C6 Chevrolet Corvette - Feature

A brand-new standard-issue Chevrolet Corvette remains an incredible performance-car bargain. For less than two-thirds of the price of a Porsche 911, the latest C6 thunders to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds flat, corners at 0.99 g, and tops out at 190 mph. And for a two-seat rocket, a Vette is also very practical, with 57 percent more luggage capacity than a Honda Accord and tall gearing that, during relaxed highway cruising, squeezes more than 25 miles from each gallon of premium fuel.

Even so, the Corvette’s current base price of $49,515 might be more than some people can or want to spend. If you fall into this group, you’ll be happy to discover the many used Vettes on the market, given that today’s C6 generation was born in the 2005 model year. When you peruse secondhand Corvettes, you’ll also find that many of them have very low mileage, having been driven mostly on summer weekends in cold states. Three- and four-year-old cars with less than 10,000 miles are not unusual.

To reduce the risks of used-car buying, GM offers a certified used-vehicle (CUV) program. Similar to all such programs, GM’s starts with a detailed, 117-item checklist to make sure that everything is operating as it did when new. The car gets a thorough cleaning and detailing, brakes and tires that are more than half-worn are replaced, and the next scheduled maintenance is performed.

Keep Reading: Certified Pre-Owned: C6 Chevrolet Corvette - Feature

Jaguar to Show Hopped-up XKR, 225-mph XFR at Goodwood

At this week’s Goodwood Festival of Speed in the U.K., Jaguar will show off two modified versions of new cars.
The Bonneville XFR Prototype is the fastest Jaguar ever. A regular XFR is electronically limited to just 162 mph, but the prototype hit 225 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. To make the power needed for the high-speed run, the XFR scored a new intake and exhaust, modified supercharger, and remapped ECU, although the six-speed automatic transmission was untouched. The body received “minor aerodynamic and safety modifications.”
Also present will be the Goodwood Special XKR. Based on a 2010 XKR, the Goodwood Special gets lime green paint with funky "XKR" graphics, 21-inch wheels, lowered suspension, and a “louder” exhaust. There are also graphite accents on the headlights, mirrors, and front grille inserts. Somehow we doubt we’ll see these options in a Jaguar dealership.
Jaguar will also bring three historical race cars: the XJ13, the 1957 Long Nose D-type, and the C-type.

2010 Lexus IS Convertible / IS250C / IS350C - Second Drive

Sales charts spawned this baby. About a third of BMW 3-series sales are coupes and convertibles, and Lexus wants a seat at that buffet. Impulsive? Hardly. Introduced nine years ago and well into its second generation, the entry-level IS sedan finally gives birth to a convertible two-door kitten.

In dealerships now, the IS250C and IS350C feature an aluminum hardtop roof that, in 20 seconds, marshals 15 electric motors and 37 sensors to split it into two panels, which seamlessly belly-flop into the waiting trunk. Ultraviolet bliss ensues.

Weary eyes could reasonably mistake the IS C for a sedan that lost a debate with a hacksaw, yet every exterior panel and molding except the hood is unique to the convertible. The IS C is 2.2 inches longer than the four-door, and the rear decklid hunchbacks upward, so there’s room for four adults, plus space for flat luggage under the pancaked roof.

Keep Reading: 2010 Lexus IS Convertible / IS250C / IS350C - Second Drive

2010 Lotus Evora - Second Drive

The inquisitive owner of a first-generation Elise we met near Inveraray, Scotland, calls it cheating. He’s referring to the fact that this all-new Lotus—the first in 14 years—comes with a stereo, anti-lock brakes, cruise control, and a stitched-leather interior, not to mention available navigation and a backup camera. Had we wished to really upset him, we could have brought up the stability control and automatic transmission that will soon be offered.

Indeed, this is a very different car than the company’s intense, ultralight Elise and Exige models that we admire greatly for their delightful responses but whose limited appeal we fully understand. After all, there are dog carriers that may be easier to crawl into.

That’s why the Evora is so much larger—21.9 inches longer, with a 10.9-inch stretch in the wheelbase—putting it on par with more mainstream sports cars such as Porsche’s 911 and Cayman. Roughly five inches shorter than a 911, the Evora still houses a similarly sized (i.e., tiny) back seat, which is optional and seems adequate for little people and children up to 10 years old.

Keep Reading: 2010 Lotus Evora - Second Drive

Hurst Announces Special-Edition Pontiac G8 and G6 Convertible

How’s this for unfortunate timing? Just two months after GM axed the Pontiac brand, Hurst Performance Vehicles announces modified versions of two Pontiac models.
The tuning company will hand-build 52 “H.O.” copies of the 2010 G8. Details are sketchy, but the cars will be supercharged and ride on stiffened suspension. Like past Hurst special editions, white-on-gold and black-on-gold paint schemes, as well as forged wheels and a Hurst shifter, will be obligatory. Hurst also plans to offer ten modified G6 convertibles to serve as “parade and special event cars.” Whatever that means.
Check back August 1, when we should have full details and pricing on the Hurst cars.
Read about Pontiac’s demise: Pontiac Killed by GM - Feature
Read about another Hurst special: Hurst Dodge Viper – Car News

Man drives Murcielago LP640 Roadster in rain, Lotus may return to F1

First of all, we’d like to apologize for the low number of posts today (we’ve been doing some back-end development work that’s been causing delays). Nonetheless, it’s now time for some of the random findings from around the internet.

Man drives Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 in the rain: Yes, there are people like that out there and we definitely agree with the title of the video “The dumbest rich man in the world.” - Autogespot

Lotus may return to F1: Team Lotus could return to Formula One in 2010. Formula Three racing team Litespeed said that it will revive the classic racing name if F1 gives it the go-ahead. - AutoCar

U.S. auto suppliers seek government aid:  U.S. auto suppliers plan to ask the Obama administration’s auto task force for $8-$10 billion in loan guarantees, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. - Reuters

Tesla’s former co-founder working on mobile chargers for the Tesla Roadster

Martin Eberhard, co-founder of Tesla Motors, is now one of the aftermarket entrepreneurs of Tesla electric-cars. When Eberhard left Tesla in January of 2008, he said that he planned to start another company entirely in the green tech field.

Eberhard now writes over at his blog at http://www.teslafounders.com. In a recent entry, Eberhard said that he is busy building mobile chargers for the Tesla Roadster.

“I originally intended to build one for myself,” Eberhard wrote. “Then for a few friends. Now I am swamped with requests from Roadster owners who want a more flexible mobile charging solution. I plan to write a blog about my little charger one of these days. But then there is my ‘real’ job that already takes 110 percent of my time!”

We’re excited to see what Eberhard comes up with.