The Right Idea
Posted by admin on August 20th, 2008 filed in Sport Smart Super Auto Car
For a long time Chevrolet has had the right idea when it comes to cars, and as such the remain the best selling cars in this country, it doesn’t matter what you preference is, the facts will let you know that I am telling the truth, now for a while even I wondered what they were doing to themselves, in the 1980’s they built that horrible excuse for a Corvette, and I thought, good lord Chevrolet is starting to lose it.
And then in the 1992 they took the Camaro out of production, and I thought, what is Chevrolet thinking, the Camaro is their last muscle car to speak of, are they going to go down in flames, and then I begun to think about it, this could be a huge stunt to promote the latest ideas, thousands of people complained to them, and they started to listen to their customers, a rarity in the automotive industry.
In 1992 Chevrolet released the all new Corvette, and I knew that some big things had taken place at Chevrolet, the Corvette was a real player in the style department, and it wasn’t going to stop there, they would again in 1997 update the body style of that famous car known as the Corvette, and this time they would nail it, it had that fancy European look about it, and it had a good amount of power for the normal performance car enthusiast.
In 1997 you only had the choice of a coupe, there was no convertible, a little odd for the Corvette, but it seemed to work out quite well for Chevrolet, it came with a 5.7 liter 90 degree V8 engine boasting 340 HP @ 5600 rpm and 350 FTLB of torque @ 4400 rpm, it was not quite what a Corvette should be in the power department, but Chevrolet was to make some changes in that area.
The Corvette was a whole new breed, with the mods made to the wheel base and width of the car, it look completely different from the model before it, and this was a very good thing for Chevrolet when it came to sales of the new car, the all aluminum LS1 engine would of course lighten up the car a lot, and make it a better handling car all around.
Year To Year Changes
For more info on the Corvette please visit Corvette this is where this info came from.
1998 Chevrolet Corvette: Big news for Corvette fans was the arrival of a convertible to join the initial fifth-generation coupe. Chevrolet’s designers had engineered the latest Corvette to accommodate a convertible body with no additional structural bracing. Convertibles were expected to account for about 45 percent of sales.
They were equipped with a manual folding top, containing a glass rear window and defroster.
Not since 1962 had a convertible Corvette been sold with a traditional trunk.
Magnesium wheels joined the option list, and the engine was revised to quiet the fuel pump.
This year’s Corvette also got a provision for the automatic transmission to start in second gear, for cleaner getaways on slippery surfaces.
1999 Chevrolet Corvette: A new hardtop body style joined the removable-roof coupe and the convertible. Not available with some of the new options, the hardtop weighed about 90 pounds less than its mates and shared the convertible’s trunk. Hardtops came only with 6-speed manual shift and the sport-tuned Z51 suspension.
Other models could have the standard suspension or an optional driver-adjustable setup with soft, medium, and firm settings.
Among the options unavailable on the hardtop were a head-up display that projected instrument-panel readouts into the windshield, and a power-telescoping steering wheel.
All models could have an optional Active Handling chassis control, which used the brakes to keep the car on line during severe cornering maneuvers.
2000 Chevrolet Corvette: The base-model fixed-roof hardtop gained some standard equipment for 2000, including visor mirrors and a remote trunk release. Hardtops could now be equipped with the optional head-up instrument display, as well as dual-zone climate control, fog lamps, and magnesium wheels.
2001 Chevrolet Corvette: Corvette gained an extreme-performance variant for 2001, and all models got standard antiskid control.
The coupe was renamed Z06 and given special performance tuning including additional horsepower, upgraded suspension, and larger brakes.
2002 Chevrolet Corvette: The Z06 model got 405 horsepower for 2002–up 20 hp from ‘01.
It now came with the head-up instrument display that was optional on other ‘Vettes, plus revisions to its unique chassis tuning.
Other models were no longer available with magnesium wheels, and a CD player replaced the cassette deck as standard equipment.
2003 Chevrolet Corvette: All ‘03 Corvettes wear 50th anniversary insignia.
The convertible and hatchback offered a 50th Anniversary Special Edition Package (1SC) with red paint, champagne-colored wheels, and unique trim and badging.
Available for the convertible and hatchback and included in the Anniversary package was new Magnetic Selective Ride Control.
2004 Chevrolet Corvette: Trim packages commemorating racing Corvette’s are the main additions to the ‘04 Corvette.
Enter that 2006 Corvette, a new revolution in the Corvette line, this would be the most powerful production Corvette ever, well if you opted for the ZO6 option, it comes form the factory with an all aluminum 7.0 liter, or 427 CID engine, yes I said 427, the most famous Chevrolet big block ever built, but the twist here ism this is not a big block, it’s a small block, that that has the power of a big block, but still retains the revability of a small block.
This engine is called the LS7, and it’s a serious competitor, with a whopping 505 HP from the factory, it no wimp, it will get down to business with the best of them on the track, it has taken 1ST and 2ND place at the 24 hours of Lemans, against competitors like Ferrari, Porsche and a lot of other top European companies, gaining respect the world over.
I live in Salt Lake City, Utah, and have been in the automotive business for about 25 years, and during that time I have worked in all facets of the industry, plus owned my own shops, like I do now.
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The Legendary Sports Car - The Jaguar E-type
Posted by admin on August 19th, 2008 filed in Sport Smart Super Auto Car
One of the most popular sports cars from the 1960s is the Jaguar E-type, which was manufactured in between the years 1961 and 1974. The car, which is sometimes known as the Jaguar XK-E, has ranked high on many sports car lists, because it was unique, powerful, and certainly ahead of its time. The cars were sold for over 14 years, and coupled with a low price, this lead to over 70,000 E-types sold.
Over the years there were three different versions of the car released. In the beginning, the car was designed to be a race car. However, it gradually turned into a sports car and was first shown to the public in Switzerland in 1961 as a car for long trips and as a convertible. The public immediately enjoyed the car, most likely due to its shape. The aerodynamic shape of the car was unique for its time and highly influenced other sports cars that came after it.
When the car was introduced in the United States, it was shown in its gold color and was accompanied by a popular actress named Marilyn Hanold.
For a car released in 1961, the power was also unheard of. There were four wheel disc brakes, which was only found on race cars at the time, a double overhead cam engine, and completely independent rear suspension. The price at the time was only $5,600, which proved the Jaguar E-type to be a great deal.
In 1969, the second version of the car was released. New features included open headlights without glass covers and a better cooling system. The car now offered an air conditioning and power steering options, while the car seats were designed to be more comfortable. The interior and dashboard also experienced a redesign, as new American health and safety regulations had to be met. The second series of the E-type lasted on three years, but that was because the third version was released in 1971.
An upgraded Jaguar V12 engine was used in the third design of the car. This also came with better brakes and standard power steering. The third series of the Jaguar E-type also had its own unique look, with a front grill and a V12 badge on the rear. The car’s wheel arches were also different. This was the last series of the E-type, as the Jaguar XJ-S attempted to replace the car in 1975. Most can agree that the car did not pass the legendary status of the Jaguar E-type.
To this day, the Jaguar E-type is considered to be one of the best sports car ever built. It’s truly a popular coupe, as it is still shown on the cover of some car magazines. The car hasn’t slowed down in recent years either, as many E-types are sold online, ranging in price from $10,000 to $60,000. Fans of the original might even be interested in the current Jaguar model, the XK8, which is regarded by many fans as being the spiritual successor to the legendary sports car.
Michael Russell
Your Independent Sports Car guide.
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Corvette 1984-96 C4 is One of Today’s Best Performance-Car Values
Posted by admin on August 18th, 2008 filed in Sport Smart Super Auto Car
Chevrolet’s brawny plastic-bodied two-seater has long been a dream machine for countless enthusiasts. Today, that dream is more in reach than ever. The fourth generation or “C4″ version of these cars are absolute steals on used-car lots.
These potent performers made their debut for 1984, replacing the soft, boulevardier 1968-82 “Shark” design. With vastly improved aerodynamics and extensive use of aluminum in its construction, the C4 was enormously more capable than its predecessor.
Throughout the C4’s long production run, practically every model year brought significant improvements, including revised suspension, higher-quality interiors, and new electronic performance aids. Horsepower for 1984 was a somewhat tame 205, but it went up by 25 hp the next year and continued to steadily climb. A convertible was introduced for 1986, and the following year horsepower reached 240.
For 1990, the C4 got a redesigned dashboard, followed a year later with an exterior facelift that included more rounded front- and rear-fascia styling. For 1992, horsepower jumped to 300. From 1990 to 1995, Chevrolet offered the limited-production ZR-1, which was powered by a 375-405hp Lotus-designed V8. Output of the regular small-block-V8 C4 peaked in 1996, at an optional 330hp.
With strong V8 power and exceptional handling, any C4 is a tremendously potent machine, even against some of today’s pricier new performance cars. Best of all, you can find loads of good C4s practically anywhere in the U.S. for less than $10,000.
When shopping for a C4, it’s best to look for as late a model as you can, to take advantage of the many refinements the design received over the years. The most desirable cars are the 1992 and later ones. Besides having considerably more power, their softer styling is less 1980s “high-tech” and thus doesn’t look as dated at this point.
Early C4 coupes (1984-91) show up by the truckload for less than eight grand, with a fair number of them listing for under $5000. But realistically, you should expect to pay $6000 or more for a decent one. Scrounge up at least another thousand or two on top of that if you have your heart set on a good 1992-96. As for ZR-1s, forget about ‘em — they currently sell for about $25-$40k.
Convertibles command about a 30-percent premium over equivalent coupes, which basically puts the 1992-96 ragtops out of our $10k Budget-Speed cap. Earlier convertibles, however, are still within range.
So while the performance-car world is drooling over new C6s or shopping for used C5s, these cars’ fine predecessor is going for clearance-sale prices. And that’s great for you — a good used C4 can offer more thrills per dollar than most performance cars, making them well worth a look.
For more about affordable performance cars, along with drive-test articles on today’s hottest sports cars, sport compacts, and muscle cars, go to http://www.autiv.com/
David Bellm is a seasoned test driver and automotive writer. His work has been featured in a wide variety of online and print publications.
Tags: C4 Corvette, chevrolet, corvette, sports car