Take a Trip Down NASA’s Memory Lane with 2014 Corvette Stingray

Astronauts have had a special relationship with the Chevrolet Corvette since the 1960s, when GM's halo sports model was the undisputed car of choice for NASA’s most envied employees.

The latest episode of Motortrend's Epic Drives looks back at that era through the windshield of the seventh-generation Corvette, the Stingray. Host Arthur St. Antoine has astronaut and Corvette fan Walt Cunningham talk about those years and revisit the shrines of America’s space program nearly 46 years after the astronaut's historic Apollo 7 flight.

The two men drive the Corvette from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center to Houston’s Mission Control, with Cunningham sharing some interesting things about NASA’s and astronaut’s glory days.

However, the video is worth watching even if you’re not a big fan of space exploring, as St. Antoine and Cunningham visit a Houston Corvette collector who lets them pick two of his vintage Vettes for a drag race with the C7.

By Dan Mihalascu

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A Technical Video Walk-Around the New Corvette Z06 and C7.R, Plus Live Shots from Detroit

GM is certainly raising the bar again with the latest addition to the Corvette Stingray family, the new Z06, which polishes up the previous generation ZR1's supercharged formula, using the seventh generation model's lighter chassis as a base to create an even better and faster sports car.

And yes, factoring in how potent the C7 Z06 is, we too are pondering what kind of a monster is GM working on for the ZR1's replacement…

For now, you can calm down your curiosity with live shots from Chevrolet's Detroit motor show stand, and a pair of videos.

In the first clip that you will find below, Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer, provides us an in-depth look at all of the performance-driven aspects of the 625-horsepower 2015 Corvette Z06, while in the second one, Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports, does the same for the racing version of the Corvette dubbed C7.R.

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Meet the Z06’s Racing Cousin, the Chevrolet Corvette C7.R [w/Video]

The Corvette wouldn’t have become the global icon it is if it weren’t for its racing exploits. It was only natural then that the C7 Corvette Stingray spawned a racing version and that’s where the Corvette C7.R comes in.

Unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show, the new racing Vette was co-developed with the 2015 Corvette Z06, with the two cars sharing chassis, engine technologies and aerodynamics strategy.

Just like the Z06, the new C7.R features an aluminum frame that is 40 percent stiffer than the outgoing C6.R. The new racing Vette features a direct-injected naturally aspirated 5.5-liter V8 engine carried over from the C6.R, as the GT rules limit the maximum displacement to 5.5-liters and prohibit forced induction.

Another difference from the Z06 is the suspension, which is modified to accommodate wider racing tires and larger brakes, again part of the GT regulations. Aerodynamically, the Corvette C7.R and Z06 feature similar front splitters, rocker panels, and front- and rear-brake cooling ducts. The race car also features a larger rear wing and a larger radiator inlet that improves the aerodynamic balance.

Additionally, the C7.R ditches the NACA (U.S. National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) ducts, replacing them with openings on each of the rear quarter panels, above the brake ducts, meant to draw air to help cool the race car’s transaxle and differential.

The C7.R will debut on January 25 at the 52nd Rolex 24 At Daytona, the inaugural round of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, a new series resulted after the merger of the American Le Mans Series and GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. Corvette Racing will field two cars at the event, with the C7.R to compete in the GT Le Mans class. The factory team is also expected to compete in June at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the GTE Pro class.

By Dan Mihalascu

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2015 Corvette Z06 Has 625HP, Is Faster Than C6 ZR1 on the Track! [w/Video]

Chevrolet has finally unveiled the 2015 Corvette Z06 at the Detroit Auto Show, with the performance version of the Corvette Stingray surely bringing up a few surprises. First of all, Chevrolet says that with the track-focused Z07 performance package the car delivers faster lap times than the 2013 Corvette ZR1!

Furthermore, the 2015 Corvette Z06 is the first Z06 model to offer a supercharged engine, a removable roof panel and an available paddle-shift 8-speed automatic transmission (yes, you also have the option of a manual).

The car features a new LT4 6.2-liter supercharged engine that is expected to deliver at least 625hp and 635 lb-ft of torque (861 Nm). Featuring direct injection, cylinder deactivation and continuously variable valve timing, the unit is linked to a standard 7-speed manual gearbox or an available 8-speed auto. Engine power is boosted by the new 1.7L Eaton R1740 TVS supercharger, which spins at up to 20,000 rpm – 5,000 rpm more than the supercharger on the Corvette ZR1's LS9.

Chevrolet offers a track-focused Z07 Performance Package that adds unique components to increase aerodynamic downforce, Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cup tires for enhanced grip and Brembo carbon ceramic-matrix brake rotors. Currently under development testing, the Z07 package has already recorded some of the fastest lap times ever for a Corvette, surpassing even the ZR1.

Just like the Corvette Stingray it’s based upon, the Corvette Z06 features an aluminum frame, which will also be used by the Corvette Racing C7.R. The stiffer aluminum frame has allowed Chevrolet to offer the Z06 with a removable roof panel for the first time.

As the car features wider tires, the fenders of the Z06 are extended by 2.2 inches (56mm) at the front and 3.15 inches (80mm) at the rear, offering the car a wider, lower appearance that is also highlighted by a unique rear fascia. On the Z06, the taillamps are pushed approximately three inches farther apart, toward the edges of the body.

The Z06 offers three, increasing levels of aerodynamic downforce: standard Z06, carbon-fiber aero package and Z07 package. The latter makes the Corvette Z06 deliver the most amount of aerodynamic downforce of any GM production car.

On the inside, the Z06 gets unique color schemes and a flat-bottomed steering wheel, as well as two seating choices: a comfort-oriented GT seat and a Competition Sport seat with more aggressive side bolstering.

Chevrolet did not reveal performance data or pricing, but said the Z06 will arrive in early 2015 with the smart electronic limited-slip differential (eLSD) as a standard feature.

By Dan Mihalascu

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