Tag Archives: Vette

Diecast cars

Die-cast: Autoart’s Chevy Corvette Grand Sport

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Striking look makes Corvette Grand Sport a winner … Autoart Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport

Corvettes of late are little rockets that cost less than pricey European rockets that are capable of on-track racing, but usually end up in an upper class suburban driveway instead.

But that would be a waste for Chevrolet’s famous muscle car, especially in Grand Sport trim. And in die-cast models, it would be shame not to encase Autoart’s 1/18 scale 2017 Corvette Grand Sport in an acrylic case or behind a display cabinet’s glass doors. It’s a beauty, and ours was the Watkins Glen metallic gray with satin black stripes from nose to tail. Continue reading Die-cast: Autoart’s Chevy Corvette Grand Sport →

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Car Reviews

2017 Lexus GS F

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Lexus GS F is a NASCAR wannabe in street clothes … 2017 Lexus GS F

            Unless your name is Hellcat or you sport some semblance of racing stripes and a hood scoop you’re not supposed to gurgle and pop with power if you’re simply a luxury sport sedan.

Ah, but the Lexus GS is everything from a fine luxury sedan to a NASCAR wannabe, a racer in street clothes.

A base GS 200t, you see, is equipped with a 241-horse 2.0-liter I4 that’s turbocharged. Oh that’s nice and sporty in its own way and a potential Lexus owner that’s pushing the limits of his home equity loan to snag one will shell out roughly $47 grand and change.

But there are so many other choices, two more engines and a hybrid model too. So say sayonara to that base model if you want to light up the tires and thumb your nose at German luxury sedans, or domestic muscle too. The tested GS F, or F Sport model is the sharp end of the GS line and it’ll flat out fly.

Reason?

No, it’s not a HEMI, but the Lexus has a sexy sounding V8 that’ll nearly put the roughly 4,000-pound sedan into orbit. The numbers are this, 5.0-liter V8 creating 467 horsepower and 389 lb.-ft. of torque. Don’t go pooh-poohing that because your Vette or Hellcat has more ponies. With its modest weight and a dandy drive mode system that allows you to go from Normal to Sport or Sport+, you’ll suddenly find the GS turning surly.2017 Lexus GS F

I was expecting good power, but punched the console’s drive mode button just as I was pulling onto the freeway and the rear-drive GS twitched its tail and rocketed up to, er, well, more than the standard highway speed before I was halfway down the entry ramp. Haven’t had this much fun since my last Vette drive, and that’s been a while. Continue reading 2017 Lexus GS F →

Diecast cars

Die-cast: Chevy Corvette C7 Z06

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Autoart creates a stellar Corvette C7 Z06 …Autoart Chevrolet Corvette C7 Z06

Vettes are cool even if their current buyers are skewing gray and retired.

Still, you gotta have a little coin to own a new Vette, especially the Z06 model, one of the racier versions. A new one will cost you $79,500, so that’s why Autoart’s 1/18 scale version seems so reasonable at $160. Plus this one won’t run up your insurance payment of deplete your monthly fuel allowance!

Autoart now has several color choices in the newest Chevrolet Corvette, the C7, in Z06 trim. Our test model was a brilliant medium metallic blue. Some might call it electric blue.

The History

We all know the story. Chevy launched Corvette, a two-seat sports car in 1953. It was underpowered and not a big hit initially. But as its power grew, and its refinement with it, the Vette became a go-to car for club racers across North America and then serious racers who put what are now high-horse beasts, through their paces at the 24 Hours of LeMans in France.Autoart Chevrolet Corvette C7 Z06

Now in its seventh generation, the C7 is as refined, yet racy as any street-legal sports car out there, and a darn sight less pricey than many. The C7 debuted as a 2014 model and rumors persist that the next version will be mid-engine powered, but the C7 already abandoned Corvette’s roll-away headlights. Continue reading Die-cast: Chevy Corvette C7 Z06 →

Diecast cars

Die-cast: Autoart’s 1958 Chevy Corvette

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1958 Corvette another beauty in 1/18 scale … 71146e

While the early Corvettes were cute little underpowered sports cars, for my money they got serious and more aggressive looking for 1958 when Harley Earl and his design crew gave them quad headlights.

To be honest, the Corvette had gotten off to a rather slow sales start but 1958 was its landmark year when sales hit 9,168 and it was on its way to Chevrolet and industry icon.

Now Autoart delivers a sweet silver blue 1958 Corvette in 1/18 scale, and this one comes with a matching silver blue metal roof that fits on to allow it to be displayed top up, or down.

The History71146a (1)

Outwardly the big deal change for 1958 was Corvette’s quad headlights along with a chrome strip the length of the front fenders. There also were non-functional louvers on the hood and the car grew by nine inches in length and about two inches in width. Radius rods were added to help the rear suspension and chrome trunk spears that some called suspenders were added to the trunk. The hood louvers and rear suspenders didn’t make it to the 1959 model. Continue reading Die-cast: Autoart’s 1958 Chevy Corvette →

Fun Stuff

Cool Vids: A commercial we all can relate to.

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I saved up for that______ (name of car goes here) for a long time

A friend of mine forwarded me this Corvette spot. One of the best I have seen in a long time. Look in the mirror because I bet a lot of you can relate to it if you ever saved up for that special car.

 

 

 

 

Car Reviews

2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z51 1LT

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Fast & furious new Stingray sets a new standard 

The company parking lot was alive with color, as was the driveway at home. People stared, gave a thumbs up and admired what for 60 years has been America’s Sports Car.1LT, 2014 Corvette Stingray, auto reviews, Chevrolet, chevy, Corvette, heads-up display, savageonwheels.com, sexy cars, Stingray, Vette, Z51

This was a Torch Red Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z51, fresh off the assembly line in Bowling Green, Ky., and raring to have its legs stretched, its engine thrummed, its giant near slick ZR-rated tires warmed and spun. The Corvette remains a two-seater, but by the late 1960s had transitioned from sports car to muscle car.

Oh, these babies are raced to be sure, but on the highway, on our city streets, it’s their muscle that most folks admire. They are low, so low I found myself looking up to a Mini Cooper that I was passing on the freeway. Vettes are fast. Chevy claims 3.8 seconds from 0-60 mph and even it if it’s 4.0 or a touch more, it’ll haul butt.

Top speed? It’s rated at 190 mph and there’s no good place to test that out, legally. Suffice it to say I got within 90 mph of that. Highway entry ramps are too short in a Corvette, which for its seventh generation that debuts as a 2014, brings back the much loved Stingray name.

1LT, 2014 Corvette Stingray, auto reviews, Chevrolet, chevy, Corvette, heads-up display, savageonwheels.com, sexy cars, Stingray, Vette, Z51For the record Chevy has revamped its giant 6.2-liter V8 to add direct injection and variable valve timing. That translates into 460 horses and a torque rating of 465. Consider that a Porsche 911 Carrera S manages 400 horses, albeit from a flat-6, and costs almost twice as much. Continue reading 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z51 1LT →