MotorTrend Pits the Corvette Z06, Shelby GT500 and Nissan GT-R Against Each Other

What weights ten tonnes and costs more than US$240,000? If you said, “a gold plated bulldozer”, you’d be close but no cigar. The answer is three sub-100k supercars: the Chevy Corvette Z06, Ford Shelby GT500 and Nissan GT-R. These three industry titans, with nameplates stretching as far back as the 1960s, were the recent subjects of an epic comparison test by MotorTrend. Here are three would-be-supercars – over 500hp and 3 second 0 to 60 mph times – that don’t command the supercar price tag.

The US$55,330 GT500, US$90,950 GT-R and US$98,010 Z06 are all within the budgets of most mid-life crisis suffers (providing you sell the house, the kids and the dog) and offer the sort of performance that was once the sole reserve of great Italians like Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati.

And they’re not stripped out racers either. The Z06, for instance, comes with such luxuries as heated leather seats, Bose audio, Bluetooth and sat nav. You can’t buy a second-hand Lamborghini with that sort of equipment for US$98,010.

If you want to find out who wins this legendary battle, you’ll just have to check out the video. Even if you don’t care who wins you should check out the video anyways for a sweet-as drag race between the Z06, GT500 and GT-R. Now that’s something you don’t see everyday...

By Tristan Hankins

Source: Motortrend

_______________________________VIDEO_______________________________

Savage Rivale’s Roadyacht GTS gets a Racing Variant

Back in 2009 at the Top Marques Monaco Show, Dutch automaker Savage Rivale blew the lid off the Roadyacht GTS, an eccentric four-door, coupe-convertible supercar. While interesting enough to be worth a second look, one could’ve argued on the chances of the Corvette-based vehicle to become a hit. Still, it seems that it was successful enough to prompt the development of a racing version, aptly called the GTR.

The company says the competition model will have a limited run of 69 units and will make use of the same Corvette underpinnings as the civilian version. However, the road-going model's older LS7 V8 is ditched in favor of the more modern LS9 variant. It also loses 2 doors in the process of becoming a truly hardcore racecar.

The 6.2-liter powerplant is said to deliver around 700HP and is strapped to a steel tubular space frame chassis that tips the scales at just 115 kg or 254 lbs and is complemented by a flat underbody with “suction deck” for improved stability and car control.

Inside, the GTR offers only the bare essentials in the form of a seat, steering wheel and typical racing safety features, but customers can also ask for additional seating for a “multi-person experience”.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: Autogespot

Hennessey Z700: Track-Ready 2010 Corvette ZR1 with 705HP, 775HP or 1000HP

Eager to satisfy those who believe that too much horsepower is never enough, Hennessey Performance Engineering has introduced an uber-Corvette in the form of the 2010 ZR1-based Z700. The American tuner claims that the track-orientated Z700 is to the Corvette what the GT3 RS is to the Porsche 911 and the ACR to the Viper. To be produced in a limited run of 24 units for the 2010MY, the Z700 features an array of performance enhancements including an upgraded version of the ZR1's LS9 V8 engine.

The upgraded supercharger, exhaust and air induction systems help lift output from 638 horsepower to 705 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and peak torque to 717 lb-ft at 3,200 rpm. The result is a zero to 60mph (96km/h) sprint time of just 2.9 seconds while the quarter mile is covered in 10.6 seconds at 134 mph. The standard 2010 Corvette ZR1's times are 3.4 seconds and 11.3 seconds at 131 mph respectively.

And if that ain't enough, Hennessey also offers two optional power kits that boost output to 775HP and a massive 1,000HP.

Additional mods on the Z700 include a set of lightweight carbon fiber wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, which Hennessey says reduce rotating weight by nearly 60 lbs, a lowered suspension and a new aero parts such as the carbon fiber front splitter, canards and rear spoiler that are said to add over 300 lbs of downforce.

Inside, the tuner has upgraded the ZR1's cabin with lightweight carbon fiber seats and Alcantara steering wheel and shift knob.

The price for the basic Z700 including the 2010 ZR1 donor car has been set at $207,150 US or at today's exchange rates, €149,312. That's almost double the price of the factory 2010 Corvette ZR1 638HP that starts from $104,920 and four-times the cost of the basic Corvette Coupe 430HP V8 that begins from $49,515.

HENNESSEY Z700 SPECS

Power:

• 705 hp @ 6,400 rpm
  
• 717 lb-ft Torque @ 3,200 rpm
  

Performance:

• 0 – 60 mph: 2.9 seconds
• 0 – 100 mph: 6.4 seconds
• 1/4 mile: 10.6 @ 134 mph
• Skid pad: 1.08 lateral G
• Note: HPE VBox preliminary test data.

Z700 Package Includes:

• Supercharger Modifications (15 psi boost)
  
• Intercooler System Upgrade
  
• Air Induction System Upgrade
  
• Stainless Steel Exhaust Upgrades
  
• Hennessey Light Weight Carbon Fiber Wheels
  
• Front: 19 x 10.5 inches; Rear: 19 x 12.5 inches
  
• Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Tires
  
• Front: 265/35-YR19; Rear: 325/35-YR19
  
• Sparco Carbon Fiber Seats in Alcantara (Driver & Passenger)
  
• 5-Point Harnesses with Harness Bar
  
• Alcantara Steering wheel & Shift Knob
  
• Lowered Factory Suspension
  
• Corner Weighted with 4-wheel Alignment
  
• Z-Aero ™ Carbon Fiber Body Parts: Front Splitter, Canards, Rear Spoiler, Vented Factory Hood, Vented Front Fenders
  
• Hennessey & ZR700 Interior & Exterior Badges
  
• Limited Edition Serial Numbered Plaque
  
• 1-Day Driving Instruction at Lonestar Motorsports Park
  
• 3 Year / 36,000 Mile Limited Warranty
  

Total Cost Including New 2010 ZR1: $207,150 US Dollars

Optional Upgrades

• Z750 – 755 bhp Upgrade
  
• Z1000 – 1,000 bhp Twin Turbo / Supercharged Upgrade
  
• Custom Exterior Colors
  
• Custom Interior Upgrades & Colors
  
• German Delivery - Nurburgring Delivery & Driving Instruction

VIDEO: Kawasaki ZX10 takes on Mazda RX-7 with Corvette V8 in Drift Challenge

Now here's something you don't see every day. Sent in by Carscoop reader Łukasz Ż, this enjoyable time-waster of the day pits a motorcycle against a rear-wheel drive sports car in an out of the ordinary drift challenge. In one corner we have Nick "Apex" Brocha of Icon Motorsports piloting a 2005 Kawasaki ZX10 with 175HP and an extended swingarm. In the other corner is professional racecar driver Jim Guthrie in a 1993 Mazda RX-7 powered by a 375HP Corvette V8 engine. The result? Follow the jump to find out.

We're Goin' Surfin': Rental Corvette Abandoned in Pacific Ocean [With Videos]

Some presumably drunk people out California way decided to have a little bit too much fun in their recently-rented Corvette and ended up parked in salt water halfway up the car's doors. Thankfully in this day and age everyone has some sort of video recording device within arm's reach, so we have some post-parking-surfing videos below.

The story goes something like this: between two and four people - who may or may not have been racing - decided to roll on down to the end of Law Street (seriously) and take the normally pavement-pounding Corvette out to play in the sand. Once actually on the beach, the driver proceeded to do a few donuts, calmly drive the car into the water, and flee the scene.

The report indicates that some people who were involved have been detained, and that at least some of the expenses involved in pulling the car out of the sand could be recouped. All I can say for certain is that puling a car out of wet sand and water must have been hard as hell due to the suction; I learned that lesson when my friend took his Grand Marquis four-wheeling and the night ended...let's say poorly.

By Phil Alex

Source: CBS8

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

Chevrolet Video Teases 2010 SEMA Show Tunes

Next up on our motor show calendar is the biggest tuning event of 2010, the SEMA gathering in Las Vegas, and like every year, GM will be there with a huge display of vehicles. This time, the General is video-teasing some of the Chevrolet models that will descend on the Las Vegas convention center next month including several Corvettes, Silverados and you guessed it, a boat-load of Camaro builds. Scroll down to watch the clip.

_______________________________VIDEO_______________________________

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray pics

Collection of cool Chevrolet Corvette Stingray sports cars including a few concept cars thrown in for good measure. Hope you like them!

The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray has got to me one of my favorite cars but they are very hard to get hold of and I can imagine the car insurance would be eye watering, not to mention the petrol consumption!

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray pics

Collection of cool Chevrolet Corvette Stingray sports cars including a few concept cars thrown in for good measure. Hope you like them!

The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray has got to me one of my favorite cars but they are very hard to get hold of and I can imagine the car insurance would be eye watering, not to mention the petrol consumption!

Mallett Corvette Z03

Many people are simply drawn to cool cars. Behind the artistry and superfluous lines lies the maker’s true passion to make an already existing work of art into something much more. This is what the 2009 USD Mallet Corvette ZO3 is. As a joint project of Mallet Cars of Berea, Ohio and Ugur Sahin Design from Gorinchem, Netherlands, the very powerful Corvette has just gotten a bit better.

The Team of USD B.V. had promising dreams for the Corvette C3. They already knew the capabilities of the favored supercar, which has a supercharger-twin turbo 7-liter V8 engine. But they wanted to create something that not had power in the inside, but it had to reflect on the outside as well. And thus they created something far more than design and style. It’s what they call Automotive Haute Couture.

Mallett Corvette Z03

Many people are simply drawn to cool cars. Behind the artistry and superfluous lines lies the maker’s true passion to make an already existing work of art into something much more. This is what the 2009 USD Mallet Corvette ZO3 is. As a joint project of Mallet Cars of Berea, Ohio and Ugur Sahin Design from Gorinchem, Netherlands, the very powerful Corvette has just gotten a bit better.

The Team of USD B.V. had promising dreams for the Corvette C3. They already knew the capabilities of the favored supercar, which has a supercharger-twin turbo 7-liter V8 engine. But they wanted to create something that not had power in the inside, but it had to reflect on the outside as well. And thus they created something far more than design and style. It’s what they call Automotive Haute Couture.