such a bad deal.

corvette 1,750,000

NATIONAL CORVETTE MUSEUM FACEBOOK

Given that the very first Corvette was built on June 30, 1963, it took Chevrolet 67 years, one month and 15 days to build 1,750,000 examples. Not bad for a sports car. For context, it took Porsche 53 years to build a million 911s, and Mazda 26 years to produce its millionth Miata. Ford has built over 10,000,000 Mustangs, but that’s not a true sports car like a Corvette. Nissan reached the million Z-Car milestone sometime in the early Nineties, but even still, the Corvette has to be the most popular sports car of all time.

“This type of milestone only comes around every 10 or so years for Corvette,” said Kai Spande, head of the Bowling Green plant. “For this landmark achievement to also be one of the early mid-engines is just awesome for us and for our customers. It’s an amazing time to be part of the Chevrolet brand.”

At the time of writing, 400 raffle tickets remain, so if you want to own a landmark Corvette, get your credit card out. We’ll check back in when Chevy builds its 2 millionth Corvette.

Via, Road&Track

This Is Likely the Mid-Engine Flat-Plane V-8 Corvette Z06 Testing Out in the Open

That certainly sounds like a flat-plane engine.

The Corvette switching to a mid-engine layout is huge news, but it’s not the only major change happening with the car. In October, Chevy revealed the race-ready C8.R, now packing a naturally aspirated 5.5-liter flat-plane crank V-8 engine—a big step away from the pushrod V-8s found in the new road car and last-generation race car. A Chevy engineer confirmed the engine would make its way to a road-going Corvette, and this test car is likely it.

GMAuthority.com managed to snag a video (above) of what seems to be the next-generation Z06 accelerating through the entrance of General Motors’ Milford Proving Grounds back in June. The car’s looks aren’t what interests us—it’s the sound. Unlike the normal Corvette, which has a traditional, deep pushrod V-8 noise we’re familiar with, this one sounds more like the flat-plane C8.R. It has more in common sound-wise with a Ferrari 458 than it does with any Corvette.

Though Chevy hasn’t officially confirmed it, the dual-overhead-cam flat-plane V-8 will likely be the engine powering the C8 Z06. In the race car, it uses direct injection, and makes around 500 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque, according to engineers. It’s expected to make more in the road car. We’re curious to see what Chevy has in store.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard this engine. Back in January, Facebook user Jim Lill shared a video (below) to the C8 Corvette Owners group showing what looks to be a heavily camouflaged Corvette testing in the mountains east of San Diego on a cloudy afternoon.

Though Chevy hasn’t officially confirmed it, the dual-overhead-cam flat-plane V-8 will likely be the engine powering the C8 Z06. In the race car, it uses direct injection, and makes around 500 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque, according to engineers. It’s expected to make more in the road car. We’re curious to see what Chevy has in store.

Brian Silvestro for Road and Track

KISS Guitarist Paul Stanley Loves His C8 Corvette Stingray

With its exotics looks, mid-engine layout and near 500 horsepower V8 engine, the C8 Corvette Stingray was always going to be a car that attracted rock stars, professional athletes and actors and actresses as owners.

Among the celebrity owners of the new C8 Corvette is KISS  rhythm guitarist and co-lead vocalist Paul Stanley. In a post shared with his Facebook fans this week, Stanley had the following to say about his new mid-engine ‘Vette:

“For years the auto industry said “Buy American” (and) I said ‘when you manufacture world-class cars I’ll buy them.’ For me the 2020 Corvette C8 is beyond that. It raises the bar with cutting edge technology. It’s a machine I’m proud to drive AND it’s drop dead GORGEOUS. I LOVE mine!”

Stanley’s C8 Corvette appears to be a Summit White model with the Morello Red interior upholstery and black 5-spoke trident wheels. He also appears to have equipped the ‘Vette with the available Bright Red brake calipers and Carbon Flash painted mirrors but opted against the Z51 performance package, judging by the lack of the lower front splitter.

While Stanley indicates that he has avoided owning American cars in the recent past, this isn’t the first time his name has been associated with the iconic Chevrolet Corvette. Back in 2014, Stanley worked with Chevrolet Accessories to develop the 2015 Corvette Stingray Paul Stanley Concept, which featured candy red exterior paint, a silver painted roof, a silver grille insert, quilted parchment leather seats and more. At the time, Stanley said the C7 Corvette was“undeniable in terms of its aesthetics,” and “a world-class piece of machinery.”

Paul Stanley Edition Corvette

At the time, Chevy’s vice president for performance vehicles and motorsports, Jim Campbell, said Stanley’s passion for cars made him an easy fit for the 2014 collaboration.

“It was great working with Paul Stanley, because of his vision and passion for design and automobiles,” Campbell said.

So there you have it, not only is Paul Stanley a fan of the C8 Corvette – he liked the sports car so much he decided to put one in his garage. 

Source: SAM MCEACHERN

2020 Corvette Stingray is the Official Pace Car of the 104th Indianapolis 500

2020 Corvette Stingray is the Official Pace Car of the 104th Indianapolis 500


We’ve been expecting to hear this news and finally today it has been confirmed by Chevrolet that the new 2020 Corvette Stingray will be the official Pace Car of the 104th Indianapolis 500. This marks the 17th race that Corvette has served as the official Pace Car, and the 31st Chevrolet to lead the field.

This year’s running of the Indy 500 will take place on Sunday, August 23 with the race being shown live on NBC.

With no fans allowed in attendance this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the official pace car driver will be GM President Mark Reuss.

2020 Corvette Stingray is the Official Pace Car of the 104th Indianapolis 500


“It’s truly an honor to have the opportunity to be behind the wheel of the mid-engine Corvette Pace Car at such a historic race as the Indy 500,” said GM President Mark Reuss. “The 2020 Corvette Stingray is the result of a close collaboration between the Corvette Racing and production engineering teams, setting a new benchmark for supercars around the world.”


The 2020 Corvette Stingray Pace Car is Torch Red and features the high Wing Spoiler and ground effects package. The Z51 Coupe will also wear the 104th Indy 500 livery on the doors. The new 2020 Stingray is capable of accelerating from 0-60 in 2.9 seconds and has a top speed of 194 mph, so it should have no trouble in setting the pace for the IndyCar racers.

2020 Corvette Stingray is the Official Pace Car of the 104th Indianapolis 500


“This is a continuation of our outstanding partnership with Chevrolet,” Indianapolis Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles said. “We’re so grateful for all that Chevrolet has contributed to the success of our events. The Torch Red 2020 Corvette Stingray is a world-class machine rich with speed, performance and excitement, perfectly suited to pace the ‘500′ field.”

Chevrolet has been linked to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with both entities founded in 1911. Company founder and namesake Louis Chevrolet and his brothers Arthur and Gaston raced in the early 500-mile races with Gaston winning the race in 1920. Today, Louis Chevrolet rests in peace in a local Indianapolis cemetery just 15 minutes away from the track.

2020 Corvette Stingray is the Official Pace Car of the 104th Indianapolis 500
2020 Corvette Stingray is the Official Pace Car of the 104th Indianapolis 500

Update

This afternoon we came across this Facebook post from Corvette Exterior Design Manager Kirk Bennion sharing these words from fellow GM designer Adam Barry who led the project. The 2020 Corvette Pace Car features a number of items from Genuine Corvette Accessories as discussed:

2020 Corvette Indy 500 Pace Car


Source:
Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Open-Throttle Therapy Awaits In A 2020 Chevy Corvette Z51

A small donation to Ronald McDonald House could permanently put you in the driver’s seat of the fastest production Corvette yet!

Commonly referred to as “America’s Sports Car”, the Chevrolet Corvette has been offering thrills since its big unveiling back in 1953. With 60 years of production over eight generation designs, the all-new C8 Corvette is a game-changer. For the first time, the model is powered by a mid-mounted V8 engine. Even the C8’s body was drastically redesigned for aerodynamics, but stunning enough to stop car enthusiasts dead in their tracks. Get get your hands on the fastest production Corvette yet – a 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Z51 with 3Lz trim. A small donation to the Ronald McDonald House will enter you into the drawing for this incredible C8. Enter the code WIN here to receive double entries!

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Ronald McDonald House

Finished in a stunning Elkhart Lake Blue Metallic, the exterior is nothing short of magnificent. On all four corners sit staggered 5-spoke Carbon Flash-painted aluminum wheels (19-inch front, 20-inch rear) wrapped with sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber. Further complementing the exterior is the addition of a high-wing Carbon Flash rear spoiler and an exposed carbon fiber ground effects kit. Open the doors to a stunning black interior that features carbon fiber trim and GT2 bucket seats.

​Powered by a mid-mounted 6.2-liter LT2 V8 engine with an appearance package, the new C8 generates 495-horsepower and 470 lb/ft of torque that can propel this car from 0 to 60 miles per hour in a lightning quick 2.9 seconds. Sending that power down to the rear wheels is an 8-speed Dual Clutch automatic transmission. The Z51 Package gives this aggressive Corvette a unique Z51 adjustable performance suspension, an electronic limited-slip differential, an altered axle ratio, large Z51 Brembo brakes, a sport exhaust, enhanced cooling, and improved traction.

If you’re looking for a car that is can drive to the track, smoke the competition, and then drive home, look no further than this performance-oriented 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Z51. Even if the track isn’t your thing, this would make one head-turning daily driver. A small donation to the Ronald McDonald House will enter you into the drawing for this incredible C8. Enter the code WIN here to receive double entries! The Ronald McDonald House helps support families to stay close to their child while they receive treatment at a local hospital.

*Actual Corvette may vary from images above based on availability.*

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Amie Williams for Motorious

2020 Corvette Convertible Production Officially Kicks Off Today

2020 Corvette Convertible Production Officially Kicks Off Today
Photo Credit: Chevrolet


It’s been a long time coming, but today we received confirmation that the first 2020 Corvette Convertibles have started production. The plant has been building convertibles for the Captured Test Fleet for the last few months so it’s not anything new to the production team, but it is great news for buyers who have been patiently waiting for this day to come.

We have been reminded that Convertible production will see a ramp-up so expect quantities to be small in these first few weeks before gradually expanding into its regular production schedule.

We are also expecting a quality-control hold on these first batches of the HTC, but I doubt it will be too long. It would be very cool to see a customer-ordered convertible showing up later this month at Corvettes at Carlisle or the NCM’s Anniversary Show, so let’s keep our fingers crossed!

The 2020 Corvette Convertible is our favorite model of the two and we can’t wait to see those happy customers showing off their rides. We expect the number of videos on youtube showing the hardtop convertible’s operation to grow exponentially in next few months so brace yourselves for that!

That’s the latest we have on the Convertible C8 Corvette…stay tuned for any updates or news we can pass along! For a recap of all things related to the C8 Corvette Stingray Convertible, just hit this link to check out our previous stories on the HTC.

Keith Cornett for Corvette Blogger

Corvette Racing at Road America: Another Wild 1-2 Finish for Corvette C8.R

By Corvette Racing -Aug 2, 2020

Corvette Racing at Road America: Another Wild 1-2 Finish for Corvette C8.R


Garcia, Taylor take second GTLM win of season; Gavin, Milner finish as runners-up

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (Aug. 2, 2020) – Corvette Racing took its second consecutive 1-2 finish in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s GT Le Mans (GTLM class) following a chaotic finish Sunday at Road America. Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor won for the second time in their No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R following a late-race pass in torrential rain.

Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner placed second in the sister No. 4 Corvette C8.R. It was the eighth victory at Road America for Corvette Racing, and the team’s first there since 2016. Garcia and Taylor both won for the first time in their IMSA career at Road America and extended their points lead to 10 in the class. Gavin and Milner unofficially moved to third in the standings.

Chevrolet also grew its lead in the GTLM Manufacturer’s Championship to eight points. Corvette Racing has now won three consecutive races in the category.

Corvette Racing at Road America: Another Wild 1-2 Finish for Corvette C8.R


Things weren’t looking positive for the first half of the race. Taylor, who qualified second, led early but the expected tire degradation reduced the pace for the GTLM cars. Adding to the problems for the team were electronics issues on the No. 4 Corvette that left both Gavin and Milner without traction control.

The predicted rain for the race came with just under an hour to go. Garcia, who took over with two hours left in the race, was the first GTLM runner to pit for rain tires and stopped from sixth place. Two other GTLM cars followed suit but three others stayed out, including the then-leading Porsche which skidded off-track during a downpour at Turn One.

Corvette Racing at Road America: Another Wild 1-2 Finish for Corvette C8.R


Milner remained on slick tires during the first deluge as officials halted the race with 43 minutes left. The rain let up initially before cars returned to the track with about 25 minutes to go once the red flag was lifted. Following the final pit stops for wet tires, racing resumed with seven minutes left and Garcia in second place.

An even more intense rain began to fall with just minutes left in the two-hour, 40-minute race. Garcia was locked in a back-and-forth duel with Porsche’s Nick Tandy just before the GTLM leader and the third-place Porsche went off-track late in the lap. Both Garcia and Milner, who did a masterful job on a wet track with no traction control, were able to get through the chaos and took the checkered flag under a race-ending, full-course caution period.


Corvette Racing’s next event is the GT-only Michelin GT Challenge at Virginia International Raceway on Saturday, Aug. 22.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – GTLM RACE-WINNER:

“It was super tough. Because of the wave-by, we were at the back of all the GTD cars. So the spray we had back there was amazing. It was impossible to see anything. The first thing was to go by a couple of LMP2 cars while fighting (Nick) Tandy to catch up to the 24 BMW. It was a very intense three laps. I knew from Sebring practice that the Corvette C8.R was really good in the wet, even if today was beyond wet! I had Nick all over me, and we had many times when we were together… almost just sailing together instead of racing together. I knew the Carousel and the Kink were going to be really bad, and the line I took on the previous lap seemed to work. Luckily enough for me it was the same and I was one of the few cars to make it through. It’s another 1-2 finish for Corvette Racing, which is amazing. It’s finally my first victory at Road America, so it’s been a very good weekend.”

WHAT DID YOU SEE OF THE BMW AHEAD OF YOU? DID HE SPIN ON HIS OWN? “The Carousel and the Kink were almost impossible to go through that part of the track. There is really nothing you can do there. It depends on the depth of the water. The Corvette C8.R survived it better than the rest. I don’t know if it was due to the race line I took. I was following the car behind me and saw the BMW lose control. The race still wasn’t done because I had to do another lap through there. It’s a credit to how good the C8.R is in the wet. Thanks to everyone at Team Chevy because this car seems to be working in all conditions.”

HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS WIN TO EXTEND YOUR POINTS LEAD? “We didn’t know starting the season how the C8.R would be. With the fourth at Daytona, we saw the potential of the car. Our team did a great job during the shutdown with fixing things that needed to be corrected. We’ve had a chance to win the last three races, and we’ve converted those. We need to keep putting pressure on everyone and make the rest of the field make mistakes. On our own, we need to be their in the end and maximize our points opportunities. The next one is VIR, where we have tested with the new Corvette. We will do what we can to keep this momentum and carrying on winning.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – GTLM RACE-WINNER:

“It was a wild day…very unexpected. The race started off strong for us. We took a different strategy to go with three stops from the beginning. Thankfully it worked out well with the timing the rain and track position. Antonio never gave up. It was a tough fight in tough conditions, but he did a great job of surviving for our second win of the year and third of the year for Corvette Racing.”

THIS RACE WAS ON THE NATIONAL NBC NETWORK. WAS THIS THE KIND OF EXCITEMENT THAT WAS GOOD FOR NETWORK TV? “It had a bit of everything. The start for me was exciting, and the battles were all good. I could see on the big screen across the frontstretch that the prototype battle was often exciting and had a little bit of everything with the strategies. The weather was a bit different for those who probably turn into NBC for NASCAR where they wouldn’t run in the rain. There were probably too many crashes for everyone’s liking, but the show was very exciting with the battle for the win at the end. You like to see that between the manufacturers.”

TALK ABOUT WINNING ON THE SAME DAY AS YOUR BROTHER (RICKY TAYLOR): “It’s definitely cool. I think this is the first time we’ve won on the same weekend. I know we’ve gotten a pole on the same weekend, but in all the years a win has never gone both our ways. It was cool to watch their battle at the end with the 10 car. I know my dad’s team hasn’t won here either, and we tried hard for many years.”

Corvette Racing at Road America: Another Wild 1-2 Finish for Corvette C8.R


OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SECOND IN GTLM:

“I take my hat off to the team every time for never giving up. It didn’t look like we were going to be finishing that high up in the dry. But as we all know, there was a chance of rain all around. In this part of the world when the rain comes, it comes big. You just have to take you chances and make the right calls at the right time. We got a little lucky with a few things, and ultimately the No. 3 Corvette made the right choice on the right tires at the right time. We didn’t quite get that break or make that decision at that time. But then as all the pit stops cycled through for that last restart, we knew we just had to flat-out race. Our car was compromised a little as we didn’t have any traction control as part of an electrical issue throughout the entire race that we couldn’t really get on top of it. I fought it all during my stints. I honestly don’t know how Tommy kept the car on the track when he driving around on slick tires behind the safety car. I mean… water that was three or four inches deep on slick tires with no TC was amazing. For us to come away, even with all the stuff that happened, with a one-two finish is pretty spectacular. Hats off to the team and the crew and also to the C8.R. It seems like it is a car that can live through some crazy circumstances and conditions on track and deals with it. It’s a very fine car.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SECOND IN GTLM:

“That was absolutely wild. We had kind of a tough day to start with, but it came back pretty well for us there at the end. Credit to the guys with their never-give-up attitude that Corvette Racing is famous for definitely paid off today. The conditions were unbelievably difficult. The call to stay out there on slicks just before the full-course yellow was just as much mine as it was the engineers. I thought it was the right thing to do to run one more lap to see how bad the rain was going to be. And it ended up being almost biblical in the amount of rain that came. In all the races I’ve done, this has been the most rain I’ve ever seen come down at one time. It was hard enough just keeping it on the track under yellow with slicks, and it was bad enough when it was still green just trying to survive. Then it went red flag so we had the opportunity to come in and change it to rain tires. That in itself was difficult. For me I knew I just needed to get to pitlane and survive. That was the name of the game there and see what happened at the end. Once we went green, it was the most difficult conditions I have ever driven in my life with the amount of spray and with traffic and having so many cars around. At times it felt like I was driving blind. I could have closed my eyes and would have had the same amount of visibility at that point. I just tried to use very bit of muscle memory and track knowledge I could as to where the track goes at certain points. In the end, luckily we just survived with a first and second for the team. The day didn’t start out well, but it ended as well as it could.”

(Not having traction control) “Because I didn’t have it from the time I got in the car, I had to manage it from the start. In the dry, it’s definitely difficult because you are trying to not use the rear tires too much. I felt like I did a decent job in that first run but driving in the wet without it makes it that much more difficult. To be honest, the Corvette felt really good in the wet. Even though we don’t have a lot of time in the wet, the guys made the right call with tire pressure. When the Michelin wet tires are new, they’re really good. That gave me the confidence early on to really push, get through traffic, and trust in the car and tire to find the fastest way around.”

Corvette Racing at Road America: Another Wild 1-2 Finish for Corvette C8.R


Source:
CorvetteRacing.com

2021 Corvette Pricing Released with Z51 and the E60 Front Lift Seeing Increases

2021 Corvette Pricing Released with Z51 and the E60 Front Lift Seeing Increases

Expected this week from the Corvette Team is the 2021 Corvette pricing schedule and its now available to dealers. A copy was leaked to the internet and now we can see exactly where GM will be raising prices of select 2020 options as well as setting the price for new options for the 2021 model year.

The Corvette Team made a promise back at the Virtual NCM Bash that base pricing would not change from the 2020 model year. That commitment includes the 1LT, 2LT, and 3LT pricing for the Stingray Coupe and Convertible. Those prices are unchanged* and are:

  • $58,900 – 1LT Coupe
  • $66,200 – 2LT Coupe
  • $70,850 – 3LT Coupe
  • $66,400 – 1LT Convertible
  • $73,200 – 2LT Convertible
  • $77,850 – 3LT Convertible

*Prices do not contain the mandatory destination fee of $1,095.

However, we did guess correctly that certain options would most likely be raised for the 2021 model year. These are the returning options from 2020 with the new 2021 Pricing. I have also included the 2020 pricing in parenthesis. The most popular options receiving a price increase are the Z51 Performance Package and the E60 Front Lift:

  • Z51 – Z51 Performance Package $5,995 ($5,000)
  • E60 – Front Lift $1,995 ($1,495)
  • 5DF – Black Trident Spoke Wheels $2,895 ($2,695)
  • 5JR – Carbon Fiber Mirror Covers $1,245 ($1,145)
  • RCC – Engine Cover in Red $525 ($495)
  • RCD – Engine Cover in Sterling Silver $595 ($495)
  • RIA – All weather Floor Liners $205 ($195)
  • CAV – Contoured Cargo Area Liners $145 ($135)

Based on 2020 Sales Data the Corvette Team released during the Virtual NCM Bash in late May, the Z51 Performance Package was ordered by 74% of buyers while the E60 Front Lift accounted for 58% of all Corvettes sold. The LPO Black Trident Spoke Wheels were only ordered by 14% of buyers.

Now for the options new to 2021, Red Mist Metallic Tintcoat is priced at $995, the same as the outgoing Long Beach Red, and the FE2 Magnetic Ride Control without Z51 will cost you $1,895. Silver Flare is the other new exterior color for 2021, but there is no additional cost to select it so it is not listed below.

  • GPH – Red Mist Metallic Tintcoat $995
  • FE2 – Magnetic Ride Control w/o Z51 $1,895
  • DSY – Orange Full Length Racing Stripes $995
  • DSZ – Red Full Length Racing Stripes $995
  • DTO – Yellow Full Length Racing Stripes $995
  • DUH – Blue Full Length Racing Stripes $995
  • DZU – Carbon Flash/Edge Yellow Stinger Graphic $500
  • DZV – Carbon Flash/Midnight Silver Stinger Graphic $500
  • DZX – Carbon Flash/Edge Red Stinger Graphic $500
  • SFE – Wheel Locks $95
  • SQU – High Security Silver Painted Wheel Locks $105
  • W2D – Cargo Net Set $110
  • WKR – C8R Indoor Car Cover $1,195
  • PDY – Roadside Safety Package $175

We note that some of the most popular add-ons were not listed as a 2021 pricing, that being the High Wing or the three-piece Aero Kits which were discontinued and stripped from 2020 orders. We were hoping to see those again. I am also surprised to see that the NPP Performance Exhaust pricing stayed at $1,195 which is what that price as been since it was first introduced on the 2014 Corvettes. Kudos to GM for keeping that popular option from rising as well.

As we’ve discussed, ordering for the 2021 Coupes and Convertibles starts at the end of the week and it will be a busy time for dealers so make sure you have your plans together when you sit down to spec out your Corvette order. Production of the 2021 Corvettes is expected to start in November.


Source:
Chevrolet.com

Corvette hopeful for Road America, expects BMW fightback

Corvette Racing’s Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor are optimistic that a C8.R can score the new car’s third consecutive IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship win at Road America this weekend, but they expect a stronger challenge from BMW following the latest Balance of Performance changes.

For this fourth round of the championship, all GT Le Mans-class cars have had their fuel capacity increased – the BMW M8s by 12 liters, the Corvettes by five liters and the Porsche 911 RSRs by three liters – but the BMWs, run by Rahal Letterman Lanigan, have also had their minimum weight cut by 22lbs [10kg] and their power increased by 14hp.

This could throw a high hurdle in the way of Corvette Racing’s hopes to score three IMSA wins on the bounce for the first time since the spring of 2017. Garcia and Taylor won the second round of this season, the Daytona 240, while they finished just behind their victorious teammates Tommy Milner and Oliver Gavin two weeks ago in the Cadillac Grand Prix at Sebring.

Looking ahead to this weekend’s 2hr40min race around the undulating 4.014-mile course at Elkhart Lake, WI, Garcia said: “Tire degradation is always a key thing at Road America. This new Corvette should be a little bit better on that compared to the[2014-’19 predecessor] C7.R.

“Porsche was strong last year and they obviously are going to be strong again. At Sebring, they showed really good pace behind us. With BMW getting a break, it will be difficult to fight them.

“That will create different speeds at different parts of the track where each car will be strong. We will see where everything lines up, but for sure that should be interesting.”

Added Taylor: “Road America is definitely a power track, so I think [BMW’s BoP break] will be pretty major when we go there. We saw at the Rolex [24 Hours] that they had a pretty big power advantage where they were able to drive around most competitors.

“I’m not sure where their loss of performance was at the Daytona and Sebring sprint races compared to the Rolex but going to Road America that change should benefit them.”

The former IMSA Prototype champion concurred with his co-driver regarding tire life, pointing out, “Road America often has a big tire degradation part to it, so for us that could be a big part of the race strategy-wise.”

Explaining Corvette’s ‘hot streak’ with the new-for-2020 mid-engined C8.R since the restart of the IMSA season, Garcia stated: “At the Rolex 24 [in January] we were good but that was hidden by little mistakes and issues we had toward the finish. We had been competitive for the first 20 hours but had a few little things going on with the car because it was very new. The pace was there but we weren’t able to fight for the win at the end.

“Each month, there is a ton of development and we continue to show that. Even when we weren’t on the track, we continued to develop the C8.R.”

Taylor added: “It’s amazing that we’ve come out so strong after the quarantine period… It shows a lot for what Corvette Racing is about and the preparation it does behind the scenes. Even though no one could go to the race shop, the engineers were working from home and made huge strides on the C8.R. We went back to Daytona and obviously had a good race there with the win and then went back to Sebring where we were able to do a two-day test there before the quarantine and one simulator test when that period opened back up.

“For us it was an unknown for us because it was the first non-Daytona track where we were competing against all the other teams. Daytona is so unique in that you can stack up well at that track and have that not be relevant anywhere else. So it was promising that we were able to get the pole. The car was amazing all race weekend, and I think we’ve shown we can be competitive on all different kinds of tracks. I’m really looking for this one at Road America.”

David Malsher-Lopez for Motorsport