Chevrolet’s plans for the New York International Auto Show later this month will include three never before seen models, including a “new variant of the seventh-generation Corvette.”
Joining the ‘Vette is a reworked Chevy Cruze compact, possibly the 2016 redesign recently spotted outside a GM factory in China, and a yet-unnamed third car that the General says is “an important new addition to our small-vehicle lineup.”
As for the Corvette, GM is playing its cards close to the chest, but early speculation indicates this could be the eagerly awaited Z06 convertible. The fixed-roof Z06, which debuted at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year, is a performance version of the C7 Corvette, offering a performance bump of 170hp and 175 lb-ft of torque over the base car’s 455hp and 460 lb-ft.
This comes thanks to a 625hp supercharged 6.2-liter V8 sporting aluminum cylinder heads, titanium intake valves, forged aluminum pistons, and a dry sump lubrication system. The body makes use of carbon fiber for its aero bits, and overall the fenders are flared 2.2 inches in front and 3.15 inches out back to accommodate wider wheels and tires.
It is well known that the standard Corvette Convertible did not require any additional body stiffening (and thus added weight) when engineers lopped off the roof, and the Z06 droptop is expected to likewise offer a similar performance advantage over the standard convertible.
Photo by Mark Elias.
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