Competition Sport Packages to 2009 Model Year

[Rob]

Distribution Updates

Updates for Corvette

Week of 12/15/2008

Effective 12/15/2008, the following changes will be made to the Vehicle Order Guide:

Coupe and Convertible Exterior section-Added (CSC) Coupe Competition Sport Package, includes (QX1) 5-split spoke Competition Gray-painted aluminum wheels, stripes, Jake graphics, headlamps, racing style numbers (customer-installed), (193) Ebony leather seating surfaces interior with Gray stitching, Jake CSR embroidery on seats and center console, (UV6) Head-Up Display, Genuine Corvette Accessories aluminum pedals and graphic pattern engine cover, (Z51) Z51 Performance Package, (NPP) dual-mode performance exhaust, (MN6) 6-speed manual transmission, differential cooler and Red brake calipers. Content cannot be changed. It is "A1" on 1YY07 1LT with a footnote 1 that reads "Requires exterior color (10U) Arctic White or (17U) Blade Silver Metallic.".

Z06 and ZR1 Exterior section-Added (CSC) Z06 Competition Sport Package, includes (Q44) spider design, Z06 Competition Gray-painted aluminum wheels, stripes, Jake graphics, headlamps, racing style numbers (customer-installed), (193) Ebony leather seating surfaces interior with Gray stitching, Jake CSR embroidery on seats and center console, Genuine Corvette Accessories aluminum pedals and graphic pattern engine cover. Content cannot be changed. It is "A1" on 1YY87 1LZ with a footnote 1 that reads "Requires exterior color (17U) Blade Silver Metallic or (41U) Black.".

[NORTY]

Are we supposed to get excited about stickers and embroidery? It's like 1974 all over again! Graphix do not make a car "sportier/racier." All the other stuff mentioned is existing. How about a "lightweight" car without the crap that clutters the car now? Don't get me started on the rocking chair seats either. The belts are rubbish too. (Sorry, I just watched Top Gear again!) Take 600-700lbs out of the car and I'll get excited.

[Rob]

Are we supposed to get excited about stickers and embroidery? It's like 1974 all over again! Graphix do not make a car "sportier/racier." All the other stuff mentioned is existing. How about a "lightweight" car without the crap that clutters the car now? Don't get me started on the rocking chair seats either. The belts are rubbish too. (Sorry, I just watched Top Gear again!) Take 600-700lbs out of the car and I'll get excited.

When the government relaxes their crash test standards, cars including the Corvette can lose 600-700 lbs, BUT, it will be more in-line with a Lotus Elize - extremely spartan without any type of interior and rides like a truck.

Since it's unlikely that the government will relax the crash test standards, get used to what YOU consider to be, an overweight Corvette.

Thanks to those of us that voted some of these monkeys into office combined with our affinity for filing lawsuits in this country, we now have our government dictating crash test standards that forces weight to be piled on to cars.

I think the legal-weenies like to call that "safety".

It always amazes me how people think the Corvette is overweight...and yet, when you compare it to Porsche, Ferrari, Aston Martin and Lamborghini, it's one of the lightest sports cars out there.

[XLR8]

I'd like to see a photo of a Vette with the graphics applied... bet that will look good!

Jane Ann

[catbert]

The new packages are pretty much change for the sake of change, but they HAVE to offer something new for a model year. I agree that GM should offer a lightweight Vette, much the same as the Viper ACR. It wouldn't impact the safety standards, but would be spartan enough that it would NOT be suitable as a daily driver. Losing the run flats, climate control, most power assists, insulation, plush seats etc would drop the Vette to way under 3,000 pounds, and that would make the purists happy, but GM could probably only sell a couple dozen a year. So, if the weekend racers want a lightweight Vette, they can do what hotrodders have been doing for 5 decades - strip the unessential stuff.

As a separate issue - I have to laugh at all the talk about the Vette being overweight. The $195,00 Porsche turbo weighs in at almost 3,200 pounds, and I've NEVER heard anyone say a word about the weight. Those that don't respect what GM has done with the Vette will always talk about the superiority of European cars - even if they aren't.

[NORTY]

When the government relaxes their crash test standards, cars including the Corvette can lose 600-700 lbs,

The Gov't has too much control over everything in the US as it is.

BUT, it will be more in-line with a Lotus Elize - extremely spartan without any type of interior and rides like a truck.

BINGO, except the "rides like a truck."

Since it's unlikely that the government will relax the crash test standards, get used to what YOU consider to be, an overweight Corvette.

The Corvette does do very well in "crashworthiness" tests, I will give you that. I have gotten used to the overweight Corvette, especially with full fuel cells

Thanks to those of us that voted some of these monkeys into office combined with our affinity for filing lawsuits in this country, we now have our government dictating crash test standards that forces weight to be piled on to cars.

I wasn't going to get political here but you are 100% right about both points here. Remember, the Gov't doesn't know a damn thing. They just pass laws, whether they are possible to comply with...or not. (I guess that's why we have gov't jobs...for the people that can't hack it in the private sector.)

I think the legal-weenies like to call that "safety".

It always amazes me how people think the Corvette is overweight...and yet, when you compare it to Porsche, Ferrari, Aston Martin and Lamborghini, it's one of the lightest sports cars out there.

Consider yourself, amazed. The Corvette is still overweight IMO. Why GM (and all other manufacturers) have to pile on bulk, and then spend good money to improve a couple of things is beyond me (marketing most likely.). Take for example most of the hardware is heavy, low quality junk. (Yes, I do know the difference between Grade 1,5,8) Sure the critical points need to be well engineered, but quite a few fasteners are swiss cheese. Heavy swiss cheese at that. As far as the marques you mentioned above, they're in the same boat also. (Come to think of it, they may very well be IN the same boat!)

The Z06 scales 3150lbs. If it weighed 2500lbs, The car would be sportier. I could live without the "niceties" the car has. If I want "niceties," I'll buy a luxury car. If I need to haul stuff, I'll use my truck. See what I'm looking for here? Can I find an 2100lb Ford GT-40? Yes, I've driven it. Do I want to buy another car for a specific purpose? Not really.

[NORTY]

As a separate issue - I have to laugh at all the talk about the Vette being overweight. The $195,00 Porsche turbo weighs in at almost 3,200 pounds, and I've NEVER heard anyone say a word about the weight. Those that don't respect what GM has done with the Vette will always talk about the superiority of European cars - even if they aren't.

Glad I could supply you with your chuckle for the day! That P-car is too heavy also! Please don't take my comments as "lack of respect" but a different point of view. As far as European cars being "superior", I don't know about that. I've driven some of the garbage they call cars...

[Hib Halverson]

(snip) See what I'm looking for here? Can I find an 2100lb Ford GT-40? Yes, I've driven it.

Which GT40 are you talking about? The mid-60s race car or the retro-revival street version Ford sold in 2005 and 2006?

[NORTY]

Which GT40 are you talking about? The mid-60s race car or the retro-revival street version Ford sold in 2005 and 2006?

1965 with the 289 and 4 speed. Very fast car. Noisey, fast, no nonesense racecar. Just what a sports car should be. NOT a kit car. The car was brought over from England with a rich racing history. A friend of mine owned it for years. He sold it about 10 years ago to someone living in Nashville. No, I'm not saying who either!

When smog testing first started in California, my friend had to get it smogged. Aside from the paperwork DMV problem (it was registered as a "1965 Coupe") there's no way in hell this car was going to pass! There were 2 techs working the smog facility that Sunday morning. They said they'd pass the car for a ride. Back then, the area wasn't as busy as it is now, and some of the new roads that were empty all day. He took the first tech to the top of 3rd (170) on a road in Oceanside. He took the 2nd tech on the same road (Industrial St.) Same speed. He said they were very satisfied with the car and it passed smog with flying colors. My friend told me the techs said "It was worth it!"

[motorman]

The new packages are pretty much change for the sake of change, but they HAVE to offer something new for a model year. I agree that GM should offer a lightweight Vette, much the same as the Viper ACR. It wouldn't impact the safety standards, but would be spartan enough that it would NOT be suitable as a daily driver. Losing the run flats, climate control, most power assists, insulation, plush seats etc would drop the Vette to way under 3,000 pounds, and that would make the purists happy, but GM could probably only sell a couple dozen a year. So, if the weekend racers want a lightweight Vette, they can do what hotrodders have been doing for 5 decades - strip the unessential stuff.

As a separate issue - I have to laugh at all the talk about the Vette being overweight. The $195,00 Porsche turbo weighs in at almost 3,200 pounds, and I've NEVER heard anyone say a word about the weight. Those that don't respect what GM has done with the Vette will always talk about the superiority of European cars - even if they aren't.

KATECH sells a lightweight vette if you want one.http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/19/k...z06-clubsport/

[napacruzerC5]

Please correct me if I'm wrong Hib, but doesn't every option or non-option for that matter (power windows vs crank windows for example) require its own passing of a federal standard? I can almost see a "lighweight" manual window crank being so over engineered to pass some standard that GM would have to charge extra for the manual version.

[NORTY]

Do you mean the fixed lexan windows?

[catbert]

Glad I could supply you with your chuckle for the day!

It was my pleasure - really.