According to reports, there will be two Chevrolet Corvettes that will be released on the 92nd running of the Indianapolis in May 2008. One of these Corvettes will be powered by ethanol while the other one will be an anniversary car. This is because the 2008 event, to be held May 25, is going to mark the 30th anniversary of the first Corvette pace car at Indy. Moreover, Chevrolet also plans to dell a limited edition of 500 signed and numbered replicas of the 30th anniversary pace car. These will be offered in two versions namely the coupe and the convertible version.
Chevrolet’s representatives, along with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway offially announced the pairing and added that the one who will drive the E85-powered Corvette Z06 concept is two-time Indy 500 champion Emerson Fittipaldi. Fittipaldi will also personally sign all the 500 replica cars at the Bowling Green, Kentucky factory, the same factory where these cars will be built.
This will be the very first time that a car maker sent two pace cars to run the Indy 500. Also, According to Chevrolet, having chosen Fittipaldi is a good decision since he is from Brazil and this is the place where ethanol is a well-developed product and this is also where 70 percent of new cars have flex-fuel capability. Moreover, he is also a stakeholder in a couple of ethanol companies in Brazil.
The Indy pace car Z06 ethanol concept is built with the production Z06 as its basis. According to Chevrolet, it is mechanically stock, except for the adaptation to the ethanol/gasoline blend. The pace car is coated with Gold Rush Green paint which can either be gold or green at different angles depending on the lighting conditions. Also, a subtle checkered flag pattern is also included in the paint job. Also added in the car are items like strobe lights and safety equipment.
The 30th-anniversary pace car, on the other hand, will be available in black with silver graphics. This is in honor of the 1978 Corvette Indy pace car. This car, along with the replicas, will have a two-tone titanium-colored interior and Indianapolis 500 logos embroidered onto the seats. The commemorative Corvette is also equipped with the 436-horsepower LS3 small-block engine, Z51 performance package, choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmission, new forged chrome five-spoke aluminum wheels, and Indy 500 logo fender badges and other features. Prices are not yet available.
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on Saturday, December 15th, 2007 at 3:25 am and is filed under Chevrolet news.
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