Chevrolet Bel Air Reviews

The Z series Corvette is one example of home-grown American muscle that does not just accelerate – it also excels in the corners. The ZR1 is the latest in a line of not-just-straight-line performance coupes from Chevy, and it’s almost ready for its September U.S. launch. This sportster is all about speed; its low-slung shell hides GM’s familiar 6.2L LS9 V8, which is stroked and supercharged to produce approximately 462kW and 813Nm with a top speed of 325km/h. Its Z06 stablemate's official figures stand at 3.7secs, and the ZR1 will beat that. The power privilege will set you back over USD$100,000, which is a fair sight cheaper than its equivalent European counterparts. However, all Vettes are still left-hand-drive only. Holden are still pestering parent company GM for some right-hand-drive Chevys, though there are companies that convert and sell the current Z06 for a cool quarter-million Australian.

Well, these two celebrity cars and many more will be auctioned at the renowned Barrett-Jackson classic car auction in the US.If the budget can stretch, each car is expected to fetch more than $500,000.The weird and wonderful Monkee-mobile was made famous in the hit 1960s television series The Monkees.The restored car is based on a 1966 Pontiac GTO and was modified into a convertible by US hotrod legend George Barris.If the Monkee-mobile does not appeal, Cooper, a noted car collector, is parting with his 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing customrecreation and there's also the original truck used in the Beverly Hillbillies TV series.Apart from the Monkee-mobile and Cooper's Mercedes, fans of the 1991 Oscar-winning film Thelma and Louise can bid for the original 1966 Ford Thunderbird used in the film.There's also a Hummer and trailer used on the 2006 movie Miami Vice and actor William Shatner's custom-painted 1995 Harley Davidson.Also up for grabs is the 1969 V8 Dodge Charger coupe, more commonly known as the General Lee car, from the television series Dukes of Hazzard.The Barrett-Jackson sale is billed as the world's greatest car-collector event.The televised six-day event starts 12, January 2008 and officials expect to sell more than 1000 cars.It comes only months after Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone auctioned his car collection.Once of Ecclestone's cars, a 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K special roadster sold for almost $10 million.Apart from the celebrity cars, a host of muscle cars and classics, including Ford Mustangs and mint-condition Chevrolet Corvettes from 1954 to 2007, will go under the hammer.Barrett-Jackson will auction a vintage Shelby Mustang from each year performance legend Carroll Shelby produced his street-ripping 1960s classics.The highlight of the collection will be Shelby's personal 1969 GT500 convertible, followed by a pristine 1967 GT500 originally given by Shelby to his son Mike. 

The 2009 Corvette ZR1, the fastest, most powerful automobile ever produced by General Motors, will be unveiled at next month's Detroit motor show. It features an all-new LS9 supercharged 6.2-litre V8 engine targeted to produce a massive 460kW and approximately 800Nm of torque.The ZR1 is expected to be the first production Corvette to make a top speed of at least 320km/h. However, the Corvette's chief engineer, Tadge Juechter, says the 2009 ZR1 may be the last in a long tradition due to new US fuel economy and emission regulations.

The Dodge Challenger SRT8 will be unveiled as a production car at the Chicago motor show in February, with a full arsenal of Camaro-busting weapons. It will be in US showrooms by June, giving it a 12-month advantage over the Camaro, which is into final prototype testing by GM Holden engineers in Melbourne.“We are a year ahead,” Chrysler chief designer Trevor Creed says. The British-born stylist has led the design-driven success of a range of Chrysler cars and he has high hopes for the Challenger. It was first shown nearly two years ago as a concept car at the Detroit motor show and will be production-ready on February 6. Challenger order books opened on December 3 and 4300 cars were sold that day.Chrysler plans to sell 120,000 cars over the life of the Challenger program, starting with the hot-rod SRT8 automatic. “It's 120,000 over the lifespan of four years,” Creed says.“The first 4000 or so are the SRT8s, and we are building a batch of SRT8s that will have a 6.1-litre V8. And then our next batch is regular Challenger and Challenger RT, which is 3.5-litre V6 and 5.7-litre Hemi. The next year is a regular build of those again, plus SRT8 with a six-speed manual transmission.”Creed says the Challenger has been built from the same mechanical package as the top-selling 300C sedan, but there are no plans for a right-hand-drive model for Australia.“Challenger is a short-wheelbase version of the 300C. It's the same front, the same rear, shorter in the middle by four inches with a new body style on,” he says.The Challenger is coming as US baby boomers snap up retro-style muscle cars, led by the Ford Mustang.

This month GM released the Hummer H3 and now Gympie-based right-hand-drive conversion company Performax International is unleashing two massive Yank utes.The first fully complianced 2008 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra utes have arrived with 4.5 tonne towing capacity.Performax International recently achieved Australian Design Rule compliance for the United States-built Silverado after completing design, engineering and conversion work in-house at its Gympie factory.The main model offered will be the Silverado 2500HD crew-cab four-wheel drive, priced at $123,000 plus on-road costs with a four-year/120,000km warranty and four-year roadside assistance. Other models from the extensive Silverado and sister GMC Sierra range are available on order.The 2500HD features crew-cab pick-up bodywork, GM Duramax 6.6 litre V8 turbodiesel power, Allison six-speed automatic transmission with high and low ranges and dashboard-selected four-wheel-drive engagement.Peak engine outputs are 272kW at 3200rpm and 895Nm of torque at 1600rpm.The Allison Adaptive Shift Control gearbox with manual over-ride includes a tow/haul mode, which alters shift patterns to maximise engine efficiency in pulling and braking. Tow/Haul mode also engages grade braking, which selects a lower gear to assist hill descents even when cruise control is operating.Performax International general manager Nick Vandenberg says the 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD is the answer for many heavy-duty and long-distance haulers in Australia.“The 2008 Silverado is a big step forward in performance, refinement, styling and comfort for this type of ute,” Vandenberg said. “With towing capacity at 4.5 tonnes, it's the big ute many people have been waiting for."“We had orders for almost 20 even before the ADR compliance process was completed and now we expect many more from both recreational and business buyers.“There is no other new vehicle like it on the Australian market, especially at a price within the range of many less capable 4WD wagons."“The new exterior and interior styling looks great and the cabin provides real comfort, with a spacious rear bench for three large adults, leather upholstery and the comfort and safety items usually found on passenger cars.”Performax International, formerly Corvette Queensland, has been importing and converting American cars for almost 20 years, developing an unequalled reputation for the quality of its engineering work and customer service.It employs more than 40 people and produces about 200 vehicles a year for Australian roads. 

And that's something 1970 Corvette owner Glen Jackson knows very well. Whether it's the glaring eyes looking on in admiration and envy, the heart-trembling grunt of the engine, feeling special on the road or the embarrassment of breaking down in peak-hour traffic on one of Sydney's busiest motorways.For Jackson, taking the bad with the good has left him stranded and almost regretting his purchase. “When I first got it, when I first picked it up, it broke down in the M5 tunnel,” he says. “It was an over-heating problem. I was stuck in the M5 traffic, it caused chaos."“I was in a panic, in that tunnel there's nowhere to pull over and the thing was over-heated. I just got it through the other side and out of the way of traffic. I wasn't happy about it at all.”A new radiator and other work totalling $6000 had the Corvette reliable enough to drive, so Jackson could then enjoy his $34,000 purchase.“I have been playing around with cars since I left high school,” he says. “With this car you drive it and people look. It's about showing off your piece of art. I go in traffic and I get people, usually kids taking photos.”But Jackson's piece of art isn't quite finished. He plans to spend another $6000 to $10,000 fixing and improving the bodywork, which he anticipates could take another 12 months.Jackson says the 1968 to 1973 Corvette models are the most desired, as they have a more powerful 350hp engine.The succeeding models have a lower power output because of pollution regulations.And while his engine is not the original, it is a 350 Chev engine, delivering the same 350hp.When Jackson bought his very first old car just over a year ago, it had already been in Australia for at least 14 years.“It was sitting in a garage,” he says. “When I picked it up, it had been neglected and I had to get it running again.”While Jackson was and still is an avid Holden fan, sharing the passion with his family, he branched out, developing an interest in American muscle about three years ago.It took a few years searching to find this one.“I just like the style, the look of it and the shape,” he says. “There were about 17,000 built in America, so they would have been all imports here.”Jackson says his Corvette has the T-top roof and the back window comes out.“It's not quite a convertible, but it still has that feeling to it,” he says.Jackson's car started its life as a left-hand drive but was converted to right-hand drive for Australia. He says despite its age, it still drives and handles 'pretty well' when he takes it out once or twice a month.The Corvette was named after a type of British Navy ship known for its wicked speed.They were first introduced in the US in 1953 and by 1970, featured a longer, more pinched nose, shark-like gill vents on the side front fenders and chrome bumpers.Jackson's model also has some modern touches, including power steering and a CD player, which were added to the car.He considered selling his Corvette several months ago for $50,000, but as its beauty glistened in the driveway, he quickly had a change of heart.“I had advertised it, but changed my mind after a couple of weeks. I decided I liked it too much. So I won't sell it now,” the 27-year-old says. While it didn't get his mother's tick of approval when she saw the photos, Jackson says she loved it once she saw the real thing.On the road, the red Corvette sits very low to the ground. Jackson says it's a little snug on the inside, probably not the most practical car for someone standing two meters tall.But that won't stop him driving it. And with just two seats, he finds the added disadvantage of not being able to drive friends around.His friends will just have to walk or find their own rides, as Jackson is strongly attached to the red beauty for the time being.Although, it won't be red for much longer, as Jackson plans to give it a bit more life and take it back to the days when it rolled off the factory floor 37 years ago.He says he likes the red, “because red ones go faster,” but back in its day, the Corvette was originally blue. And by taking it back to its original appearance, Jackson is confident of boosting the car's value. Snapshot 1970 Chevrolet CorvetteValue when new: from $US5469Value now: $A34,000 for an average model, around $A60,000 for a top modelVerdict: The 1970s sports car may leave you stranded, but at least it does so in style. The Corvette has all the old-school 'coolness' that makes it just like a piece of art. 

Previous Bathurst 1000 Winners 1963 Harry Firth/Bob Jane Ford Cortina GT 1964 Bob Jane/George Reynolds Ford Cortina GT 1965 Bo Seton/Midge Bosworth Ford Cortina GT500 1966 Rauno Aaltonen/Bob Holden Morris Mini Cooper S 1967 Harry Firth/Fred Gibson Ford Falcon XRGT 1968 Bruce McPhee/Barry Mulholland Holden Monaro GTS

Car names are apparently a minefield of hidden meanings, which would do justice to an automotive Da Vinci Code. That's if you believe the assertions of various regular posters who populate online forums, slanging away at each other's favourite badge.On the Australian sites, there's naturally a lot of the Red vs Blue from the Holden and Ford camps.Holden stands for “Hope Our Luck Doesn't End Soon,” according to somebody called FPVgal, who also claims Ford means “First On Race Day,” only to be corrected by Monaro05, who says it actually means “First on Recall Day”.You thought BMW was an acronym for Bayerische Motoren Werke, not so, it seems. Bought My Wife, Big Money Waste, Bavarian Manure Wagon; take your pick. In crime-ridden South Africa, it's Break My Windows. Audi goes All Unnecessary Devices Installed, or Accelerates Under Demonic Influence, having driven the scorching RS4, we'd agree with the latter.Chevrolet has a long list, but all along the theme of Condition Hopeless, Entire Vehicle Relies On Lousy Engineering Techniques.Any Dodge is apparently Dead On Day Guarantee Expires.Fiat? Fix It Again, Tony.A Honda fan claims it stands for Hallmark Of Non-Destructible Automobiles, but is swatted down with Hang On, Not Done Accelerating, by one who's obviously never had their foot on the pedal of the ballistic little Civic Type R.Hyundai is tagged with Hope You Understand Nothing's Driveable and Inexpensive; Kia gets Kick It Again.There's more. But some of it isn't suitable for a family website and some might even be rejected by the upstanding editors of Bikini Babes With Big Pistons.Luckily, it's all in cyberspace, so no real blood is ever spilled. But the only other public entertainment that comes anywhere near offering this amount of fantasy, insults, threats, lies and exaggeration is the coming federal election campaign.Happily, that promises to have even less basis in reality. 

General Motors has demonstrated the wisdom of US baseball player Yogi Berra's quip that, "it ain't over til it's over” by regaining its crown as the world's biggest car maker in the second quarter.Toyota toppled GM in the first three months of the year from the throne, which the Detroit car maker has occupied since 1931.But GM reported global sales of 2.4 million vehicles between April and June, putting it ahead of Toyota's 2.36 million.The Japanese group remains narrowly ahead over the first half of 2007 and is still widely expected to emerge in the top spot for the year as a whole, based on its forecast of global sales of 9.34 million units compared with GM's 9.2 million.GM's second-quarter comeback was due to surging sales outside North America, up from 1.36 million in the first quarter to 1.39 million in the second, equal to 58 per cent of total sales. Growth was strong in emerging markets.GM's sales in Russia more than doubled from a year earlier, driven mainly by its Chevrolet brand. Sales in Europe as a whole reached a new quarterly record. GM is also the biggest car maker in China, where Toyota has, until recently, been a relatively minor player. Brazil posted a 23 per cent jump.Both companies are struggling on their home turf.Toyota is confronted with a shrinking domestic market; GM has lost US market share to Asian and European rivals and is cutting back low-margin sales to the car-rental industry.Toyota's share of the US market, the world's biggest, grew to 16.1 per cent from 14.6per cent a year earlier, according to Autodata. GM's share slumped to 21.7 per cent inJune, its lowest level in decades apart from during a strike in 1998.Both companies have brushed off the closely watched rivalry.“We're more concerned about what the customer thinks about our products,” a GM spokesman said.Toyota has continued to stress its reputation for quality.Still, GM is not giving up its crown lightly, taking the view that the sales race should be judged on an annual and not a quarterly basis.Toyota on Friday said it was making efforts to ensure the impact of the Niigata earthquake on domestic production would not hit exports.All eight of Japan's car makers announced domestic production shutdowns last week due to supply problems at Riken Corp, which makes piston rings and seal rings for transmission parts. Riken's factories were damaged by last Monday's earthquake.The production setback highlights the low level of inventories Japanese car makers keep due to just-in-time delivery strategies.It could cost the industry about 65,000 units in production and Y100 billion ($937million) in revenue, according to Kurt Sanger, car industry analyst at Macquarie Securities in Tokyo. 

Christian Dior had Parisienne socialite Mitzah Bricard. Karl Lagerfeld has Ines de la Fressange - and so for that matter did Jean Paul Gaultier and a few others . Yves Saint Laurent had the divine Catherine Deneuve. And Nora del Busto had the Chevrolet Volt. Cars are not generally a source of inspiration for chic clothing - even when it’s a vehicle as avant garde as Chevrolet’s electrically powered concept. It usually works the other way around, with body and trim designers looking to fashion and fabric trends to ensure whatever they devise will look fresh when it hits the showroom floor. But Busto, and four of her fellow students from Chicago’s International Academy of Design and Technology, took home the top prizes in this year’s General Motors Student Design Competition by creating clothes inspired by cars from the GM range. In keeping with the forward thinking promise of the Volt, Busto’s dress is a futuristic silhouette in metallic textures, with a skirt constructed of three dimensional silver extrusions that could be in danger of attracting any stray electricity in the area. Of the five winners among the 75 finalists Busto’s design cues seem most strongly related to the car in question. But admittedly the elegant pinch waisted lines of Anastasia Chatka’s dress echo the shaped portholes and waterfall grille of the Buick Enclave, though thankfully bearing no relation to its bulk. And Robin Clayborne’s zippered jacket has a sporty attitude that is in keeping with the Camaro convertible concept. But it’s hard to relate Shalanda Jarrett’s brown toned ensemble with ‘rock beading’ to the Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid, until you discover the earth and stone approach was a celebration of the vehicle’s environmental commitment rather than its looks. And while the sleeveless frock with mock French cuffs designed by Amber Lindblom is certainly an attractive proposition, it’s entirely in the eye of the beholder whether or not it ‘captures the entrepreneurial spirit’ of the Cadillac CTS. Or at least in the eyes of the judging panel of experts from the fields of auto design, fashion and unsurprisingly, with that kind of description — marketing.