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Once
again, thanks to our friends at the National
Corvette Museum, 200 Corvette enthusiasts were
part of an extra ordinary event today - the "Revealing"
of the all new 2009 Corvette ZR1 at the North American
International Auto Show. While this is not a Pace
Car, this is an event that we felt was newsworthy
enough to share with our membership.
Several
members of the Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car Registry
were lucky enough to be in attendance when the cover
came off!
The
weekend started off with a very special offer to
those in attendance, to tour Katech Engineering
on Friday, home of the C6.r motor builder, and the
builder of the powerplant for the all new C6RS turnkey
Corvette program from Pratt & Miler. It was
a great tour, and we thank Katech for allowing us
all to tour their facility, learn about their company,
and listen to one of those engines actually run
!
After
the tour, we headed back to the motel and went thru
registration (picking up one of those GREAT button
down Cutter and Buck long sleeve commemorative ZR1
shirts included in our packet!), reminisced with
some old friends, and met some first time attendees
to a NCM event!
EARLY
this morning, after a great breakfast (thanks to
the Somerset Inn for opening up their kitchen early
to accomodate us at 6am!), 4 tour buses met us outside
the motel for a nice ride to COBO Hall. Once there,
we were wisked away to the Corvette display and
awaited the unveiling.
Tom
Wallace, Scott Settlemeyer, Kirk Bennion, Harlan
Charles, Tom Peters, and several other GM officials
were in attendance for the unveiling. One of our
Registry members, Martha Fligor was actually selected
to be one of the two people removing the car cover!
What a surprise for her!
A
technical presentation and Q/A session lasted for
about 1 1/4 hours, and then Tom Wallace had to leave
to head to the airport to make the Barrett Jackson
auction in Arizona, where another ZR1 (the Blue
one) was in attendance to help auction off this
evening the first ZR1 available for "public"
sale for charity (Tom said he hoped to see it go
for $750,000 - it's for a GREAT charity, United
Way!).
UPDATE:
FIRST 2009 RETAILABLE UNIT, VIN # 0001 SELLS FOR
$ 1 MILLION DOLLARS!
This
will be a one of a kind car - special VIN, special
manufacturing code, and the only one produced in
LeMans Blue!! Package includes Bob Bondurant driver
school, some track time with Ron Fellows, an original
GM design artists drawing, NCM delivery (or pickup
at Jay Leno's "garage"), and much more!
WATCH
THE AUCTION VIDEO !!
During
the day, the Corvette display was ALWAYS PACKED
with interested visitors who wanted to hear about
this new horse!
What
else did Tom tell us?
-
At LEAST 620 hp, with 600 lbs of torque! Still
undergoing final certification. The goal is 100hp
per litre.
- Speedo
to 220 mph, with top speeds OVER 200mph!
- Price
- well, not sure yet - "around" $100,000
- maybe slightly less or more - someone overheard
some background talk about maybe $109,000.
- Dealers
who will have them - not sure yet what the distribution
program will be for the car.
- 2000
- the estimated production run for model year
2009. BUT Tom said it will be VERY difficult to
get one of the 2009 cars due to commitments already!
- When
will they be available for order - same as the
production dates for model year 2009 Corvettes.
- For
the Z06 models, Red was the accent color on all
cars (brake rotors, engine fuel rail covers, etc.)
- ZR1 will be Blue!
- Fuel
economy - still undergoing tests - still hope
to avoid "Gas guzzler" tax.
- Emissions
- still undergoing testing for California emissions
certification.
- 2
YEARS - Tom said at least a 2-year production
run, based on demand.
- EXPENSIVE
- The price of that front Carbon Fiber splitter
when the wife (or husband) takes it off on a parking
curb at the Mall? The clearcoat process on the
exposed Carbon Fiber is VERY EXPENSIVE, but the
carbon fiber finish is guaranteed for the life
of the car! They said one component in the panel
fabrication is $60,000 a gallon (he did not say
how many pieces they get out of a gallon), and
the clearcoat finish on the CF is $2,000 per gallon.
When someone in the crowd suggested $600-700 for
a replacement splitter, the response from the
podium was probably 5 times that number!
- Brembo
Carbon Ceramic Brake Rotors - Under "normal"
driving conditions, should last the life of the
car!
- The
car will be heading out to "the Ring"
in Germany for testing and to try to beat the
current Z06 speed / course records!
- Michelin,
yes Michelin tires are standard on the ZR1! When
asked why, the response was that both Goodyear
and Michelin were given the challenge to provide
the tire for the supercar, and Michelin performance
beat Goodyear!
- NAIAS
Accolades - Corvette 2009 ZR1 already awarded
TWO achievements at the show :
o The Detroit Press NAIAS Readers Choice "Best
of Show"!
o Autoweek's Editor's Choice for "Best of
Show"!
And
finally, several other great Vettes at the show!
The
Pratt & Miller C6RS above in the Michelin
booth!! |
And
at the ALMS booth - Welcome back old friends!
Kick BUTT in 2008! |
Something
a little different for 2008 and Corvette Racing
- going "Green".
The C6.r's will use E85 fuel at the US venues! |
DID YOU MISS THE "Reveal" ??- CLICK below
for the following :
(note: for best viewing of videos, high bandwidth
required) |
