“Huge Hit on Our Hands”: 2022 Chevy Corvette Z06 Spy Shots Via Motor Authority

The general consensus over the past year through various blog posts and car aficionado websites is that the Bow-tie brand we love to represent so much here at West Chevy of Knoxville has had a huge hit on our hands with the mid-engine C8 Corvette. There are still models that are coming soon such as the Grand Sport, Z06 and ZR1, and even rumors of new hybrid models that will make their way down the pipeline soon as well.

The bloggers on duty at Motorauthority.com reported this past week that Chevy engineers have been spotted testing a souped-up version of the C8, and based on what past generations have offered up, you are here looking at a new Corvette Z06 that could appear as a 2022 model. At first glance it looks just a bit like previous testers for the Stingray but then you notice the wider rear wheels, which hint at it being a bit more track-tough and ready for even higher hits in the blistering acceleration department. On the Stingray the rear tires max out at about 305 millimetres, but the rear tires on the Z06 are expected to max out at 345 mm.

 

On the latest prototype, the front tires are already a hefty 275 mm and expect a few key changes on the interior as well. An official sketch from last fall had already shown what appeared to be the Z06's cabin, and the layout of the dash matched the design incorporated in the Stingray. The controls on the steering wheel were a bit different and had a giant red button with “Spec Mode” written on it. The instrument cluster displayed the layout of a racetrack, and there was carbon fiber present on many of the surfaces instead of the traditional leather.

The engine onboard is likely to be a close relative of the flat-plane-crank, dual-overhead-cam 5.5-liter V8 that was featured in the C8.R race car. When the overall power factor topic is discussed, we would have to agree that peak output is expected to hover around 600 horsepower. Even though this is a bit less than the 650 hp of the C7 club's supercharged V8, there are going to be plenty out there who have a deep appreciation for naturally aspirated power, even If it means the top end resting a bit lower. For those out there that are among the most power-hungry, there is a twin-turbocharged version of the new V-8 with a bolstered number closer to 800 horsepower expected in the new ZR1, and it promises to deliver the ultimate power needed to command your stance on the track.

At first seating and firing up up the engine, scores of automobile bloggers and enthusiasts have fallen in love with the new Corvette right away. The tightly-wrapped interior, off-the charts handling, and feeling that this is a true competitor against the big-named players such as Ferrari on the track have deemed the coming Corvette models as a perfect choice for anyone itching to spend summer blistering up the track!

Slash Gear Outlines What Will be New for the 2021 C8 Corvette

The 2021 Chevy Corvette C8 is preparing to make its way to many dealerships like ours right here at West Chevy of Knoxville, and the various auto lover's blogs out there are beginning to report on the several tweaks that the model will see. The Slash Gear blog offered up the coverage this past week regarding the expected changes, as the 2021 Corvette Coupe and Convertible will both see adjustments to its options and trims. It took decades of speculations and going painstakingly over many designs to finally launch the C8, and the mid-engined model that came out in 2020 was an instant hit among many.

Even though this is a very high-powered machine that offers up 460 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque, the very modest price tag was also a huge winning factor among car experts and journalists, as well as great offerings on a standard trim. Now that a new model is on the way, it does seem overall like Chevy is not thinking about straying too far from the principles that have already worked out so well. The biggest change covered by Slash Gear is the Magnetic Ride Control Suspension. On the first year's model, if you've wanted it to be included, you had to opt for the Z51 package.

This suspension setup uses magnetorheological fluid which can be altered according to a magnetic field, which then changes the suspension from soft to firm. On the 2021 model, the suspension system will be now offered as a standalone option, so you can opt to forego the performance exhaust and rear axle ratio, Brembo brakes, electronic limited-slip differential, heavy-duty cooling system, and performance Michelin tires. Another addition to the new model is the wireless CarPlay support, which will now be standard across the 1LT, 2LT, and 3LT trims. It enables you to connect directly with your iPhone for the Apple interface without the need for a USB cable.

On last year's model, wireless charging was only standard for the 2LT trim and above, and there are also a couple more new color choices: The Blade Silver Metallic and Long Beach Red Metallic Tintcoat are no longer available, and have seen replacement with the Red Mist Tintcoat and Silver Flare. You can also choose to add matching wheel caps and special graphics with the “Stingray R” package, and there is a new assortment of full-length rain stripes available. There is the addition of a center hood “Stinger Stripe” option, which sees availability in Carbon Flash, Midnight Silver, Edge Red, and Edge Yellow.

There will now also be a Strike Yellow color scheme for the 3LT trim, with Sky Cool gray inserts. There are more carbon fiber accessories on the way, and the LPO High Wing and Door Intake Trim will be available in Visible Carbon Fiber. We will keep you posted right here on the blog about any updates regarding the new year's Corvette model, and we hope that all of you, our customers, are staying safe and healthy during trying times. At West Chevy, we always have your safety as our first priority, and look forward to helping you select the best vehicle for you and your growing family or business!

Forbes Doles out Top Ten Reasons to Buy 2020 Chevy Corvette C8

As we excitedly watched the numerous videos and blogs that depicted the delivery of the all-new 2020 Chevy Corvette here at West Chevy of Knoxville, we thought of how long this triumph was in the making! So many who have test driven it already proclaimed it as “Breathtaking” as well as “Pure Gold”, and the staff duty at Forbes magazine did not possess any difference in their valuable opinion. They have been fortunate enough to give the new 'Vette a spin on public roads and a closed race course facility, and were quick to offer up ten great reasons to sample the world's latest supercar:

0 to 60 Performance: the “base” 6.2-liter V8 engine cranks out 490 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. That's enough raw power and furious force to allow the car to reach the 60 mph mark in just 3 seconds flat. If you opt for the Z51 Performance Package, you'll get there in just 2.8 seconds courtesy of better brakes and suspension, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, and other valuable aerodynamic enhancements.

Outstanding Value: Seeing as how the base level still nails down this 3-second 0 to 60 time, it makes the new Corvette not only one of the fastest street-legal cars on the market but one of a select few that can even dream of hitting those numbers for under 6 figures. This takes the tradition of offering longstanding value to exceptional new heights!

Tremendous Top Speed: IF you happen to have a safe, closed course facility at your disposal, the Corvette does have a blisteringly-fast top speed of 194 mph. That's just in its base form and packs quite a wallop compared to just about anything else in existence out there.

8-Speed Dual Clutch Transmission: What is on board here is unlike a traditional manual transmission: the dual-clutch variant provides the benefit of keeping the rear wheels consistently connected to the engine. This means that shifts can take place in under 100 milliseconds, which is far quicker than a human could ever complete.

Magnetic Selective Ride Control: Chevy proudly perfected this technology years ago, so thoroughly that Ferrari licenses the tech for its own fleet. Once you incorporate the FE4 option, you'll enjoy the Tour, Sport, and Track driving modes. For what Forbes bills as the “best of both worlds”, it allows for a smooth drive during relaxing conditions or appropriate stiffness on a performance run.

Cargo Room: Not many people think at all of the cargo capacity when they think of a sports car. This is a 3-second-to-60 sports car that has 13 cubic feet of capacity, which was definitely unheard of until now. The Forbes crew said that they could fit two sets of golf clubs, in back and the front trunk under the hood can host a large carry-on bag with leftover space to boot.

Fuel Efficiency: This is another trait that the new Corvette boasts: between the torque-heavy engine, 8-speed transmission and slippery stance, not much energy expenditure occurs while at standard highway speed. This enables the new C8 to nail down an average of around 30 mpg.

Driver-Focused Cabin: Elements such as the very squared-off steering wheel and the reconfigurable gauge cluster to the well-angled 8-inch touchscreen helps with a performance orientation. Test drivers have claimed that there is excellent forward visibility, and all three seats provide the best available lateral support ever conceived for a sports car.

Open-Air Cruising: The new C8 comes as a convertible or coupe, but even in coupe form the roof panel can simply be removed and stored with the rear cargo. It also uses the very first retractable hardtop in Corvette history, which can be folded away in 16 seconds. Deriving power from electric motors, the C8 convertible provides the same drag coefficient of the coupe.

Plentiful Options: There is are an abundance of ways to personalize the new C8, with one of the longest option lists ever. By using the Corvette Configurator here you can tool with exterior and interior colors, stripe designs, seat designs, wheel designs, upgrades to performance, and various exterior accents.

Digital Trends Test Drives the 2020 Corvette Stingray and Proclaims it is “Born to Dance”

With a history dating back to the 1950s, the Corvette is absolutely a representation of solid tradition. Yet with the latest, 8^th-generation 'Vette, the car sees the most drastic update in many years. The mid-engined model and plenty of new tech with a cockpit constructed around digital displays is entirely new and almost every single thing has changed regarding performance and handling. The manual transmission has even been axed for a dual-clutch number. The Digital Trends staff agreed that one thing that has not changed is its high value factor: it's priced close to a model such as the Toyota Supra, but its raw performance goes head-to-head with cars in the 6-figure range.

Chevy has contemplated the idea of a mid-engine model since the 1960s, with many concept cars and plans in the making. This is the time when many experts are saying that “it is now elevated from an awesome blue-collar sports car into a rival for European exotics”. The brains and gusto behind the new Corvette was Ed Piatek, the chief engineer for the project. He claimed that Chevy had run out of performance capability with the front-engine build, especially with how rear-wheel-drive limits traction.

After moving the engine behind the driver, more weight is sent to the rear, and those extra pounds help the rear tires with better grip. The driver is now closer to the front wheels, so the steering column can be shorter, which renders the steering more responsive. The car's movement through corners also feels more natural and is one of the reasons why a mid-engine placement is standard for Formula One and IndyCar. There are two trunks in the 2020 Stingray: one in the front, and one in the rear. Between both of them, the new 'Vette has 12.6 cubic feet of total cargo volume.

After a lengthy test drive, writer Stephen Edelstein says that this car is not as stressful to drive as many other mid-engined cars, and the wide windshield offers a perfect view of the road. He took the car for a spin on the Las Vegas Strip, and it was “no more nerve-wracking than any other car”. He was also excited about the 12.0-inch digital instrument cluster, and 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen. There is also a “stealth” mode that shuts down non-pertinent information for night driving, and sensible analog HVAC controls are placed on a long divider between the seats.

Make sure to ask us here at West Chevy of Knoxville about the 2LT trim: this is where you obtain blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. There is also a 360-degree camera system available, along with the digital rearview mirror previously seen in the Chevy Bolt, which streams video directly from a rear-mounted camera, doing the duty of eliminating blind spots. The 2020 Corvette also has a front-end lift system that raises the nose 40 millimeters at the press of a button, and even has memory space for over 1,000 locations!

Chief C8 Corvette Engineer Ed Piatek Claims “More Powerful Variants to Come”

One mile north of Detroit in Ferndale, Michigan is where the world-famous Woodward Dream Cruise begins every year: It's all about cool cars, showing off, hanging out, being seen, and some of the best people-watching on the globe. It took place this entire past week in and around the Motor City, and is now the world's largest one-day automotive event, drawing 15 million people and 40,000 classic cars each year from around the globe. You can see many different types of Corvettes during this event, and the Motor Trend staff was able to catch up with Ed Piatek, the C8's chief engineer.

They questioned him about the potential of more powerful variants in the future, and he offered up some wisdom regarding just how excited he was about the mid-engined model's brand-new existence. The base Stingray has a pushrod 6.2-liter small-block V-8 engine. The updated LT2 makes 490 hp, and 465 lb-ft of torque and the performance exhaust with the Z51 package takes that up to 495 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. He wasn't quite ready to talk specifics about future superchargers, Z06, ZR1s or topics as earthshaking, but all of us here at West Chevy of Knoxville know just how high-performance levels can get with a car this awesome. 

Ed began by laying out the fact that the seventh-generation C7 was tapped out and had reached its maximum potential, and that the physics of biasing an engine's weight towards the rear axle has been questioned for more than 6 decades. Horsepower can be used more efficiently with the configuration of the new C8, and there is the potential for more bandwidth. If you look at the current generation car with 460 hp and the 0-60 time, 300 horsepower can be added to that number and the 0-60 time barely moves. With the C8, you begin with a low 0-60 time, but with a wider wheel-tire package in the rear, and 20 percent more mass on the rear axle. 

When asked if he had concerns about the C8 completely “maxing out”, he said that he felt the new model definitely had lots of room to grow, and it was obvious he was really enjoying the abundance of ripe potential with the new model. The outgoing 2019 ZR1 with the LT5 supercharged 6.2-liter V8 was rated at 755 hp, and 715 lb-ft of torque and the Eaton Supercharger that took up prime real estate in the 2019 ZR1 is 2.9 inches taller than the blowers that were in the 2009 ZR1, or the 2015 Z06. This is the first Corvette to offer a dual-clutch automatic, which paves the way for truly hypercar status acceleration, and we are excited to keep you posted right here on the blog about how it will unleash the potential for more power, excitement, and track-ready stature very soon! 

Motor1.com On Pre-Release Corvette C8 Nurburgring Sighting: “Looks Like it's at Home in the Ring”

For years engineers and other auto experts have been rooting for the coming of the C8 Mid-engined Corvette model. From its debut in 1953 with the Blue Flame inline six-cylinder to the blistering and out-of-this-world Corvette ZR1, the forumla has been pretty much never strayed from. This all changes abruptly this month, when the engine officially is moved behind the passenger seats, and the new C8 is here to create a distinct ripple in the world of players such as the Ferrari 488, Lamborghini Huracan, and Ford GT.

No matter what other car fans contest, all of us here at West Chevy of Knoxville still get excited about every single spy shot and video that crosses our desk: years ago information didn't move as fast, and rumors were much more difficult to confirm. The bright minds on staff at Motor1.com put up a video last week of this amazing new Corvette testing at Nurburgring, and they provide an excellent opportunity to zoom in and really check out the different features from every single angle. The 'Vette hasn't officially been spotted at the Nurburgring since summer of 2018, and being able to claim lap times for this well-recognized landmark would definitely be a valuable marketing asset.

The ferocious new model is expected to debut with a 6.2-liter V8 that generates around 460 horsepower, and operates by means of a dual-clutch gearbox. Down the line more powerful versions are expected to appear, including the possibility of models that use a dual-overhead-cam V8, Cadillac's 4.2-liter, twin-turbo Blackwing V8, and even a hybrid version that could cook up a jaw-dropping 1,000 hp. This highly anticipated debut is scheduled for July 18 in Tustin, California, and production will begin in Bowling Green, Kentucky late this year. Engine placement matters for many various reasons when it comes to high-performance cars, but for the most part, it is in relation to the all-important improvement of handling and braking.

Moving the engine back delegates more weight on the rear axle, which provides more traction and the ability to down more power and accelerate more rapidly. Braking sees improvements as well because the added weight lets the rear brakes take on more of the brunt for stopping. Mid-engined cars make intense engineering adjustments that allow the car to change direction more easily, and faster.

The new C8 sports a much steeper hoodline and a different sense of forward visibility, finishing off with an exotic look akin to a Ferrari. Times have been changing for quite a while now, and going mid-engined will no doubt squeeze every single ounce of potential and raw excitement from a classic car that has long defined the essence and true pulse of track-ready stature!

Camo Corvette ZR1 Spotted Doing Laps at Nurburgring: Details + Spot Check

Deep in the lush region of Rhineland in Germany, there is a 150,000+ capacity motorsports complex that is situated close to legendary castles, and houses the original "North Loup" track. The Grand Prix track built in 1984 is what many fans from around the globe come to see, but when a car is being put through a strenuous performance test, it is on the "Nordschliefe" segment of asphalt. Curious diehard auto racing fans always wonder which vehicles are roaring around the track at this legendary location, and we are receiving reports that lead us to believe the ZR1 Corvette is one of the latest and greatest that is zipping around the tight turns here.

Light Camouflage is what the car in question has been spotted touting, and it has been said to have a very large rear wing. Placed there to assure that the amount of downforce is ample, it reminds those who spotted the car of the big one on the Dodge Viper ACR. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires are what has been spotted on the rig, which seems surprisingly lightweight in relation to the overall package of the ZR1. The last model on the market was able to provide 638 horsepower from a very supercharged 6.2-liter LS9. With the current Z06 pumping out 60, it is expected that this new ZR1 is going to have the ability to really move itself off the line at fever pitch. This is what the most avid of race enthusiasts would expect, as this legendary vehicle simply had to appear on a poster with a sporty red cover for decades to make any serious driver's mouth water.

The word that is out among many we trust is that the ZR1 will be unveiled at either an IMSA race, or the Corvette Museum itself. If you haven't ever been to Bowling Green KY to visit this sensational shrine, it is where you can take a peek at over 80 Corvettes, test your knowledge with fun kiosks, and get a souvenir from the famed Corvette store. Anyone who simply loves the finer elements of driving is going to be excited when the ZR1 finally hits the streets of Knoxville. We can't imagine just how exciting it will be to finally open one up freely on I-40 as the balmy breezes hit town.

Nurburgring is about the coolest and most unique location that the new 'Vette could be seen at during its final test run stage: it was the main venue for the German Grand Prix as part of the Formula One World Championship after World War II. While practicing for the 1961 German Grand Prix here, Phil Hill became the first driver to complete a lap of the Nordschleife in under 9 minutes. A testimony to stellar production, love of speed and cosmetic car satisfaction, the ZR1 is going to stoke the driving spirit from coast to coast, as its long-awaited release is finally unveiled in the very near future.