Limited edition of 250 Corvette Coupes will arrive in Europe at the beginning of March

To celebrate the success of Corvette in sports car racing and in particular the prestigious Le Mans 24-Hour event, a limited series of just 250 Victory Edition Corvette Coupes is being produced. Since Corvette Racing made its debut in 1999, the team has won over 50 races, including five class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans between 2001 and 2006.

The Victory Edition Corvette is based on the Corvette C6 Coupe which shares strong links with the Corvette C6.R race car and the high performance version Corvette Z06. The Victory Edition offers the LS2 6.0L V-8 engine producing 297kW (404 hp) and 546 Nm of torque, matched to a rear-mounted transaxle that helps improve vehicle weight distribution. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, with the option of an electronically controlled 6-speed Paddle Shift transmission with automatic modes.

The Victory Edition Corvette is available in two colours reflecting the Corvette racing heritage; Black or Velocity Yellow Tintcoat, distinguished by Competition Grey aluminium wheels, 18-inch front and 19-inch rear. A body-colour wide rear spoiler is a further distinguishing feature.

The interior features two-tone leather seats with Corvette flag emblems and contrasting stitching. Cars with the black exterior feature an ebony and red theme while ebony and titanium grey colours mark the interior of Velocity Yellow cars. Both interiors are further enhanced by Competition Grey door sill plates, a carbon-look interior trim package and a unique, numbered Victory Edition badge.

The Victory Edition Corvette features a DVD Navigation System with touch screen and voice guidance, along with a Luxury Package. This includes heated seats, a memory package with presets for two drivers for the 6-way power drivers seat, exterior mirrors and powered telescopic steering wheel. A head-up display including G-force meter, auto-dimming inside rear view mirror and a premium Bose 7-speaker sound system.

Every Corvette Victory Edition will get a numbered car identification interior badge. And, as part of their ownership experience, buyers are invited to participate in a 1 day free Corvette Drivers Training event with professional instructors at selected race tracks across Europe.

The Corvette Victory Edition will be available in Europe at the beginning of March 2007.

...carbon-look interior trim package....

GM's Global Goals: Automaker's international car lines get closer; C7 Corvette to push 700 hp

By Paul Horrell

Jim Queen, GM's VP of global product development, has told Motor Trend more about how GM's international car lines will continue to get closer.

He said GM's new Australian RWD platform will be used not just on the Pontiac G8 and Chevy Camaro, but as the basis for the next generation of Cadillacs.

In fact in GM's portfolio, the only large RWD car (not truck) not built on this platform will be the next Corvette and XLR.

Queen says the C7 Vette will stick will a naturally aspirated V8 and RWD (not AWD). But power will climb by another significant increment, likely up to around 700 horsepower for the high end model, although Queen would give no specific number. 'We're working hard to get that power onto the pavement,' Queen said, mentioning that weight and weight distribution are the keys.

The twinning of Opel and Saturn continues. The new Korean-built Opel Antara has just gone on sale in Europe, and will become the 2008 Saturn Vue, from the same source, as announced just before the Chicago Show.

Saturn will also get further bodystyles of the Europe-built compact, the Astra. Three-door and five-door hatchbacks were unveiled at the Chicago autoshow, but sedan and a coupe-cabrio called TwinTop will make the transition to Saturns.

Tuner builds 810 horsepower, 240 mph BMW M5

Currency Motor Cars in Westlake, CA has introduced its first project in an "unprecedented line of supercars." The flagship model is a 2006 BMW M5 that can reach a top speed of 240 mph.

Its high compression V-10 engine has been altered by company founder Ron Cash to accommodate twin-turbos and a custom, hand crafted inter-cooled system to kick out an astounding 810 horses.

Although turbochargers are usually located under the hood, this M5 has its turbos under the rear bumper, where the rear silencers once were. Air is channeled to this location via a tube running along the passenger side of teh car. Amazingly, the seven-speed SMG transmission did not require any modifications.

The mind-boggling power of this vehicle is complimented by the exquisite $100,000 alteration of its interior. The leather in the steering wheel is the same as the leather in the seats. Fully aniline dyed Florida Crocodile in black.

The custom interior is all hand stitched, designed and installed by CMC co-founder Judy Amic-Angelo.

Currency Motors intends to build ten of these custom M5s, for $350,000 apiece.

2009 Blue Devil Corvette in final development phase

Engineers at General Motors are putting the finishing touches on the forthcoming "Blue Devil" Corvette, according to Vice Chairman Bob Lutz. Although new government emissions regulations have put future rear-wheel-drive GMs in jeopardy, the Blue Devil won't be affected.

“That one is too late to stop. That’s almost finished. It’s in the final stages of tuning,” Lutz told Car and Driver in a recent interview.

Lutz said development of the vehicle has been a challenge. "This thing has so much power […] We’re really into a speed and power realm that General Motors has never been in before. We’re way up there with Porsche Carrera GTs and Ferraris.” Lutz said predicable handing and safety are top priorities.

Lutz would not give a specific horsepower rating, but he said matching the Viper SRT10's 600 hp would not be "satisfactory." As for 700 hp, Lutz said that would be a "stretch." In other words, expect the new Corvette to be somewhere in between.

C&D reckons the Blue Devil will arrive on the auto show circuit in early 2008 as a 2009 model. Automotive News previously quoted Lutz as saying the more powerful two-seater would arrive in summer 2009.

Possible names for the production Blue Devil include Corvette SS, Z07 or Sting Ray.

The official unveiling is apparently set for this Saturday, April 28 at the C5/C6 Bash at the National Corvette Museum in BowlingGreen, but thanks to a poster at Digital Corvettes, you can get sneak preview of the 2008 Corvette and its LS3 V8 right now. The new mill is expected to pump out 430 horsepower, and the '08 Vette will also sport new 5-spoke wheels and interior tweaks, among other things. We'll have to wait until the weekend for the full dog & pony show to go down, but one thing's certain: the presence of 430 standard horsepower will only further cement the Corvette's standing as an unbelievable performance value. Production of the LS3-powered Vettes is scheduled to start this week.