New era begins at Daytona with IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge
The Chevrolet
Camaro Z/28 returns to its racing roots this week when the all-new
Camaro Z/28.R race car debuts in a 2.5-hour endurance race ahead of the
52nd Rolex 24 At Daytona. It will be one of the most production-based
competitors on the track, sharing aero, engine and even axle components
with the new 2014 Camaro Z/28.
Stevenson Motorsports and CKS
Autosport will campaign Z/28.R race cars in the GS class of the IMSA
Continental Tires SportsCar Challenge. The Daytona race begins at 1:45
p.m. EST, on Friday, Jan. 24, kicking off the 12-race 2014 season.
“The
original Camaro Z/28 was designed for racing and became an iconic
performance car through its hard-fought victories,” said Mark Kent,
director of racing for Chevrolet. “A new chapter in racing begins this
week, as the new Camaro Z/28 makes its competition debut in one of the
most hotly contested series in motorsports.”
This week Chevrolet introduced the most track-capable Corvette in the brand’s history – the 2015 Corvette Z06. It stretches the performance envelope for Corvette with unprecedented levels of aerodynamic downforce, at least 625 horsepower from an all-new supercharged engine, and an all-new, high-performance eight-speed automatic transmission – all building on the advanced driver technologies introduced on the Corvette Stingray.
“The new Z06 delivers levels of performance, technology and design that rival the most exotic supercars in the world,” said Mark Reuss, president, General Motors North America. “And the Z06 leverages the engineering expertise of GM, offering the choice of two world-class transmissions, supercar performance without supercar fuel consumption and technologies that make it easier to fully enjoy the incredible experience of driving it.”
The 2015 model is the first Corvette Z06 to offer a supercharged engine, an automatic transmission and, thanks to a stronger aluminum frame, a removable roof panel. The new, supercharged 6.2L engine is expected to deliver at least 625 horsepower (466 kW), and can be matched with either a seven-speed manual or an all-new, high-performance eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters for manual control. The aluminum frame carries over from the Corvette Stingray and will be used essentially unchanged for the Corvette Racing C7.R.
A track-focused Z07 Performance Package adds unique components for true aerodynamic downforce, Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cup tires for enhanced grip, and Brembo carbon ceramic-matrix brake rotors that improve braking performance and contribute to greater handling through reduced unsprung weight. Although development testing is ongoing, the Z07 package has already recorded some of the fastest lap times ever for a Corvette, surpassing even the ZR1.
“The Corvette Z06 is a great example of the technology transfer between racing and production Corvettes,” said Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer. “First, we took what we learned on the Corvette Racing C6.R and applied that to the all-new Corvette Stingray. Then, using the Stingray as a foundation, the Z06 and C7.R were developed to push the envelope of performance on the street and the track.”
New Car Assessment Program includes regular and double cab configurations
The regular and double cab versions of 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 have received the highest possible 5-star Overall Vehicle Score for safety as part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s New Car Assessment Program.
Joining the previously tested 2014 crew cab models, which also received a 5-star overall score, all cab configurations of the Silverado and Sierra 1500 series now have the highest possible Overall Vehicle Score. These models are the first pickup trucks to receive the 5-star NHTSA Overall Vehicle Score for safety since the implementation of more rigorous requirements for the 2011 model year.
“Our incredibly capable trucks have been engineered to be some of the safest,” said Gay Kent, GM general director of Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness. “We’ve designed the vehicle structure, strategically placed high-strength steel and developed the occupant restraint system to achieve high levels of safety performance.
“This level of vehicle performance is complemented by a full array of other advanced safety features to help protect our customers, no matter which new Silverado or Sierra they choose.”
